Hello I hope someone will help me with a question here: I have a 1996 Ford Ranger 3.0 4x4... If i turn the switch for the wipers on With the Key off they come on, are they suppose do to that with key turned off they go off if i turn the switch off though.

If there not would someone no why they will come on with key off and switch turned on the multifunction switch?

Thank you...

 

In 1996 Ranger wipers are run by Relays
Fuse 16, 30amp, in cab fuse box powers the actual wipers and this fuse should only have power when key is ON, or in ACC
So check if that fuse has power ONLY when key is on

The wiper relays are controlled by the GEM(generic electronic control module)
So your wiper switch connects to the GEM, when you turn on the wiper switch the GEM gets that signal and closes the wiper Relay, power from Fuse 16 is then passed on to the wiper motor.

So wiper can not come on unless fuse 16 has power, and it should not have power when key is OFF.

It gets power from the ignition switch located UNDER the steering column above brake pedal area.
It is a slider switch, when you rotate the key a long rod inside steering column pushes or pulls the ignition switch into its 4 positions, ACC, OFF, RUN, START

Now it could be key cylinder is loose so not sliding ignition switch all the way off every time, or the ignition switch itself is loose
Does key feel loose?

First I would pull out fuse 16 and use a volt meter or 12volt test light to see if is losing power when key is off, and every time key is off, that is what should happen

ACC(accessory) setting on key also powers fuse 16, so if key is turned to far, passed OFF, then fuse 16 gets power again

GEM doesn't shut off with the key, it also runs interior lights so stays on for 20-30 minutes or so then shuts off any lights that were left on or other power draws, via the Battery Saver Relay system.
GEM reactivates as soon as keyless entry is activated or if a door or door lock is opened
So it can turn on inside lights

This means GEM can activate wiper relays anytime you turn on the wiper switch, key on or off doesn't matter, but wipers can't come on until fuse 16 has power, from ignition switch, Key ON


Wiper wiring diagram here
Fuse 12 just powers the window washers, separate circuit

 

Thank you for letting me know you sure sound like you know what your talking about, so I will do what you said to do... I will test to see if it gets fire with key off with fuse 16 pulled...... if there is fire there still after ignition switch is turned off does that mean ignition switch is what is wrong and would have to be replaced?



In 1996 Ranger wipers are run by Relays
Fuse 16, 30amp, in cab fuse box powers the actual wipers and this fuse should only have power when key is ON, or in ACC
So check if that fuse has power ONLY when key is on

The wiper relays are controlled by the GEM(generic electronic control module)
So your wiper switch connects to the GEM, when you turn on the wiper switch the GEM gets that signal and closes the wiper Relay, power from Fuse 16 is then passed on to the wiper motor.

So wiper can not come on unless fuse 16 has power, and it should not have power when key is OFF.

It gets power from the ignition switch located UNDER the steering column above brake pedal area.
It is a slider switch, when you rotate the key a long rod inside steering column pushes or pulls the ignition switch into its 4 positions, ACC, OFF, RUN, START

Now it could be key cylinder is loose so not sliding ignition switch all the way off every time, or the ignition switch itself is loose
Does key feel loose?

First I would pull out fuse 16 and use a volt meter or 12volt test light to see if is losing power when key is off, and every time key is off, that is what should happen

ACC(accessory) setting on key also powers fuse 16, so if key is turned to far, passed OFF, then fuse 16 gets power again

GEM doesn't shut off with the key, it also runs interior lights so stays on for 20-30 minutes or so then shuts off any lights that were left on or other power draws, via the Battery Saver Relay system.
GEM reactivates as soon as keyless entry is activated or if a door or door lock is opened
So it can turn on inside lights

This means GEM can activate wiper relays anytime you turn on the wiper switch, key on or off doesn't matter, but wipers can't come on until fuse 16 has power, from ignition switch, Key ON

 

There was fire when I took the fuse out with key off on one side under the fuse where it connects, the ignition switch is a bit loose also... wonder how I can tell for sure what it could be, I already spent a lot of money out on parts for this truck to fix it up... Like to be as sure as possible, the heater and signal lights they do not come on with key off.

