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Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • montyanger98montyanger98 Member Posts: 5
    hi there does any one know what ball joints will fit this FORD RANGER 1998-2002 DJM CALMAX UPPER CONTROL ARMS CA3098U.
    Has any one lowered there truck with 255/55/18 tires i want to lower the truck 4" in front and 5" in rear what should i do get new tires or will they work.
    thanks montyanger98
  • 01goldranger01goldranger Member Posts: 5
    I know the 94 Ranger had a front sway bar with the same suspension as the 90. You should be able to find one in a junk yard for <$25. If you want a rear for that year you will have to go "aftermarket"

    Good Luck

    01goldranger :)
  • ngdngd Member Posts: 5
    Cannot find the horn. :cry: Not sure which fuse, (hopefully) it is. Anywhere to get a diagram or info on how to make the horn work? Where the horn is? Which fuse is what? Thanks
  • freytfreyt Member Posts: 1
    I don't know much cars/trucks. I was just quoted around $3000 by dealer to replace the transmission (with rebuilt transmission)on v6 98 ford ranger (Automatic). Is that good deal. I had around 20k Miles and he could not tell me why transmission went bad! I don't know if transmission need to be replace. I could not go in reverse so i had it towed to a dealer, Any advise suggestion? Thanks
  • bloggerblogger Member Posts: 1
    My 2000 Ranger went out 3 weeks ago with only 34,000. My non-Ford mechanic said there were at least 5 service bulletins out on it. Poorly designed and it seems to happen fairly regularly at 40,000. We put in a non-factory transmission (automatic) because Ford apparently isn't fixing the design flaws so you will end up with the same problem a few years down the road! $3200 a week before Xmas-merry Christmas. My last Ford.
  • rangermangrangermang Member Posts: 27
    I have a 99 ranger xlt extended cab, 2wd, with the 4cyl 5spd. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to what custom exhaust i should use, in regards to easy installation and quality. I have looked at Gibson's Dual split back exhaust, so far that seems to be the best. suggestions would be great thanks!
  • cniemanncniemann Member Posts: 9
    No Dodge means " over priced for what you get " or it's what you do when you see one in the mirror so that they do not hit you.
  • markyasumarkyasu Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96 ranger 3.0 auto trans. The trans is broke, I want to install another automatic trans that came out of a 96 ranger 4.0. Will it fit? Help. Mark
  • tnhackertnhacker Member Posts: 3
    :confuse: Can the doors on a 2003 Ranger SC Edge be programmed to autolock? If so, what is the procedure.
    Thanks
  • ngdngd Member Posts: 5
    Does anybody know where the horn is on a 94 ranger?
  • byrne4byrne4 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Mazda PU 4x4 with the OEM wire harness and a 4 prong flat trailer plug. I hooked up new lights. Everthing works fine, but when I brake, all the lights go off on the trailer. The truck lights are not effected and nothing blows. My ground is good, bulbs ok, fuses ok. I've even tapped into the truck's wires, by-passing the OEM pigtail and still the same problem. Is this a bad brake switch? What is it that I am missing? :cry:
    Thanks
  • cdduvcdduv Member Posts: 1
    I have a noise coming from my pump as well. It began when i dropped a new engine in my truck a few months back. Still have the whine, checked fluid level, replaced belt, etc. I don't know what it is.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    To my knowledge they are exactly the same, but I would check it out further.
  • cowgirl3cowgirl3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Ranger off road package 143000 .Started missing around 45-50 miles per hour. Did this mostly under load. replace plugs wires ,fuel filter,belt,And the emissions value. Still is doing it . does anyone know what this could be . Mechanics are charging me to death. Even had the injectors cleaned. Help!!!! :confuse:
  • edwardn1edwardn1 Member Posts: 103
    ...does anyone know why the FRAM filter comes with a bolt and a metal spacer? Is this a jerry rig set up and should I worry?
  • myamya Member Posts: 2
    I HAVE A 99 FORD RANGER WITH 110,000 MILES ON IT. FOR MOST OF THE TIME IT SEEMS TO BE A PRETTY GOOD TRUCK. I,VE LATELY RUN INTO A RATHER STRANGE PROBLEM, IN THAT THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAVE BROKE. DRIVERS SIDE LAST SUMMER, NOW PASSENGER SIDE. MY QUESTION IS HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS HAPPEN? IF SO PLEASE REPLY TO THE BOARD AND I'LL CHECK BACK. THANKS
  • cyclescycles Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 Ranger, 2.5L, manual trans, 45k miles, that intermittently stalls. Over the past year, it has stalled seven times under a variety of conditions (summer w/AC on, summer w/AC off, winter, accelerating, coasting, etc) and has blown the fuel pump fuse on three of the seven stalls. The four times that it did not blow the fuse, the engine sputtered and was about to die, but then continued to run. After three trips to the dealer (two via a tow truck), and $850 spent on a new fuel pump, two fuel pump relays, and a fuel filter, the dealer is stumped and the problem remains. Any ideas?
  • rangermangrangermang Member Posts: 27
    I have the exact same truck, but with alot more miles, and at about 97000 it started stalling as well. One trip to the shop also via tow truck, and $1400 later, i had an entire new transmission. Hasnt stalled since. I hope its not your tranny as its a very expensive fix, but its something to consider.
  • eyballeyball Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever resolve this issue? My 98 Mazda B4000 (ranger) has this same issue. As soon as I put the truck in drive it blows the fuse.
    Thanks,
    Chris
  • kimble989kimble989 Member Posts: 14
    Just a couple of hints to try and help you out...
    My truck started doing this especially around that speed and I had to replace the PCM (power control module). It is covered 8yrs through Ford directly and won't cost a thing to replace, other than you will need a new key. Like I said this fixed my '01 Ranger OffRoad V-6.
    Another guy on here got his fixed by simply replacing the speed sensor located just behind the rear tire. Part will cost you $10 from NAPA and probably around $20 to get it put in. If that doesn't fix you up, then I just don't know.
  • whoward2whoward2 Member Posts: 1
    There are two abs switches, you have to determine which one is is defective. The fix cost me about $50 at a dealer.
  • mikearnoldmikearnold Member Posts: 1
    Did you get it fixed? I have the exact same problem. No fuses burned, all wires underneath are connected.
  • azbeachboyazbeachboy Member Posts: 1
    I had this problem last year and it went away, but now its back. If I turn the A/C on you can feel it engage but all I get is hot air. If I turn everything off I still get hot air. Right now my choice is hot air on my feet or the defrost. I have a 95 ranger xlt 4 cylinder. It wont be long until I need the A/C again.
    Thanks
  • crankshaftcrankshaft Member Posts: 105
    Can anyone tell me where I can find the turn signal flasher on my 97 Ranger?It is not on the fuse panel.
  • rountree99rountree99 Member Posts: 6
    I am trying to decide whether or not to purchase a 2003 Ford Ranger Supercab, 3.o liter, 5 speed manual with less than 30000 miles. What is a ballpark price for similar vehicles in the area and is this a good year/model truck?

