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Hi! I recently got my uncles 2001 Ranger XLT 4x2, 3.0 V-6 after his passing.It has 150,000 miles on it. It sat for a year or so before we got it running with a new fuel filter, fuel pump, K&N air filter and new battery. I am stumped as to why I am getting different dash indicator lights at random times. In the last few weeks as I have driven it, I have gotten the check gauge light, check fuel cap light, check engine light, ABS light and O/D Off light. None of these consistently stay on. My mechanic has going over it multiple times and cannot figure out what is causing this.
The two times the O/D Off light has flashed, it seems to shift hard, but I have not noticed any consistent transmission issues with it.
Has anyone had similar issues to this, or does anyone have any ideas what may be causing it to do this?
Most likely there are some "dirty" connectors, from sitting, they get corrosion
I would drive it and wait until it sets some definite codes in computer
But you can just go thru all connections you can find in engine bay and unplug each one and plug it back in, that clean off the metal pins and slots
Watch the oil pressure gauge, the sender for this gauge often fails and that will turn on check gauge light
Its behind passenger side head if you want to unplug it and plug it back in
ABS light can just be a wheel sensor that will clean itself off after driving a bit more
OD OFF light flashing is more of a concern, it means computer is seeing a problem with transmission so is in "safe mode" and yes that means more abrupt shifts since that is "safer" than slow engagement and "slipping" which burns up clutches and bands
There should be transmission codes set, P0700-P0802
If you haven't already I would do a trans service, change fluid and filter
The left InstrumentCluster & center DashPanel have larger T10 BackLamps & smaller T5 DutyLamps: 8ea Sylvania# 161\194, 18ea Sylvania# 906\912.
Assuming the Bulbs have never been Changed & the Sockets+Contacts have never been Cleaned\Tightened,
after several years these commonly burn out &\or get loose; your 2001 is now 20+ years out of the factory.
It's a relative simple job to remove+refresh the DashPanel & InstrumentCluster; simple but tedious, so allow a leasurely afternoon & 1~2 beers.
The OverDrive ToggleButton+2WireCable on the end of the ShiftLever is also a known failure item.
Click HERE & HERE for more info.
Last edited by DILLARD000; Apr 23, 2021 at 02:30 AM.
