Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

falcon53

I have a 2002 Ranger 2 Dr XLT Extended Cab SB that I bought used and have had 1 year. I commute about 90 miles a day, mostly on open or crowded highways.

I've had warped brake rotors turned twice since I bought the truck, and they're warped again. I first start sensing the problem just a month or two after the last turning. I really don't think I drive the truck that hard, other than the fact that I do commute such a long way; I drive the truck like the almost-40-year-old guy that I am, not like an 18-year old having fun in traffic.

Has anybody else had similar experiences? What could be causing this unusual pattern? What options do I have for dealing with this other than having the rotors turned every 6 months and replacing them once that's no longer possible?

Any help will be most appreciated; thanks in advance.

AFC

clintonjohn

i think todays rotors are made thinner than in years past, so warpage is probably more common today, regardless of whether you drive/brake hard or not. nonetheless, you mention that you drive croweded highways. perhaps the frequent stops are overheating the rotors. i don't know-just a guess. maybe purchasing aftermarket rotors, which may be thicker and thus less prone to warping could be an option to consider. after turning the old ones a few times, the cost of new rotors might be offset by the money and time invested in turning the old ones as frequently as you have.

bolivar

Your calipers may be sticking and not retracting. When they are worked on, the pins and all moving surfaces should have all rust, dirt, etc removed and re-lubricated with the grease specific for brakes.

Possibility of a collapsed or obstructed brake line, usually the rubber portion causing drag. I wouldn't expect this on both sides.

midnight_stang

You can't turn rotors over and over. 2 or 3 times, and it'll be past it's service limits. Perhaps you are getting normal wheel vibration (wheel inbalance) and a over zealous mechanic decided you need your rotors turned? After your 2nd or 3rd turn, the mechanic would know you would need new rotors, and that would be another easy sell at that point. Just want to make sure you're getting the right diagnosis on the problem.

tukeanu

I have an '01 4x4 ext cab XLT. After any sort of precipitation I find the floor of the cab is wet. Mostly the water congregates at the rear corner of the driver's side although I have found it wet under the driver's floor mat and occasionally under the passenger's mat as well. After a good rain the carpet in the rear is SOAKED. It has come to the point where I keep a towel bunched-up in the outside corner of the cab rear constantly and wring it out regularily. I had it in to the dealer to have it addressed and they said they couldn't find a leak. My guess is it's coming in throught the sliding rear window and running down behind the plastic paneling somehow. Any one else have this problem?

falcon53

Thank you all for the help. I appreciate it.

AFC

bolivar

Check the seal around the center high-mount brake light at the top outside of the cab.

parky

Some people think of getting new vehicles. I am only thinking of finding a new driver seat. Great truck! Bought new in 4/04. First tune up at 75K miles, clutch and water pump at 120K(was towing 2 mx bikes and a pop up camper). NOTE: REPLACE SLAVE CYLINDER W/ CLUTCH as well as throw out bearing. Original rotors and drums made it to 165K miles. Changed brake pads every 50K. Love those easy slide pins. I can go on & on! I have all repairs documented for milage. Let me know if anyone needs additional feedback. STILL GETTING 21 MPG. Burns 1qt every 2000 to 2500 miles like clock work.

tukeanu

Bolivar. Thanks for the input. I have checked that already and it seemed OK. I suppose I could silicone it to be sure. During a run through a carwash, I noticed water squirting past some of the sliding rear window seals. That's what lead me to believe it could be the SRW. Could be a number of things. Thought some of you folks may have had similar experiences and found the fault. I used this forum to do research in order to decide whether to buy the Ranger or the Tacoma. I haven't logged on here for a couple of years so figured this might have come up. I appreciate any suggestions.

coloneldan

I have a 2002 Ford Ranger 4X4 and the windshield wipers and speedometer have both stopped working. Any ideas on what to do.

chuckles_g

Consult your owner's manual, you most likely have a fuse/relay burned out, check that to narrow your sources, then use process of elimination. The question is if you have short causing this. If you have equipment to check fuses/relays, great, if not, I'd put my bets on your favorite mechanic.

swschrad

my bet is one of the maxi-fuses, not those little dinky things for individual circuits, has bit the dust. on fords, they are usually under the hood and near the battery in a black plastic case.

midnight_stang

In the engine bay, there is a black box by firewall on the driver's side.
In the cab, there is the fuse panel which is in the dash, on the driver's side. Open the door, and it's on the side of the dash that directly faces the door.