 

Yes, only 1 connector for the fuse will have power(fire), but it should not have power with key off

If you wiggle the key does the power go off at fuse 16?

There is not just 1 power wire at the ignition switch that powers all the fuses when key is turned on, the heater and signals are on a different circuit than the wipers

There are 4 power IN wires/contacts and 4 power OUT wires/contacts.
When you turn the key to RUN(on) these 4 separate circuits are connected.

Each of the 4 OUT wires powers a different set of fuses in the cab fuse box
See wiring diagram below

The black/light green striped wire powers fuses 12, 16 and 20, in the cab fuse box
So you can check if these also have power with key off, they shouldn't just like 16 shouldn't have power
If all 3 have power with key off then I would suspect ignition switch is the problem OR..........it is not being put in the correct position by the key.

You could disconnect battery and pull out ignition switch, plug it back in and then reconnect battery, now slide ignition switch into its ON and OFF positions and see if it is working, cutting off power to fuse 16, if it is then key or rod is the problem

 

I have tried this unplugging the gem module with the truck off and then start the truck and hook it back up and everything works, I have not gotten around to the other yet, would the switch or rod still be the problem?

 

If I unplugg the gem module and leave it unplugged till I wish to use the wipers and reconnect the module to the connector then they work fine no problem at all they stay on till I cut the truck off.. but If i then leave it connected to the Gem module and go to start the truck then try to turn on wipers they will not work... Not till I unplug the gem module from its connector then plug back up again?

 

Good diagnostics.

So what does that tell you?

Bad GEM module

You could leave GEM plugged in and just pull fuse #25 in cab fuse panel, that should reset GEM when you put it back in

GEM is a computer, and from your diagnostics it is "locking up" when it boots up on start up.
And what do you do when a computer "locks up", you reboot it in "safe mode", which in this case is after start up.

So GEM has a problem in the start up routine, but not in the "main loop", after any computer starts up it "idles" in what is called a "main loop" and waits for "inputs", like "turn on wipers"

 

That sure makes since a friend of mine got one from a junk yard and had the same numbers on it but it would not work either, but it could of been bad as well for the wipers I guess.. So all that is left is to get a new one and try it i guess.... I have read that only 99 and newer have to be programmed when you buy them, but not earlier one's like mine a 96 .. thank you... If i am wrong about this if you do not mind could you let me know... thank you so much Ron U have been such a great help to me. I cannot thank you enough. I am wondering though if i can buy a new one at regular auto parts store are if i will have to go to dealer which would really cost I am sure.

 

From 1995 to 1997 Rangers used the old speedometer cable hook up on trans or transfer case for Speed, these could be calibrated for true speed(axle ratio and tire size) by changing the Driven Gear, just like old speedometer cable days.

In 1998 they switched and used the rear axle ABS sensor for speed, which needed to be calibrated for tire size, and the GEM was used for that, so yes from 1998 and up it needed to be programmed for that.

GEM also controlled 4WD shifting so if you have 4WD then you need a GEM from/for a 4WD.

Ford part numbers are fairly easy to understand, but not to match/decode, lol.
Here is a GEM part number: F57B-14B205-EL

ALL GEMs have 14B205 as the center number, that is the Ford designation number for a GEM, for any car or truck of any year they used a GEM

First set of numbers are the year of design and vehicle
F57B - F5 is 1995, F6 would be 1996, F7 = 1997
7 means Ranger
B mean Body electrical part

Now the YEAR, may not be the year of the vehicle it is in, you may find an F5 part in a 2001 vehicle if part was never redesigned, but in the case of F5 you wouldn't see it in a 1994 or earlier, it may work in an earlier model but wouldn't be available when vehicle was originally built, lol.
An F57B-14B205 GEM might work for '95 and '96, and '97, not sure

EL - Last numbers are revisions, these can also be a designator for compatibility, Ford never released that data so crossover is not available, a Revision is a simple update which didn't require a redesign so F5 was still used in this example

Best bet is to match your number, last ones shouldn't be too important