    Consumer Reports is not wild about the Ranger, but it seems they are only partial to imports (Toyota, Honda, etc.)

    Thoughts?
  • ftomikftomik Member Posts: 1
    did you ever find out what the problem was with your truck ? i have the same problem, if someone has the answer let me know! ftomik@hotmail.com thanks frank
  • harley6harley6 Member Posts: 1
    97 Ford Ranger four cylinder. When I turn on the left turn signal on the flasher relay under the dash buzzes. the right turn signal works fine and I have replaced the flash relay with no improvement. Any suggestions?
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    I would not be scared of it. Check Edmunds true market value price.

    I don't know what CR's hangup is with the Ranger. Fact is, while the bodystyle is a bit tired, the truck has been around a long time and most all of the bugs have been worked out of them. The 3.0 while a bit lacking in hp for a V6 is very reliable, and with the maual transmission gas mileage is around 22 on the highway.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    I have a 96 Ranger 4cyl/5-speed with 240,000 miles. It has been running great but today it suddenly developed a miss after stopping at a traffic light. Under acceleration and cruising it feels like it's lost a cylinder. It idles a little rough, but when decelerating I hardly notice it. My suspicion is a plug wire gone bad or perhaps a problem in the ignition. I don't think it's a fuel injector b/c it misses even at idle.

    I suppose I should just take it to my friend who has a garage and let him run a diagnostic on it. OTOH, part of the fun of owning a beater is working through little problems like this yourself.

    Thanks for any advice!
    Jeff
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Change the plugs and wires. Especially if you have 50,000 or more miles on them. If these are the original ones.............
  • landdriverlanddriver Member Posts: 607
    Not sure about newer vehicles but on older ones if the front or rear turn signal bulb burns out the flasher will flash at a higher rate; buzzing relay implies very fast flash rate, so I'd check both bulbs and the wiring going to the bulbs.