Check your owner's manual, and see which fuses point to those devices. If the fuses are not visibly blown, or replacing them does not fix the problem, your dealership should be your next step. Your truck should be under warranty still, unless you are a very high milage driver.

goldranger

falcon53,

My 01 4.0 ext cab had rear drums replaced (under warranty) for being out of round @ 9K miles and now at 33.3K are that way again. I'll have to have them turned very soon. No problems with the front rotors. My driving is mostly stop/go in city.

goldranger

arrangerguy

hi all, i have a 98 ford ranger with the 2.5l 4 banger, and today i was just leaving the store...and i went to stop...and the truck like bogged way down...and started to stall...and then i hit the gas and i had NO power...the truck would barely move....i was like...pushin the gas hard and getting no where...then i let off the gas...and pushed again and it was fine the rest of the way home...what do you think, MAF problem???

wijoco

Hard to say. I wouldn't think MAF problem. Do you have an automatic? Was the truck in gear when it stalled?

clintonjohn

if you get it checked out, let me know. I've got a 2000 4 cylinder ranger that has demonstrated the same problem. bogged down, nearly died, but not quite, hammer the gas with no response. it's only happened a couple of times in the 3 years i've owned it and don't feel like turning it over to the dealer for them to tell me they couldn't reproduce the problem and couldn't figure it out but it's still gonna cost $100 cause we changed your windshield wipers

arrangerguy

yeah i have an auto, and yes it was in gear, my friend had the same problem with his ranger, and his problem was the MAF...and i actually had my MAF replaced 8 months ago...but it was done by a shop which i was told used NAPA parts, and NAPA parts are not good...so im guessing i just got a [non-permissible content removed] MAF that passed the diag test...my truck has had a rough idle since i bought it with 49k miles on it, and i now have 61, so im going to my local shop and have diagnostics done, i will let you know what the results were

ramzey28

This might sound crazy, and I know I shouldn't go this fast but I have a 2003 Ford Ranger 4.0l. When you hit 90 mph the engine starts hesitating, like its not getting fuel. Ford says if I kept driving it, the engine would shut down...safty feature? It's normal. Not sure if this is normal, I don't remember my other rangers doing it. Any thoughts.

frohrs

Hi there
I have a 1995 Ranger 2300 XL. Number 2 cyclinder is missfiring so I scanned my computter & the code it pulls up reads missfire at cyclinder #2 like if I didn't know that allready. I have new plugs, wires & all the electrics check out fine. Both plugs in cyclinder #2 are just black not burning. I replaced the fuel injector to that cyclinder thinking that it might be hanging up. Same problem cyclinder not firing.
Any suggestions?

Thanks so much.

ramzey28

I had a leak like that, I can't totally remember what fixed it, but I think it had something to do with the heater box in the front of the truck. Hope that makes sense. The dealer knew right away, i would check with another dealer.

stevek

There is a fuel cutoff in the truck. I had the same in my Chevy Z71, it did cut out at 100 mph. Not because of the engine or the truck could not handle it but becasue the tires were not speed rated.

wijoco

Does that truck have coil-on-plug ignition coils? If so, consider that possibility. Also try swapping #2 and 3 plug wires and see what happens. Remotely possible that you got a bad new plug wire. Beyond that I'm stuck, try posting on flatratetech.com's Ford support forum. A lot more full-time mechanics to talk to there.

ramzey28

Thanks, Ill check it out. I just have never experienced that but have heard of some cars having a governor or something like it. I can see 100 but I though 90 was fair game.

midnight_stang

arrangerguy, It could just be some lint on the MAF, or more probably, some oil from a K&N type filter. It can be cleaned, if this could be the problem. Use any standard electric cleaner, and be careful not to touch the actual sensor elements. It could also just be some junk clogging the fuel system temporarily. It happens.

ramzey28, That's the govenor kicking in. The stock tires that came with your truck were rated somewhere around 95-98 MPH. My 2003 3.0l kicks in at 92 mph. Guess if I win a race with you, it'll have to be a long distance race...

It shuts down if you keep it up, because the Computer thinks you may have a problem with the gas pedal. (Not lead foot, but maybe a stuck accelerator, so it shuts down.)

