Seems like everything is starting to go on my truck. I need some good vibes here to change my luck. Here's my issue.

Start the truck up today and i turn the wheel and all i hear is this weird electrical buzzing sound coming from the column or under the dash. This has happened before but usually when changing lanes and just holding the signal down a bit. Ok then I put my turn signal on and it starts to work then the buzzing starts and the signal just goes dark and stops working. Tried the other signal and the 4 ways and they do the same thing. Everytime i turned the wheel it did it again. I even pulled into a parking lot and while I sat there with the wheel turned it kept doing it. Wipers and horn worked ok though. After 5 minutes of driving everything is working fine again. Fuses were fine.

This likes to happen sporadically especially when it is very cold out on the first start up of the day. No other issues, no gauge light battery light, nothing. It did do it over the summer a few times but only during the lane changes.

So could it be the clockspring or the turn signal lever itself? I'm leaning towards clockspring since the 4-ways did the same thing. Truck does not have cruise control. I seen the right up on changing the clockspring and i'm pretty sure i could handle it just need to make sure this is it.

 

A broken clockspring only affects things that turn with the steeing wheel - horn, airbag, cruise control.

I'd be looking at the turn signal flasher or the Multifunction Switch (left stalk switch). Either of these is easier to change than the clockspring. The 97 flasher is about the size of a relay, should be under the driver side of the dash and is often a bright color like blue or yellow to make it easy to locate.

 

the multifunction switch and the four way flashers do not go through the clock spring. only the airbag, horn, and cruise(if equipped) go through the clock spring. however, if you have a crunching noise while turning the wheel, it could be the clock spring.

i would almost say it's the turn signal/4 way flasher (relay under the dash).

edit: HAHA, guess Bob was posting at the same time!

 

Thanks guys! I was hoping it would be the relay since I discovered a leak in my radiator this morning. Hoping it was just some anti-freeze that spilled and sat in my skid plate after I filled it this weekend. Tackling them both Wednesday.

 

Now the sound is occuring after I come to a stop and let off the brake pedal. Would this be a flasher issue also or is this something totally different? It sounds as if my turn signals come on and then the buzzing starts and stops when I let off the brakes after a stop. if i brake while still moving it does not occur only after a stop.

 

maybe a short in one of the turn signals. hopefully bob will be able to help with that.

 

I found a blue relay with part #F4ZB-13350-BB under the dash. Is this it? I called ford and they have a round one and a square one for $32. Which one would it be. The part I found is square and is attached under the dash by itself. It has 5 wide prongs and 1 skinny prong and the connector slides inside of it.

 

If a Ford dealer can't figure out the OE part number for a 97 Ranger flasher relay, no one can.

FWIW, my book shows a total of 5 pins for the flasher, not 6.

Before going farther, I would hold the brake pedal depressed while looking for the noise under the dash. The ignition should be on but I'd leave the engine off to make it easier to hear. Maybe the offending part can be located.

I would also check the ground under the hood on the driver side inner fender apron about halfway back near the electrical Distribution Box. That is the ground for the flasher, one of the turn signals and the brake/shift interlock, among other things. If it is disconnected / loose / corroded / dirty, it might cause those symptoms. Worth a quick look before buying anything.

 

That's kind of hard to do. It only seems to do it while I'm driving. But I'll see if I can get it to do it. Thanks for the help.

 

The flasher relay on my 95 and the 97 harness i have in my other ranger is a blue box with 6 pins. it is located to the left of the steering column.

 

That's what I got. So I guessed correctly when I grabbed a few from the junkyard. Thanks for the pics they answered my question.

 

I'm glad that someone has actual Rangers of the correct years to look at. All I have is these drawings.

In the 95/96/97 EVTMs, the flasher connector shows only 5 pins that are connected to 5 wires in the harness. So, if there are 6 pin positions in the flasher itself, then one of them is not connected to anything.

 

you are correct only the 5 main pins are used not the little thin one!

 

i just happened to have this one out sitting on my desk. it went bad when i put some leds in the signal lamps in the cluster. think i shorted something out. stole the one out of my other truck for now. i just need to find a replacement now.

 

Wirelessly posted

Changed the Flasher and the signals didn't work. Checked the fuse and it was ok. While I was putting the fuse back in it made the same noise. I was like WTF! Looked in the fuse panel and the little pins in it were to wide apart. Pried 1 up and now all is well. Never would have thought of this if I didn't see it. Should have since this happened before with my GEM fuse. Now at least I have an extra relay if it would go bad.

 

good deal ive had alot of things like that happen over the years its always the stupid little things that get you

 

Wirelessly posted

Yeah, it just sucks though. Spend all this time on it and asking questions and it turns out to be something this stupid. Makes you feel like a idiot. Thanks everyone for your help. At least I learned some stuff and got to hang in my garage with my best friend......BEER!

 

so afetr reading this thread to diagnose why my horn and cruise wont work, im wondering if theres any way to test clock spring to make sure thats my problem ? this is my first attempt at logging onto this or any other forum for that matter . so please be patient if im going about this all wrong . im not up on the ettiquet and or functions of the site. thanks

 

Have you checked all the fuses first? Sometimes it's possible that a fuse is all that's the problem. Also, has any work of any kind been done on the truck?

It's possible for the clockspring to go bad, but there's really not much to go wrong. It's just a cable that goes from the main dash harness to your steering wheel controls.

 

yes i checked fuses, and i have also checked cable conections . and yes i did some work. i replaced heater coil and removed dash to do the R&R on that . everything was fine for a few weeks then cruise stopped working . then week or two later horn stopped working. so basically i have tried all the obvious simple fixes , but then i came accross this feed talking about clockspring and it made me wonder

 

sorry heater core

 

Yes, where can I get one. This is exactly what I need. Unless is has the small 6th pin it will not work.
Thanks
Vinnie

 

I ordered 1 from Advance Auto with the number off the relay, it came in with 5 pins. Then I went to a Ford dealer, paid $92 and got the same 1 I got from Advance. Without that stinky little pin it will not work. I guess I will have to go to junk/salvage yards and hope they have a 1996 Ranger on the lot.
Thenks
Vinnie