The truck is a 1997 ranger XLT 4.0/4x4 supercab. It has an aftermarket run of the mill key, looks like the original lock because the door locks match the ignition key.

After I ran it for a while I switched off all the lights, and cut the engine off. I pulled the key out and the horn started honking, accompanied by a flashing theft light. Only way I know to make it stop is to unplug the battery. Any ideas what issue may be causing this? This is my first vehicle I’ve had theft issues out of...

 

You have an alarm system, not PATS, so no transponder key, Rangers got those in V6 model in 1999, 4cyl in 2002

Does it have a Theft Light IN the instrument cluster?
If so then its a Factory Alarm system
If not then its 3rd party


Factory alarm system wiring below, if its 3rd party then you will need to find the Alarm "box" under the dash to get the model number

If its a factory alarm then pull off drivers side kick panel
The wiring harness that comes out of the drivers door will have a dark Green/Purple stripe wire, if you Ground that wire it will disable the alarm
You are grounding pin 9 on the alarm module

Its likely that the disarm switch in drivers door is the problem, but..............it could be ignition switch or hood switch as well

 

the light is in the dash. Thanks again! I owe you at least a 12 pack for the headaches you have saved me!

 

I guess I’m just not doing it right. Alarm has gone off, but now it won’t start? I’m sure it has something to do w this bs, is there a way to completely remove the system?

are you talking about the purple wire w green stripe in the kick panel that runs to a connector, splice each end then run to a ground location?

under the dash the big green wire w purple stripe has a chunk of insulation missing as if it were once connected to something, and the red/blue has a butt connection on it. The yellow has a fusable link on it but it’s not connected either. Quite odd..

 

Its a Dark Green wire with purple stripe, not just purple

Take a razor knife and stripe back insulation to expose the bare wire, or just cut the wire and expose 2 bare wire ends, twist wires together with a 3rd wire and then ground that 3rd wire, there is a ground point in the kick panel area

Battery should be unhooked for this, then when battery is hooked back up the alarm should disable itself

On some systems you need to wait 60-90 minutes IF alarm was triggered, before it will reset, this was to prevent thieves from doing just what you are doing and having a "quick getaway", most thieves wouldn't wait 60-90 minutes, lol

 

you sir are a godsend. Do I leave it grounded for good or on an as-needed basis? At first all my lights started flashing but it stopped after a bit. Now it’s working again, gonna put a trans in tomorrow!

 

You can leave disabled or put a toggle switch in to unground it as you see fit, but if you want to use it I would find the problem and use it as designed

It has been trouble free for 23 years(I assume) so its not a bad system, just has a problem with a sensor most likely

 

I hate theft systems. I left it disabled last night, and at 4 am this morning when I realized my jacket and keys were in the truck, I didn’t wake up the whole neighborhood with an alarm because I unlocked the door from the inside (radio antenna on the lock button). Truck is definitely not worth stealing, and I don’t leave anything in it I would miss if someone did steal it.

another question for ya- if I cycle the key switch about 5 times the door locks lock and unlock by themselves. What is it doing?

also, what kind of beer would you like? I owe you big time. I’d be lost like a fart in a whirlwind if it weren’t for you! lol

 

The lock/unlock means you are in programming mode to add key fobs to the keyless entry system, this also erases any previous key fobs it had in memory
So procedure is to have ALL fobs with you, cycle the key, then press either the lock or unlock button on 1 fob, door locks should cycle once if its "heard" and accepted that fobs digital number, repeat for ALL fobs, then key off

It automatically erases all fobs at the start of programming mode, in case you have lost a Fob, so some one can't find it and use it to open your vehicle

Fobs need to be matched to the Years of vehicles as the digital numbers allowed changes over the years

With that being said, if you have more than one Ford vehicle you can program 1 fob to lock or unlock all of them if they use the same digital number range, although sometimes thats not convenient, lol

In newer Fords its 8 cycles on and off to get to Fob program mode, just FYI

 

the truck just randomly started honking with the theft light flashing again when i parked it this afternoon. I grounded that wire under a washer on the door, metal/metal contact. Is that not a good enough ground, or did I just not do it right? I don’t care about the pats working or not, just don’t want it honking randomly when I take it to work and embarrassing me. Lol

update: it won’t crank. The alarm finally went off but now it won’t start. No relay click or anything

update 2: it cranks up if I jump the contacts on the starter solenoid.