You can eliminate the govenor with a aftermarket Chip, but be advised that this can void you warranty. The newer Rangers have a steel plate that covers the port you plug your chip into. So you can't just remove the chip for dealership servicing, as they'll know you got into the ECU for something. Also know that the Ranger drivetrain does have a problem with vibration and harmonics at triple digit speeds. It's a basic design issue with the Ranger, but it is a truck, not a sports car.

clintonjohn

midnight stang-I've got a k&n air filter in my ranger(4 cylinder). Is there a potential problem with these filter systems? It's the original oiling, so I haven't cleaned it and reoiled it, thus potentially adding too much oil myself. I seem to remember once asking a ford mechanic about whether these filters were ok, and he didn't like them because of the possibility of oil contaminating the maf. how would i go about cleaning the maf and is this something that should overly concern me? i went with the k&n because i liked the idea of freer flow of air, but if this is going to mess something up, i'll go back to paper, although $50 for the k&n makes me want to stick with it.

krisak26

I have a 99 Ranger with 55,000 miles on it, Ever since I bought the truck in January of 99 the 3.0 motor has pinging noise especially going up hills or under a lot of stress. I haven't had any other problems other than the pinging and I usually just turn up the radio but lately it is getting to the point where I want to get rid of it and get a newer truck. I only run 87 octane, but I heard that a higher octane would quiet this engine, but I don't want to pay the kind of $$$ for a vehicle designed to run 87 octane.

nra1871

I had a 99 Ranger with the 3L engine and it pinged like mad. The dealer changed the ignition coils, computer, and adjusted the timing. That quieted it some, but it continually got louder until the dealer said 'its supposed to sound like that'. I did notice a drop in gas mileage when the pinging began as well. One thing which did help was turning the O/D button off when I was going less than 50. The transmission seemed to be programmed to upshift as soon as possible, and when it shifted into fourth at 40mph, the pinging seemed to be at its worst.
The noise made me very uneasy, and that plus the leaky cab plus a number of other issues made me sell it at 35k and get a tacoma. I refuse to pay for repairs when I am still paying on a vehicle.

dustyk

NRA, what you are describing is called detonation. This occurs when the fuel charge in a piston engine burns too rapidly and starts to force the piston downward before reaching top dead center on the compression stroke. While manufacturers will tell you that a small amount of pinging is not harmful to the engine, when this does occur there is a corresponding loss in power output from any cylinder that detonates equivalent to the level of detonation.

As to engine damage, more modern engines are probably better able to withstand higher levels of this. Older designs are not. You also have to be careful of detonation that can't be heard. This usually occurs at higher RPMs where one or two detonation events in a cylinder are masked by other engine and vehicle noises.

In the 1960s there were probably a lot of Chevy small block owners who couldn't figure out why they threw a rod on their 265-283-327-350 motors. Many of these engines had undetected distributor shaft wear that caused the timing to periodically jump about 20 degrees advanced, and at some RPMs this would cause a disasterous detonation event in one cylinder which would literally produce enough downforce to fracture a connecting rod.

While some might tolerate a "little" detonation, it is a symptom that is NOT normal to a efficient combustion event and in my opinion should not be occuring and be at all times avoided. Intermittent detonation probably won't hurt a fresh engine, but that rattle means that engine components are moving with extreme oscillation. After a while fatique of some component is inevitable.

Best regards,
Dusty

"The right of the people to keep and bear arms is not a right granted by the Constitution . . . [n]either is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence."

United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1876)

ladyhall

Hello All Good to be back in Edmunds. Have become a Ford owner and need help!. Went to flush my cooling/heating system of my 87 Ford Ranger Pick up 6 cyl 2.6L no air - When finished water pump starting weeping so need to replace! Never worked with the belts before and wondered if any of you have the steps on how to? Disassemble then reverse procedures?
I am going to pull the single core radiator first, then???? While in I also am going to replace my thermostat and heater core - pretty sure that is workable yet again Honest I am scared to mess with these major belts?
thank you for any help and Happy Holidays
ladyhall

goldranger

Ramzey28,

The computer shuts off the fuel @ 93 MPH on a 4.0L.
If you must go faster, you must buy an after market chip.
My 01 4.0 will easily get to 92 or so but thats it...