    Also you can turn a relay into a buzzer by hooking the contacts in series with the coil, which is the configuration you end up with if there's an open (missing) ground or open (missing) +12V at the connector going to the relay -- check continuity to ground and presence of +12V at this connector.
  • 2003rangerguy2003rangerguy Member Posts: 1
    I'm just posting this in case this problem should happen to anyone else. It's a hassle. I was getting near to 11mpg and i just bought the thing. After some days of frustration and the dealer(s) being of no help (computer updates are bupkiss) i first replaced the air filter, utterly clogged, then a few days later the plugs and wires (also bad. Finally i decided to replace the fuel filter and the gas i poured out of it was very dirty, so it was bad too. I did a test run. Filled up, then went one way and back, 45 mph average, returned to the pump with 59 miles. Filled up at 2.477 gallons. A big difference... 23 mpg. Truck mileage is 33,000 currently. The truck has no error codes for this trouble. I'm assuming no one ever did any maintenence on the truck. This is an 2003, automatic, 3.0 V6, power brakes/steering, single cab, 2wheel rear drive. I'm not completely sure why changing the fuel filter did the trick, but im not going to complain. I hope this helps someone out.
  • rountree99rountree99 Member Posts: 6
    I recently purchased an 04 Ranger XLT. After the purchase I noticed half the rubber flashing on the inside of the drivers side wheel well was missing and the tie rod had a piece of yellow tape on it. After I got underneath the truck, I noticed some different color paint marks (blue, pink, etc.) These were just dabs of paint, but now I am worried that perhaps the dealership did some work they did not disclose. the previous owner told me he had nothing done, and when he traded the vehichle he remembered the rubber flashing being intact. (He his a spare key on the frame in this area, so he was sure all the flashing was there.) Explanation for the tape and color marks?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Take it to a body shop. Some of this sounds like it was wrecked on this corner and repaired.

    A body shop can easily tell you if there have been repairs done, especially recently.

    If there have been, what are you thinking of doing about it? Did the seller give you some paper that said it had never been in an accident? I bet you bought it 'as is' and there's nothing you can do about it?
  • rountree99rountree99 Member Posts: 6
    I did buy it "as is" but the sales person told me that he would disclose any accidents. I realize this doesn't give me much recourse; however, you never know what a dealership may be willing to do if caught in a compromising situation. We shall see.

    What I don't get is that the previous owner reported nothing like what I saw underneath. It is almost as if the "accident/repair" happened at the dealership after it had been traded in on Jan. 5, 06. Hmmm....

    p.s. On a unrelated note- Your username is "bolivar". I grew up in Bolivar, MO. Is that the town to which your user names references?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    No, my user name comes from a very obtuse source.

    I think you are out of luck.

    The 'paper' on the vehicle says 'as is'.

    Anything the salesman said "Isn't worth the paper it's written on."
  • rountree99rountree99 Member Posts: 6
    I stopped by a Ford dealership today and took a look underneath some of the late model Rangers and some of the new ones. I found the same markings on all of the driver's side tie rods and the yellow tape was in the same location as on mine on two of the '06 Rangers. I suppose that this was something put on in the factory. Or there was a rash of driver side collisions with Ranger pickups and all went to the same bodyshop for repairs. I think the former is more likely.

    Thanks for you input.
  • 02ranger02ranger Member Posts: 1
    how do you fix the high brake light if it's leaking, i have a 2000 ranger and water on the passenger side.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Well, I'm sorry. I thought you meant the tape and/or markings were obviously 'new'. That is on what I based my comment - that it probably had been wrecked.

    But, yes, there are all kind of tape, sticker, and markings on various parts of an automobile. These are part numbers or inspection marks. And some of them will stay attached for a long time - years and years. But, at least to me, it's pretty obvious to me when the stickers are old, mainly because there will be dirt, oil, etc on them.

    Sorry if I mislead you.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Not exactly sure since I've never done it. But I would suppose it could be done from the outside. Remove the lens which should be held on with screws (got to get to the bulbs, right). Then the entire light assembly hopefully would be held on with screws/bolts inside the lens. This should get you to the rubber seal around the light assembly which can be replaced.

    If you can't get it off this way, then it would probably take disassembly of interior panels to get to nuts, bolts, clips on the inside that hold the light assembly on. This will be tougher to do. Interior panels are many times messy to remove. Sometimes you have to remove one quite a ways away from where you need to work, then remove more, moving to the area when you need to work. Some of them just push or snap together - these I'm always 'shaky' about trying to remove.

    Of course, you need to try to find the correct area leaking. Could be lot of places. If you park under trees for a while, the aid intake in front of the windshield can become plugged with leaves, etc and water will not drain out. When it pools up, it will find its way inside through seams in the metal.

    The small windows on the sides of extended cabs can leak.

    The rear window can leak. If there is a sliding window it can leak.
  • graeme1graeme1 Member Posts: 1
    The ABS light on my 2wd 94 Ranger XLT (4.0 V6) began flashing Monday. It flashed in a repeating pattern... 15 flashes, then stayed on for a couple seconds, then began the pattern again.) I found that the fuse for the ABS was burned out. While driving to the parts store to buy fuses, I realized that the dash lights AND my brake lights were out, too.

