Hey everyone! Just bought a '95 Ranger this weekend, and already having electrical problems! Any input would be GREATLY appreciated. BTW... This is my 16 YO son's first vehicle. So.... Night #1, got the thing home, and noticed the dome lights weren't shutting off. Checked this site and got a great tip about the light switch being in the door latch. Sprayed some PB in there, and it seemed to help the problem. While messing around, I hit the hazard light switch, and for a moment it seemed like ONLY the right front turn signal was working. But then all seemed well. Night #2, the boy takes it out for an errand. He parks it with the hazards on for maybe five minutes (don't ask), and... the battery is dead. Wife shows up to give him a jump and he gets home. Now I get home, and I notice his interior light is on again. I ask wifey to go check it out. While she is fiddling around, the front right turn signal starts flashing. I step out and have her turn off the hazards, and it goes out. Now I go back outside, and none of the turn signals are working, but if I hit hazards the right front blinks. All of this stuff worked when I bought it, and I immediately got it inspected without a problem. I am a pretty mechanical guy but I am not great with electrical stuff. And I am lost. The only thing I can add is that the temp gauge isn't working, but I doubt that means anything.

 

Welcome to the forum

Dome light and turn signals have no common wiring, see below PDFs

But there are a few relays, and I would get a new flasher, they are cheap
It reads like a bad ground at one of the turn signal lights, check grounds in engine bay by and on rad support

The battery going dead needs to be dealt with first
After a battery sits over night or for at least 3 hours, test its voltage
New battery will be 12.8volts
3 years old 12.5volts
5 years old 12.3volts

At 12.2volts, or less, battery is done, it will fail on cold morning and will run down fairly fast without engine running.

Now start engine
Battery should read 14.5volts to 14.9volts, alternator is good
After driving longer than 15 minutes, LEAVE ENGINE RUNNING
And test battery voltage again, should be about 13.5volts, voltage regulator is good

Leave it running and turn on all lights and heater fan to high, should still read 13.5volts
If it drops down close to 13volts you have a failed field in the alternator.
REV engine and see if voltage goes back up to 13.5v, if so it confirms failed field.
Alternator can last for years that way, just don't leave engine idling longer than 20 minutes at a time

 

RonD, Good news. I don't have a voltage meter, so I drove over to the parts store and had them put the machine on it. Yep, bad battery. Replaced same. Still had the flasher/signal issue. Checked fuses. OK. Checked grounds. Seemed OK. Started playing with the signal stem and hazards button. Problem was intermittent. Hmmmm. Two nights ago I had a problem with the dome lights not turning off. I read a Ranger Forum post that suggested I spray PB into the door latch. That seemed to work. Soooo.... I did the same on the signal stem and hazards button, and cycled them a few times. Everything is working! I suspect stuff was gummed up, and with the last few days of cold weather, the gum was even thicker. If that makes any sense. Anyway, all is well for the moment. Now I need to run to DMV to register the thing.
As I mentioned, I bought this as my boy's first vehicle. If I can get a year or two out of it I will be very happy. I have been hearing you can keep these things going a long time, if you take care of them! THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP!

 

Thanks for the update, good work

Couple of good tools to have if you have cars/trucks
Volt meter, $20
Vacuum meter, $20

1995 or newer vehicles
Bluetooth OBD2 interface, $15-$25, these display trouble codes but also live engine data on a Smartphone or tablet that has Bluetooth
Works on ANY vehicle sold in the US or Canada from 1995 and up, its the Law, so not a Ranger or even a Ford thing

 

Ya' know... I could use that OBD2 interface on my '01 Jeep. Which I love to death! Thanks. Would a general multi-meter (which I have been wanting for a while) work as an automotive volt meter? I would think so. Now, on to my last problem with the Ranger. The temp gauge is dead. I am about to do a search on that! Thanks again!

 

Yes, multi-meter is good

On all fuel injected engines there are TWO coolant temp devices.
ECT(engine coolant temp) SENSOR........ONLY used by the engine computer

ECT SENDER.......Only used by the dash board gauge.

In 1995 the sensor will have 2 wires hooked up to it

Sender will have only 1 wire

You can test the sender by unhooking that one wire
Turn on the key
See if temp gauge changes, now Ground that one wire
See if it changes again

If so then wire and gauge are good, replace sender

 

Ha! I just sat thru a five minute Youtube video of some dude changing out the ECT Sensor, because his gauge didn't work. At the end of the video he admitted it didn't work, but promised a second video! My only question is where do I find the SENDER?

 

That would of course depend on what engine you have in the 1995 Ranger

Always good to include
Year
Engine
Manual or automatic
4x2 or 4x4

We assume Ranger