Hello everyone new to forum. Question to all who can give me advice. My son just bought a 1996 ford ranger. He took it to get it smogged and it failed due to the check engine light and it failed it. I replaced all light bulbs. bought new instrument cluster and still will not come on. swapped out fuses thinking that would do the trick and the AC starting working. Would it be the PCM? thanks for the advice.

 

Check engine light(CEL) gets 12volts with key on, fuse #11 in cab fuse box(it powers several dash lights), the PCM Grounds the bulb to light it up, using Pin 2

PCM pin 2--------------(pink/light green stripe wire)---------------instrument cluster-connector C216-pin 9

PCM numbering here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/a...8&d=1211331706

It is VERY common for people to disable CEL when selling a vehicle, how they do it varies...........some pull the bulb, black tape the display cut the pink/light green wire

 

PCM is located on passenger side, do you think I should replace it. I am no expert to electrical components. Or should I check the pin location inside the hood on passenger side? if I replace pcm do I need to rekey truck??

 

If engine runs then it not a PCM issue

I would first pull out the instrument cluster since you have done that before

There are 3 connectors on it, 16pin, 12pin and 10pin, you want to check the 10pin connector for the Pink/light green wire that comes from the PCM, should be 9th pin so 2nd from the end of the shortest connector

Is it there?
If not it may have been pulled out

If its there check if it has been cut, just look and maybe tug on that wire it is loose in the harness

If all looks OK then move to engine bay
You will pull off the large connector on the PCM
Unhook battery FIRST
You need to remove the bolt in the connector
And remove a fastener or two to get wiring harness loose enough to unplug connector from the PCM

Drawing here of bolt on connector: http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...52801e53c8.gif

The cap covering the wires should come off so you can see pin 2 wire color, pink/light green

You will need to get a VOLT/OHM Meter and/or a friend with one, and a 10ft small wire

You are going to test the "continuity" of the pink/light green wire
Continuity, in this case, means is the wire one piece, not cut anywhere between cluster and PCM

OHM meters test for that, 0 ohms is a connection with no resistance, which is GOOD when testing a wires "continuity"
With OHM meter on, touch the 2 probes together, should see 0 ohms in display

Now touch one probe to one end of the 10ft wire, and the other probe to the other end of the 10ft wire, should see 0 ohms again, 10ft wire is GOOD

Now test the pink/light green wire
Run 10ft wire from engine bay into cab
Put one end of 10ft wire on the Pink/light green wire in the cluster connector

With OHM Meter in engine bay put one probe on pin 2 pink/light green wire and the other probe on 10ft wire end should see 0 ohms if pink/light green wire is OK

If its not then you will need to run a new wire, you can cut and splice it to connectors so you don't have to repin them

 

Dealing with same issue only the PCM isn't matching up with the information you gave for the 96. It's good at the cluster but not at the PCM. Any help would be appreciated

 

Welcome to the forum

You need to start your own thread, go here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...discussion-15/
On the left part of screen is "+ New Thread", click on that

Pick a title you want, like "No CEL"

Include the year of the Ranger and also the engine model(2.3l, 3.0l, 4.0l) and manual or automatic trans, if question concerns PCM
Every year is a different Ranger in one way or another, lol