    I bought a couple new fuses, replaced the burned one and voila... it worked. ABS stopped flashing and the dash and tail lights came back on. But not more than 30 seconds later, the new fuse burned out and lights went out, ABS started flashing again. Replaced fuse again... with same result.

    What could be causing this? I read online that it *might* be the Speed sensor, but I think my Ranger has two... one at the tranny and one at the differential. I also read online that the cruise control is somehow related to the speed sensor? My cruise hasn't worked in YEARS., so maybe it has been going bad for a while, and finally died.

    I'm just wondering if all these symptoms could be tied to a bad speed sensor? Any help would be appreciated. I don't mind taking it to Ford but if I can fix it myself, I'd rather do that.
  • ultrarunnercultrarunnerc Member Posts: 1
    I searched through the previous discussions but was unable to find an answer to my problem. So if my problem has already been answered, please repost for me....

    I purchased a 2001 Ranger 4 cyl. with manual transmission that had only 35K miles on it. Seemed to be in great condition. I purchased this vehicle in April of 2005. Last summer (May through September), the engine will intermittently go into a fast idle (2500 RPMs) when the clutch is depressed at a stop sign or traffic signal. After 3-5 seconds, the idle will return to normal (750 RPM). I was told by a FORD dealership mechanic that the throttle face plate needed to be cleaned (for which I was charged $165!). I now do that myself. I ended up cleaning the throttle face plate about every 2-3 weeks. The problem only seems to occur when the air temp is above 65 degrees Fahrenheit and/or the humidity is high. I have not had a problem with the idle since November.

    Any help?
  • baseballstudbaseballstud Member Posts: 5
    I am thinking of purchasing a 93 Ford Ranger 4x4 Reg. Cab with a Step-side Splash side. It's a 3.0 liter 5 speed with 142,000 k. on it. Any common problems with this year/model.(The clutch was replaced last year)
  • brysuebrysue Member Posts: 35
    I own a 97 Ranger with 4 cyl 5 speed, with 106,000 miles and am experiencing the same problem. My problem occured after changing the plugs and wires and coil packs. I have changed the coils twice, the plug wires twice and the plugs four times. The problem remains. I took it to the Ford dealer and they found no codes. They replaced the plugs again with OEM plugs and then stated the miss and lack of power was from having the AC on. WOW. I have not taken it to another dealer, yet. Please let me know if you find anything to correct your problem because mine is driving me crazy. Here is a list of other things I have done...
    AIR FILTER, PCV, FUEL FILTER, NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER, THROTTLE BODY, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, MAF SENSOR, HAD FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AND USED PLENTY OF INJECTOR CLEANERS ADDED TO THE FUEL. :confuse:
  • turboshadowturboshadow Member Posts: 338
    Simon Bolivar, maybe?
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    My dad has the same truck as mine with 170K on it. He told me he had a vacuum hose come loose on his and it started running very rough. The hose was on the intake manifold side of the engine.

    I've checked for loose hoses and found none, so I'm sticking with the plugs and wires for now. I'm going to get some new ones today. I'll keep you posted.

    Jeff
  • brysuebrysue Member Posts: 35
    Thanks for the reply. Let me know how it goes.
  • jefferygjefferyg Member Posts: 418
    I picked up my truck from the garage this morning. It turns out the front ignition module/coil pack was bad. However, after inspecting some of the old plugs I don't think I wasted any money in replacing the plugs and wires. A couple of the old plugs looked really good, but a few of them were in need of replacement. Since the plugs that came out were Champion, they had apparently been changed at least once before.

    My friend David, who owns the garage, said that they removed the wire from the #3 terminal on the old coil pack, there was no fire coming out of it at all.

    Total cost of the replacement was about $125. I got the parts at Autozone and David charged me $50 for changing out everything. I'm up to a total of about $200 over the past couple of months on repairs, but that's still a far cry less than a payment.

    The truck is once again running smoothly and I think a bit better than before it started missing. It's still not going to win any drag races, but who buys a Ranger with a 4 cyl for that anyway. :)
  • nav2nav2 Member Posts: 1
    I had to replace everything in the rear brakes of my 96 ranger. It ran fine for about a week and then the locked up. I bled them, it works for a while and then the same problem. I bled them again...., I don't want to take it in and have never had a problem fixing anything on it until now. I'm stuck. Any ideas?
  • brysuebrysue Member Posts: 35
    Cool. I am glad that your truck is running good again. Your right, what can you expect from a 4 cyl. :D

    I am going to take mine to a different Ford dealer and see what they have to say. :confuse:

    Take care.
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