Ford Ranger Lighting and Electrical Problems

kristij

We have the same problem--where are the switches?? Thanks for any help.

bolivar

Well, the previous guy had a 1994, I think. Up until about 1995 or 96 the switches were the 'old' kind, just push switches on the front inside edge of the door.

In later years, the switches moved inside the door, on the outside door handle pull mechanism. To completely get to these switches, the inside door panel must be pulled off. Sometimes relief can be gotten by liberally spraying WD-40 or electrical cleaner through the outside door handle 'slots'.

These inside switches seem to give more grief than the older type. For mid/late 90's Rangers, they have common complaints about inside lite not going off, door open chimes dinging, etc, etc, etc.

cheman

i have a 1998 4x4 ranger 3.0, there is a power distribution box driver's side by the fire wall, there is a relay for the 4x4 in this box they say but i can't find any diagram's that indicate which the # on the relay is any idea's ?

mmhamer

mmhamer

I just bought a 2006 Ranger Sport 4wd. Most of the buttons on the radio do not work. It's the AM/FM 6CD changer + MP3
How do you reboot a radio?
Strange...

shady5

Hi, all my lights work but when I back up both reverse lights don't come on. is this on a separate fuse ? could both bulbs be gone ?
thanks for any info

NinjaJ

2000 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab-Manual
The emergency brake like won't go off. You can pop the break as much as you want, and it will not turn off. Any ideas? It's been like this for a long while.
Thank you

higgsfamily5

Howdy folks. I recently purchased a 97 Ranger XLT with the 2.3 in it. The guy who had it before me hit a deer on the left hand front quarter panel. It didn't do much damage, just cracked the grill, pushed the bumper back an inch or so, and cracked the turn signal lens. Here's my issue. When you turn on the left turn signal, both the back right and left turn signals blink AND the brake lights blink. When you press on the brake pedal, both back turn signals and brake lights stop blinking and just stay. However, when you turn then right turn signal on, both the front and back turn signals work just fine. This is the weirdest thing I have ever seen and it has me baffled. Any thoughts on what might be causing this? Oh yeah, the dome lamp doesn't work either. The map lights work fine, but the dome light itself won't come on when either of the doors are open, and the bulb is fine.

rickcalif

hi All-

I'd like to disable the "Ross" back-up module/sounder unit.

Unit is very loud when in reverse..

I tried disconnecting a few harness pieces near the rear license plate- but no luck
yet. I am an electronics tech by trade.. but haven't spent much time investigating this...

Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanx, rick in n.calif

kwe

Hi
I just bought a 2000 Ranger 4x4 with the 4 doors (2 small doors) and if I hit a bump, the dome light and chime comes on. I have to slam the driver's door to get it off but it comes back on again if I hit even a small bump. I read your note that the dome light door switch is on or near the outside door handles inside the door panels and that perhaps by spraying WD 40 into the door slots it might free up the light switch. Am I understanding this correctly? Should I just pull off the door panels and if so, can the switch be fixed or adjusted? The person I bought it from just took out the dome light bulb. thanks
Karl

bolivar

PUlling off the door panels will enable you to actually 'get to' the switch.

I would think it (the switch) would not be adjustable. I've never worked with the 'small doors', but I would think there would be some adjustments or something to tighten up that would help with this problem.

The switches themselves cause a lot of problems, this is reported on forums all the time. So, lubing or replacement of the switches might be enough to solve your problem. But if the doors are worn, it might still happen. Don't the doors lock into some kind of catch or catches at the top and/or bottom of the doors. The latch here might have some adjustment on it, to keep the doors tighter.

If the doors hinges are worn, large or small, you might have to replace these. I replaced a hinge on my 1994, the lower one, because it squeaked/popped and would not hold the door in the open position. It wasn't too tough, but the top hinge looked like you would have to take the instrument panel out to get to the bolts.....

sickleave

2000 ranger electric door locks only work when they want to
Same problem from drivers switch on door or push button on remote alarm.
The passenger door is the one haveing problems.
Key on drivers door is almost impossible and passenger key works but you some times have to try several times. Both keys are original got truck from my son.
150,000 on truck, we put a low milage engine in truck.
Engine had less than 30,000.
3 litre flex fuel engine, are these engines any good.
I know I will not use the flex fuel because of higer cost and lower milage.
Tryed lock ease in passenger door lock, no change.
Could some thing be bent or could I have a Bad ground on electric locks.
Bad ground could explain electric locks but not the trouble wit key and manual
opening of locks.Could keys be worn from use in ignition (no problem there).
I guess I could take vechice up to dealer and have key made from Vechicle number
on dash, which would be original key with no wear.
SICK LEAVE, Bob

cfowleron

Hey all;

When the truck is turned off and the driver's door is open, if I press the brake pedal the alarm sounds (the same alarm the sounds when you leave your keys in the ignition or your lights on...) Just tonight I found that when I engaged my right turn signal and pressed the brake the right turn signal would stop flashing. When I got home I noticed that the Left turn signal / parking light was out. I removed the bulb and reseated it and it works now. However, my left turn signal stopped flashing when the brake pedal was pressed (the issue moved). The hazzard lights also appeared to have ceased to work. I came back about 20 mins later and everything is now working the way it is supposed to, except for the brake / alarm issue, which started recently. Could this be a simple grounding issue (IE replace all the parking bulbs)?

Thanks!

dazedmc

New guy here,
I have a 1997 Ford Ranger XLT with 4.0 V6, 2 wheel drive. My probem is that everytime I hit the brake pedal, my right turn signal lights up. This includes both front and rear lights as well as the dashboard light. When I turn the signal on and hit the brake, the signal will not flash, take the foot off the brake, the signal works fine. Any ideas? Thanks

cfowleron

LOL, are you kidding me? That's pretty much identical to what I posted. Am I missing a joke somewhere here? - no offense intended... just seemed ironic when I got the notification.

