Hello i am new here and i have a question. i have a 95 ranger with dome light, speedo, and the 4 wheel drive not working. There was a burnt fuse so i replaced it but it again burnt out with smoke coming from the dash/steering wheel area. Does anyone have any ideas on what the problem could be?

 

you've got a short somewhere... DO NOT replace that fuse again, without finding it and dealing with it

if you do not fix the short, you risk an electrical fire in your truck, which could result in major (complete) vehicle damage, personal injury and/or death

the good news, this is why fuses are there... if something like this happens, they blow and cut the power before fire takes place...

to fix it, i would find which fuse it is, there will be a number, find out what it powers (radio, turn signals, ect) then start tracing wires, look for worn insulation, or a wire trapped under a bolt... did you recently buy this truck? if not, did you recently do ANY work under the dash, or have you wired anything in, accessory wise, that was on that circuit?

 

No i have had this truck for a few years. Last fall i did replace the engine and then drove it untill the slave cylinder went out last fall. It sat outside all winter til i started it this spring to work on it. i have never had the dash apart so the only thing i can think of is maybe mice got to some wires?

 

as soon as you said it was sitting, that's what came to mind... mice chewing wires... all i can really say is good luck finding the problem...

 

So i pulled the dash apart and no signs of mice but it was the cluster( i think thats what the thing with the gauges is called). There was a resistor or something burnt out on internally behind the speedo. fixed and it works perfect.

 

glad you got it fixed