Hi, all, new here. I have a haunted 2008 B2300 with 2.3 motor. Near as I can tell, there's no diff between this and the Ranger of the same year, please advise if not so.
I think the base problem is a ground issue.
--Engine starts first kick almost always, but sometimes won't run--always fires, sometimes bogs down, rumbles & stumbles, quits. Usually can't "varoom" my way out of it. Eventually, it starts and runs.
--Once idling, cold, it quits if I put it in reverse (but not when warm). Just putting it in gear, clutch still in.
--When idling, if I remove a tail light bulb, it quits.
--Turn signals are on fast tempo except when I press the brake pedal--but rear turn lights do not work, regardless. All bulbs all the way around check good.
--When key is in 'run' position, all tail light bulbs are lit dimly, including turn signal--this is with all switches off exc key in 'Run'..

Mazda dealership threw up its hands. I have cleaned and remade all the ground attachments I can find in the engine compartment (behind d/s headlight, passenger side rear fender well, engine ground braid center of firewall, and one additional just to driver's left of that.

Any ideas or comments?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Welcome to the forum

Everything you describe could be a failed SJB(smart junction box), its the Body computer located in the cab behind the passenger side fuse box, fuse box is part of the SJB

So did the dealer swap this out or at least pull all the connectors and look for corrosion?

Article here has pictures of SJB: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...-modification/
Nothing to do with your issues just for the pictures

More pictures of corroded SJB connectors: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...BjbR8&usqp=CAU

https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/...WCLms5m.medium

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Q7Siw&usqp=CAU

Not hard to do an inspection and these can be found used at car-part.com

 

Dang! I really had my hopes up. Looks like the dealership guys were in there, the kick panel was not fully reinstalled. I opened it up and checked all the connector contacts, every one was bright and shiny. Given that they got in there, it's hard to imagine they didn't function-check it all.


Thanks for the suggestion!

Jeff

 

Can't test an SJB, just swap it out

If you have an OHM Meter then you can test if something is grounded, if it shows 0 ohms to battery negative

Or with a 12v test light, although its a but subjective, put test light on battery terminals and look at the brightness
Then leave light on battery positive and touch it to engine metal should be same brightness, or Frame

For the tail lights the frame is the ground

Truck should have 5 grounds
1. Battery negative larger cable to engine, usually starter motor bolt, ground for starter and alternator
2. Battery negative to rad support/inner fender, smaller wire, ground for headlights, horn and front park and turn
3. Engine to firewall, ground for cab electrics
4. Ground to frame can be a strap type at one of the motor mounts or even on a transmission mount, Engine and trans sit on rubber mounts so no ground there, so there needs to be a frame ground from the engine/trans or from battery negative to frame
5. Pickup tracks usually have a ground strap from bed to frame, its to prevent any spark when inserting the gas pump nozzle, a bad thing, lol

The tail lights use the frame ground, never bed ground

You can always add a ground, never read one complaint like "Hey, I have too many grounds??"



Multi-function switch is the turn signal stalk
These do fail
Front turn and dash turn bulbs are on the same wires
Rear turn and Brake use different wires and share a wire on each side
If both rear brake lights work then the 2 wires(left and right) from Multi-function switch are OK
But if rear turns are acting up then could be an issue in multi-function switch


Park lights coming on with key on means 12volts is leaking in from somewhere, if they only come on dimly when another light is on then that light is using the Park lights as its ground