Is this common knowledge?
I've done Google searches and more searches. I've found lots of postings that cover this but NONE of them are specific to a 1998 Ranger. They're always earlier or later or not even Ford related.
I have a good code reader and it lights up when I plug it in, but it just says no link when I hit the read button. (it works fine in my other truck)
I have tried holding in the trip reset button and turn the ignition switch to acc. Nothing.
I have tried, turning the switch on/off/on/off/on... 3 times, 5 times, nothing.
??
thx,
Jim

 

1995 to 2003 Rangers only have the option for an OBD Reader, nothing else

1994 and earlier did have 2 or 3 methods to get codes, this was the older EEC-IV computer, 1995 and up use the EEC-V computer, and still used in 2019

2004 and up Rangers got an HEC instrument cluster(digital) that displayed Body Codes, Bxxxx, and sometimes engine codes, Pxxxx, you still needed OBD reader to get all codes

So if your OBD reader powers up but can't connect to 1998 Ranger computer I would suspect computer problem