Goldranger

wijoco

It's awfully common in this motor. Sometimes a PCM reflash will cure the ping. If the dealer is telling you, it's normal, that's bull. There is a difference between "normal" and "acceptable". A lean fuel mixture, overheating engine, over advanced timing can cause pinging. Lean fuel can be caused by vacuum leaks, bad MAF sensor, a million other things. I would start by checking for vacuum leaks on the top of the motor-loose or cracked hoses, intake gasket leaks, things like that. I wouldn't let it slide, as excessive pinging can destroy your engine.

wijoco

When you're at the parts store buying the water pump, pick up a Haynes manual. You'll get step-by-step instructions.

pinetted

I own a 96 Ranger XLT 4X4 with the 4.0. When the weather gets real cold I hear a high pitched sqeal from the front of the truck, it seems to be comming from one of the wheels as it starts as soon as I begin to move, and goes away after a few miles. It did this last year but as the weather got warm it went away and I forgot about it. But now it is back. This noise does not sound like break sqeal but more like a tea kettle boiling or high pressure leak. I have no idea what it could be has anyone had any similar problems?

midnight_stang

Well the mechanic is right. Oil from the K&N filter (or any oiled filter) can eventually contaminate the MAF filter and cause problems. It should be resolvable by using electrical contact cleaner (there may be an official name, but it escapes me). Just get something that leaves no residue, and don't touch the elements with you fingers.

While I believe the K&N does flow more air and with less restriction, I can imagine there is some type of loss in micro particle filtration. To me, I just put in a new paper air filter every other oil change. 3.99 or so, and I'm good for 6 months.

Also, beware of radial/conial aftermarket filters. While they may look and sound cool, and have lots of surface area to suck in air, conial filters by nature replace the whole airbox assembly. This means there is little to no isolation of air from the hot engine bay. So any gains made by a high flowing, conial filter may be offset by the now copious amounts of heated air. That's one of the problems for Ranger Enthusiasts, getting cold air efficiently into the intake, and keeping it filtered...

gylhome

Hello All,

I have a 2001 V6 4.0L Ranger XLT Crew Cab and I'm trying to replace my headlamp bulbs (one of them is burned out). However, I can't get to the rear of the bulb in the engine compartment because part of the frame is in the way - so it would seem I need to pull out the headlight assembly. I've taken off the plastic top cover, unscrewed the top locking nut on top, but only the top part of the headlight assembly is loose (i.e. there must be bottom screws as well). It would seem that this should be much easier to simply replace the bulbs. Can someone help me and provide me with some detailed instructions as to how to get to the bulbs and replace them? Thanks.

cpousnr

Well, you may have to remove the battery and or the airbox, but if you just reach down you should be able to unscrew the connection by reaching behind the frame part.

clintonjohn

what exactly do i look to clean/not touch with my fingers and how do i go about it? can i use that spray on carb cleaner(even though it's fuel injected) stuff, or is there something more specific? do i remove the air filter and spray in cleaner into the air intake, or what? should i go back to paper filters? i thought k&n stood behind these things as not causing any undue problems/voiding the warranty(although I'm out of warranty), etc. thanks for your input-i thought i was doing a good thing by going with the oil impregnated cotton filter-was under the impression that it was superior to straight paper.

wijoco

I would stick to electrical parts cleaner. It won't leave a residue on the sensor wires. Not much more expensive that other parts cleaners, available at any auto parts store.
Bottom line is that oiled air filters just aren't a good idea any more. If not the MAF sensor, then that oil will evntually sludge up the throttle body. K&N had a neat idea, but they didn't think it through. That's probably why they don't put them on at the factory, right?

rangeroo

Hi, I'm new to Rangers, having just bought a 97 4.0 5-sp auto, 4x4 supercab with 110K on it. It's high mileage, but the truck seems to run perfectly and does not exhibit any of the problems I've read about in this discussion. In reading through the maintenance receipts I realized that the truck has been running on 10w30 oil for most of its life, rather than the 5w30 specified by Ford. Could this have been harmful in any way to the engine? Thanks to everyone who posts such great info on this forum.

rangeroo

I have the same problem that was stated in message #703 by Brucelinc: dust and lint behind the clear plexi of my gauge cluster (97 Ranger XLT 4x4 Extended). I did not see any answers to his post, so I'd like to ask again. Is it a major undertaking to get to that area and clean it? I've never seen this in all the cars and trucks I've owned. How does it get in there?! Thanks.

wijoco

I don't think the new ULEV standards came around until the millenium, so are you sure 5-W30 was specified for the 97 models? What does the owners manual say? As a general rule, you switch to a lighter weight oil in winter. And different parts of the country will use different weights depending on the oil.
As far as the lens dust, I imagine the only thing to do is disassemble the dash and clean the lens and then reseal it with caulk. You'll need a repair manual for dash disassembly instructions.

