Starter cranks when headlights are on if you push the clutch
 

I recently bought I 2001 ranger 3.0 and put a new motor in it I know I have everything installed right. My issue that I have found is that when the head lights are on and the key is in the on position or even running when I push the clutch in it will start the starter which is a big issue lol. The previous owner did have a lot of wiring done for aftermarket stuff but I removed all that hoping to resolve the issue. If anybody has any ideas let me know thankyou...

Welcome to the forum

On the clutch pedal there is a push rod connected to the clutch master cylinder, on that push rod is the position switch

Drawing here: https://www.2carpros.com/images/ques...7/original.jpg

The switch is there for a few reasons but one is to prevent starter motor from activating "in gear", on a manual transmission "in gear" is any time clutch pedal is up

So for starter motor to be activated, BY THE KEY, the clutch pedal must be down all the way.closing this switch

Since starter motor is activating when clutch pedal position is changed I would start there to see if any one has cut or spliced wire at this switch

Drawing shows how to remove the connector and switch

Here is the wire placement on the switch: https://ww2-secure.justanswer.com/up..._193046_1a.gif

#6 is the white/pink stripe wire from the ignition switch, it should only have 12volts when key is turned all the way to START
#5 is the Pink wire, it runs to engine bay and the starter relay in the engine fuse box

When clutch pedal is up, #5 and #6 are NOT connected, when clutch pedal is down #5 and #6 are connected

It could be the switch itself has a short although not sure how????

What I would do is to test the White/pink wire with key on and lights on, it should NOT have 12volts, if it does then..........yes starter motor could activate when #5 and #6 are connected

Why it would have 12volts is the puzzler, there is no "normal" connection between dash lights, parking lights or head lights and this switch

Test with only parking light and with head lights
Also turn dash dimmer down while watching voltage, if voltage goes down then switch's white/pink wire is spliced to dash lights somewhere

Thanks for the fast reply, I was thinking the same thing it only does it when the headlights are on so maybe he ran a wire from the headlight switch to the safety switch

Yes, thats why you pull off the clutch switch connector and test the wires, to see if the white/pink wire has 12volts when headlights or parking lights are on

The white/pink wire should only have 12volts when key is in START position

I pulled the plug from the switch and tested the pink and white wire, the plug wasn’t hot until I turned the headlights on I’m in the process to see if there has been a wire spliced or something

That white/pink wire...............should run straight to Fuse #24 in the cab fuse box

Pull out Fuse #24(7.5amp) and see if that cuts the light on power on the white pink wire

If not then white/pink wire has the splice

If fuse out cuts the light switch power then the splice is on a Red/light blue wire that runs from Fuse #24 to the ignition switch under the steering column

Dash lights use Light Blue/red wire........................and the wire from fuse #24 to ignition switch is ................red/light blue, so maybe be some one goofed, and spliced in to reverse colored wire


Wires are like this:

Ignition switch-------(red/blue)----------fuse #24-----------------(white/pink)--------------Clutch switch---------------(Pink)---------------Starter relay in engine fuse box


Head light switch 12volts is hooked up to either the red/blue wire or the white/pink wire

If you pull out fuse #24:
and the 12v from head light switch at clutch switch goes away then red/blue wire is where it is spliced
If 12v is still there then the white/pink wire is where it is spliced

I have figured out that if I have the headlights on with the dimmer down it works as should but with the headlights on and the dimmer up the started engages when the clutch is in

Someone spliced into the Dash light power, it uses Light Blue/red stripe wire to instrument cluster, ashtray, radio, these are dimmer controlled lights, and connected it to the starter switch wire


Its connected to the starter motor activation wire, which is a Red/light blue wire, so exact opposite colors..........dyslexic wiring, lol
Or the white/pink wire


Does it look like radio was ever changed or anything electrical added to or under the dash?

Yeah someone hacked the radio pretty much they hard wired it I’ll check in to it tomorrow thank you so much