 

You don't have PATS

The alarm module is most likely going bad
Yes, grounding that wire will fully disable a "working" alarm module, so it shouldn't ever reset itself

Not sure in 1997 but RAP module often found behind drivers seat and behind the plastic trim panel, its usually white, maybe under jump seat in extended cab

Looks like this: https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...c88f7b4c69.jpg

As per wiring diagram, there will be a light green/purple stripe wire on one of its connectors, pin 9 on the 22 pin connector, that's the Ground for Starter Relay, you will need to ground that wire to disable "starter interrupt"

And unplug both connectors, keyless entry will also be disabled until you find the problem

 

grounded the wire, same color as door wire, connected both ends to a ground wire I added. No start, fuel pump and everything else works. Tried plugging the module in just wondering if that would change anything, alarm goes off.

 

 

And you put the starter relay back IN?

Check fuse 24 in cab fuse box, maybe it blew?

 

never took it out, 24 is not blown

 

Just figured put this has the same style relay my old f150’s have. Jumped it and started right up, running better than ever honestly.... it has not been clicking, but could it be bad?

 

Yes, that's one of the starter relays, they can go bad

Key------ignition switch-----(fuse 24)------starter interrupt relay--------------*starter relay*-----------------starter solenoid/relay

The smaller wire at the top of the pictured *relay* is what activates it, that wire should have 12v with key turned to start

 

you’re talking about the little wire that pops onto the screw terminal on the left side of it? When I switch the key it jumps from about half a volt to .39 or around there. Is the interrupt relay still in play even though I bypassed everything?

update: put a new relay on it, it’s the f150 style- only difference is there’s an extra terminal. I put the small wire on the “S” post, now it clicks. Still no crank by key.

 

In the picture of the connection you have 2 wires connected to the red Ground wire?
Should just be the one light green/purple stripe wire that goes to the starter interrupt relay

"S" wire should have 12v with key turn to start

 

I connected both ends of the green/purple wire to the ground just in case because it didn’t work with just the harness end connected.

 

And both the RAP modules connectors are unplugged?

Unhook the red wire from that ground point, so wire is NOT grounded, just a test, see if it starts with key

 

cranked right up!

 

So the alarm(RAP) module grounds that interrupt relay to prevent starting............................didn't know that, but when I was looking at the drawing it does kind of show that
When that relay is energized it breaks the START 12v circuit from going past it
When "off" its connected

Reverse of the PATS interrupt relay, so goes to show you never assume, lol

 

you’re one hell of a lifesaver. I definitely would’ve cut my losses and sent the truck to the scrapyard if it weren’t for you!

hope somebody finds my troubles with this heap helpful.

 

[QUOTE=96XLT4.0;2171844]grounded the wire, same color as door wire, connected both ends to a ground wire I added. No start, fuel pump and everything else works. Tried plugging the module in just wondering if that would change anything, alarm goes off.[/QUOTEIf you haven't fixed this already Please allow me to save you a ton of headaches. First off, I had this same problem on my '97 Ranger XLT a few years back and posed my problem to at least a half dozen "mechanics" on different forums, getting all kinds of advise, none of which worked. Spent two hours one afternoon tearing my dash apart with a friend who claimed he knew how to permently disarm it. It went off two days later after his supposed fix. Even had a mechanic at a garage tell me the only way to fix it was to take it to the dealer and let them program it out of the computer which I'm sure would have been excruciatingly expensive. So here's what I did. I pulled out my trusty owners manuel and looked at the wiring schematic and discovered that the alarm is ran through the same fuse that runs the starter or ignition, I can't remember which now, but it is something critical to the operation of the vehicle which prevents thieves from simply pulling a fuse to disarm the alarm to steal it. After looking at the schematic to find the color of the wire running to the alarm through the fuse panel, I simply unbolted the fuse panel (under the hood), flipped it over and gave the wire a snip, taping both ends to ensure nothing could short or touch again. It's as simple as that. No more alarms waking the neighborhood up at 3:00 in the morming!