rangeroo

Wijoco, the owner's manual says: "Engine oils with an SAE 5W-30 viscosity are preferred for your vehicle. They provide the best engine performance, fuel economy, and engine protection for all climates down to -15F." So I guess this would mean that other viscosities are okay to use, but 5W-30 would be the best to use?

vidtech

a neighbor who works in the engine assembly plant at ford has told me that the tolerances in the new engines are very small.that reason and improved fuel economy are the reasons why such light oils are used today.the heavier oil has more difficulty getting in those tight spots when cold.the new fords are even using 5w/20 oil.

midnight_stang

gylhome,
Here's a picture of the retaining clamps on my 03 Edge headlight. They are easy to miss, and I am hoping a 01 XLT is the same. This is all you have to do on my truck to release the headlights and get to the bulbs.
http://images.cardomain.com/member_images/5/web/329000-329999/329- 486_88_full.jpg

gylhome,
The MAF filter is the first sensor in the intake tube (right after the airbox). It takes some security torx bolts to remove it (the torx bolts with a hole in the center), and then you should see a the maf sensor shrouded in plastic. Well I shaved off my plastic which allows more air contact, and that richens my air/fuel mixture and gives me a little more HP, but the actual sensor inside the plastic is much more exposed and vulnerable. You would first check the holes for any obvious particles/obstruction, then spray a little electrical cleaner inside to clean them of any possible filter oil. Then let it air dry, and maybe hit it with an air compressor just to be sure.
I'll post a pic if that would be benefical.

As far as the debate if a K&N is better than paper? Well I think it does flow better, but at what cost (to filtration of micro particles?) Also the oil is what really captures the particles, but like we talked before, it can mess up sensors. If you do re-oil it, just don't use too much, and let it drip/air dry as much as possible before reinstallation. If I were to go with an aftermarket filter, I would try out a foam filter, and definitely one that wouldn't require oil. Just one less thing to worry about.

rangeroo, getting inside the dash isn't too difficult, but you do want to take your time and go step by step. Look for a Haynes or Chiltons manual at your closest auto parts store, and you should find what you need. Otherwise, you can start looking for bolt holes on the sides and underneath, and work your way in. Just depends how patient and crafty you can be.

ramzey28

Thanks for the input, sorry It took so long to reply...I figured that but I just didn't remember my 2001 3.0L ford ranger doing it. I like the 4.0l alot better in my 2003 though. Thanks again.

jrjung

I have a 97 ranger. When the driver door is opened more than about half way, a creaky squeek occurs. This was an 'overnight' development...it was fine one day and then not the next. The truck has never been in an accident. There is no sign of rust. I tried spraying wd-40, adding grease to the hinge, but to no avail. Any suggestions? Thanks

jrjung

I had similar rain leak, but it was only on the passenger side...water UNDER the carpet. I sprayed water all over the front windshield and doors but no water seems to enter. However, spraying the back window area did help pinpoint the leak. When I covered the rubber gasket on the sliding window with tape(which I never open) it seemed to stop the leak. However, I am not sure what the best longer term fix should be?

bolivar

On my 94, this problem was a worn out hinge. Mine was the lower hinge, the one with a plastic roller contraption which is the door 'half open' stop.

The plastic roller gets a grove worn in it. Once the grove is worn, grease, oil, etc will not help it. You have to replace the hinge.

I did it myself, not too much trouble. getting to the bolts is biggest problem. I also had to take the door off the upper hinge. This was needed to get the old hinge out and new one in because it has a threaded stud, so you have to move the door outwards to get the stud to clear.

I hung the door from a rope from my garage door rail. And I was probably very lucky in getting the door to move back into a very good adjustment alignment. When I had to remove both hinges, this was my main concern....

I hope you don't have to remove the upper hinge, it's bolts are behind the dash..... The lower one is only behind the kick panel which is simple to remove.

jrjung

I had similar problem, but it was not related to temperature. It was an intermittent wailing squeal that would occur some days or not others, or even go away as you drove longer.

In my case, a mechanic determined that a tensioner that puts pressure on the a/c belt (I may have explained this incorrectly)...he had to replace the belt (which I had just had installed a couple of months ago) and this tension regulator. The squeal is now totally gone. Hope this is helpful