Hello all,

I have a 98 ranger, 4cyl, manual transmission.

I have a rear window leak that I plan to fix. I removed the carpet over the weekend because it smelled from rain water. after i removed the carpet I drove the car just fine for two days with no issues.

Last night it rained but I do not see any water near wires.

I tried to start my car this morning and i had a click but no start situation.

After work I looked at the symptoms and here's what I found.

first try my truck started. then after that it has not started again.

When I have the door open a relay under the glovebox clicks on/off continuous until I shut the door or press the brake. When I press the brake randomly the dome light will come on.

I felt around and wiggled wires and cant seem to visibly find a short.

Any Ideas? Thanks

 

ignore the battery saver relay title. its just a relay under the glove box.

 

You need to get a volt meter and test battery voltage, also clean battery terminals just to be sure.
Good battery will be 12.3-12.8volts

The clicking relay with door open is most likely from low power in the system, relay can't stay closed.

leak may have corroded a ground hook up under the drivers seat or some of the connections.

Thats why the dome light comes on with the brake pedal, it is using that circuit as the ground

 

Fantastic, battery had charge, the negative battery connection had corrosion. I removed and cleaned it and truck started right up. Thank you

 

Good work

Thanks for the update

 

I have a No Start issue, yesterday my truck started but I couldn't get it out of Park to drive. Found a work-around for that. If I turned the key part way to start and put it in neutral it would start and I could drive it. Parked it last night all was fine, today I went to start it and it wouldn't start seemed completely dead. So I put the battery charger on it and it shows the battery has a full charge. So I go back and try it again and now I can turn the key to start it and come out of park, but it still will not start and now when I move the key from start to the locked position I hear a clicking sound coming from the passenger fuse block. I felt the relays on the block but can't find the one that's clicking. Anyone have any ideas???

 

Welcome to the forum

Clean your battery cable connections, BOTH of them

On the column shifter is the shift lock solenoid, it releases the column shifter when its gets Brake Light Power, foot on the brake, so make sure your brake lights are working, if not then that fuse is blown
Outside of low voltage there would be no connection between shift lock and no start

Get a volt meter and get exact voltage at battery, key off and then again with key on