In fact, I meant to post this over the weekend but didn't get the chance... Check the mini fuse (perhaps in the driver's dash / door area - not sure on a '97). After booking an appointment with my mechanic who said it sounded like it was brake related, I decided to check the fuses. I thought it would be one of the larger relay types but as it turns out it was a 25 amp mini - #17 to be precise (the cigarette lighter / Data Control Link fuse).

So, my advice would be to check all of the fuses and see if one of them was blown.

Good luck!

shirob49

Own a 1999 Ford Ranger. Front Parking Lights come on with head lights. Back parking lights do not. Same when parking lights are turned on. The turn signals do not work at all. Checked the bulbs,OK. Changed out the flasher, no luck. Can not read voltage at the rear parking light socket. All other lights work OK. Any Ideas?

bolivar

First thing I would check would be tosee if someone has cut into the rear wires for a trailer tow wiring.

casprig

I have no passenger rear blinker, tail or brake lights. When blinker is turned on it blinks rapidly indicating the bulb is out. Nope, changed front and rear along with every applicable fuse and some. At first, I had tail light but would not intensify to illuminate brake. Now they're all gone. Very odd, but when I start to roll down my driver power window...I hear that distinct blinker sound just for a second. Half the dash lights are out also. How can my Br. in-laws '82 Ranger have zero problems but I've had electrical problems with a '98, '00 and now '02? Come on Ford....Toyota is smoking you.

huffco

90 Ranger PU, daughters...poor
Alt not charging, dies when batt disconnected, nothing from volt meter.

2 plug connectors
Large, 3 wires, 2 big and 1 small
Small, 2 wires, both small

No wire on large connector every reads anything on digital meter. Shouldn't 1 of the two large wires read batt voltage when unplugged and key off or on?

1 wire on small connector reads batt voltage when unplugged, and key switched on.

Isn't small connector field exciter and regulator?

Isn't large connector battery charge output?

2 new Autozone (yea I know) alternators, 1 new batt.

Still, alt good or bad cannot work if one of large wires lost connection to batt?

All fuses have been checked. All wiring checked visually. This vehicle does not have stack of wires off the solenoid, but has one large wire into harness that diappears into adjacent fuse block.

Do Rangers have an issue with failure of batt wire to alternator?

I am stuck like Chuck on this one and need to get this poor rag back to daughter to get her to work.

Thanks...-Eddie-

cldavis65

My overdrive light flashes and the oil guage needle bounces and now my battery will not stay charged.Is there a short or could it just be the battery i need to change?It's a 2003 ford ranger xlt.Any help would be greatly appriciated

fordfrustrat2

We are having this same problem. Will removing the fuse cause it to drain the battery or no? Clearly we'll have to reconnect the fuse, so other things in the truck work.

Where do you need to take the panel off? We're new to this -

ctpapi

What was the solution for your Ford Ranger 93 headlight issue? I am having the same problem with the pull knob.

bolivar

Taking a door panel off isn't the easiest thing in the world. Look for screws thru the panel. Maybe inside the door pull area. Then, you have to pry out the push-pins which are all around the bottom and sides of the panel. Then lift up. Then remove all wires connected to the door.

kwe

I had this same problem with my 90 Ranger with the 4 doors. Every time I hit a bump the door moved slightly and the dome light and buzzer went off. Easy fix. Remove the door panel on the front doors and unplug the wire at the door latches.
The dome light still works when you open the back doors and they no longer pop on. Removing the door panel is easy. Just follow the instructions in any of the Chilton books.

irishmn322

I am having the same issue. Any success in resolving your problem?

yourbuddypaul

HELPP!!!

All at once, here's what failed, without any apparent reason (I didn't do anything out of the ordinary):

Interior lights out.
Speedometer/odometer are dead.
Wipers dead.
Air bag light is ON.
"Theft" light no longer blinks.
Automatic Window Down doesn't work anymore, but the window still goes up and down if I hold the button.
Seat Belt Alarm is OFF.
And the radio doesn't pick up any radio stations.

I've checked fuses, battery connections. What gremlin has gotten into my car?!?!?!

KCRam

While you don't mention what year your Ranger is, those issues all happening at once sound a lot like a failed computer... particularly what is referred to sometimes as the body control module that handles various operating functions.

kcram - Pickups/Wagons Host

crswa

I bought a new alternator for my 99 Ranger and the pulley sizes are a little different between the new one and the old one. The only way to loosen the nut that holds the pulley on is with an impact wrench, which I don't have. I realize that if I use the new alternator with the smaller pulley, it'll create less amperage, but is that likely to be a problem in normal driving? My only other choices are to leave the truck out of commission until Monday when I can find an open automotive shop to swap out the pulleys or to just take the truck in and let them do the whole job.

kevin97116

Actually, since the alternator pulley is "driven" rather than being the "driver" it will spin more revolutions rather than less for a given engine RPM. It will be able to generate maximum amperage at lower engine RPMs than one with a larger pulley.

If you have means to stabilize the pulley (ie vice, strap wrench, big pipe wrench, etc) you can put a wrench on the pulley nut and give it a good whack with a hammer in the direction you want it to move. That will usually do the trick.

Good luck

rick2343

I have a 2003 ford ranger xlt with the 4.0liter v6 the problem is that ill be driving along and the engine just dies out, some times it will kick back in and keep going or other times i will have to pull over and have to start the truck again this is quite a scary expirience when you are doing 75 on the free way if any one can help or knows what is going on get back to me asap thank you so much...