My 2001 Ranger with the 2.3L/5-spd has now reached 278K miles. I'm proud of this little truck. But, the socket for the cabin fan relay is damaged and I have no HVAC or defroster. The relay itself is good, it's the connector inside the fuse/relay box that is bad. There are some scorch marks on the top of the relay panel where the relay goes in.

1. Do I have to replace the entire box, or can I replace just the cabin fan relay connector?
2. Whichever is correct for #1, what is the procedure for doing it?

Of course, no YT videos or info in the Haynes manual, or other articles I can find address this problem.

Thanks.

 

There are general how-to videos, Google: Removing/Replacing Wires from a Fuse Box

Watch the video, not Ford or Ranger specific, but the method is the same

I would assume your issue is with the wire terminals that the relay needs to connect to not the fuse box itself
If so you can remove and replace the ends of each wire for that relay

If the plastic of the box is the issue then you may want to install an external relay base using the wires from that relay in the box
Once you are inside you can determine if base inside the box is replaceable

In either case the fuse box must be lifted up and the bottom removed to see what you have to work with
Disconnect battery FIRST, lol

You may need some 18gauge wire and butt connectors to lengthen wires, they can be just the right length now but if you need to cut off a damaged end then they would be too short

2001 HVAC wiring attached, blower relay upper right

Ford used two types of relays
Mini: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/m...iring-840x.jpg
And micro: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/m...lay-wiring.jpg

That's for the pin numbering

 

I now have parts to replace the base connector for the relay, but I can't figure out how to remove the fuse/relay box from the engine bay so that I can fix the blower motor relay base. What's the trick?

ETA: got the box out and apart, and removed the base for the blower relay and the ones next to it (same base, three relays). Now I need to figure out how to remove the one wire (red/black) that has the damaged connector.

ETA: got the wire out. The connector wasn't physically damaged nor was the wire. It was scorched from arcing. It looks like a cheap relay was used which was a loose fit in the terminal. I cleaned out the terminal with electronic cleaner and scuffed the inside with a steel brush, then pressed the sides in, very slightly, with needlenose pliers.

BUT: In the process of removing the terminal, I broke off the locking tab. So how can I fix that without having to buy an entire terminal block for both relays?

 

Google: ford wire terminal ends images

I assume you mean the terminal that slides into the relay base, it usually has the locking tab?
See if you can find a matching wire end connector, there are literally hundreds, so there is no "part number" or designation

Also you can buy Relay bases with wire leads attached, cheap, they may have the same connectors that can be pulled out/released, and you can then use that on yours