well as the title says my wipers are not working. The odometer is not working and the speedometer also isnt working. i read through the shop manual it all it says is to check the trouble codes. I dont have a code reader. There is also a faint burnt smell in the cab. if anyone has any ideas let me know.

 

Check your fuses and look under the dash for some wire probs-burnt insulation, shorts etc. Check the wiring to the spedo and wipers, a wiring diagram would be a big help of course. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

Well i guess i should have told you that i checked the all the fuses and relays in the fuse box and power distrbution box. took the radio and cluster out didnt see any bad wires behind them or under the hood. im taking it to autozone to get the code read.

 

Ok, cool. Get the codes and let us know whats up.

Good luck!

 

Also, make sure all the fuses are in the right slots. Its very easy to put one in the wrong fuse slot (I know).

 

I can guarentee you put the red 10amp fuse in the middle up or down 1 slot - i did this exact same thing.. print off a fuse diagram and pop it back into the same spot.. should fix it :-)

 

got the code its PO500 ECM has detected a fault in the vehical speed sensor circuit. But that dosent have a damn thing to do with the wipers. oh and found out that the cruise isnt working either. i will check the fuse slots just to be sure.

 

The only item in common is the GEM that I can think of right off

 

Could the GEM be bad? where would it be located?

 

Im not sure on a 98. On an 01 its just to the left of the radio behind the center console. I'd recommend giving rwenzing a shout and see if he can shed some more light on the problem.

 

would you happen to know if the speed sensor is on the transmission or the rear axle?

 

Not 100% sure but I believe its the ABS sensor in the rear axle. However, I dont think that would cause the other issues your having.

 

so now i feel like a dumb ***. i started checking the fuses for the GEM and found one that was blown. so now im going to replace it and see if it blows it again. just wasted most of the day messing with it and i should have caught it at 11 this morning.

 

i replaced the fuse the door dinger came on. i cleaned out the seat and got in then the dinger stopped. the fuse blew. then smoke started to come out of the dash. i pulled the fuse. then started taking off dash pannels as fast as i could. my arm hurts now. i got the intrument cluster out and i think it is what was smoking because once i got it out the truck dosent stink but the cluster does.

 

Ouch...Hopefully the damage is limited to the cluster. Did the fuse blow after getting in or did you do something else before it blew?

 

it blew before i turned anything on. i was sitting in the seet moving stuff and it blew. key wasnt on.

 

I thnk you need to take the truck back to the shop that "fixed" your starting problem and ask them wtf they did to your truck.

 

there was already a problem with the cluster before i took it because it had the same smell in it. but it didnt have any power then and it wouldnt run so we couldnt tell it had a problem.

 

Which fuse blew?

 

number 25 its a 7.5 amp that runs the Generic Electronic Module (GEM), Instrument
Cluster

 

Well heck...There must have been a design change fuse 25 is blank on an 01. You'll need to find a set of 98 schematics to trace that circuit.

 

Shouldnt the problem be in the cluster since it was what was smoking? thats what me and my dad were thinking. since we replaced the fuse it allowed power to go to the faulty cluster causing it to short/arck/smoke is how we were thinking. is this correct?

 

It more than likely is a bad cluster. However, without the schematics we're just guessing. Rather than spending the money to buy a new/used cluster just to have the problem repeat I'd try finding out more information on this circuit.

 

i have acess to a wrecked 2000 ranger that my friend has that i can probably get the cluster out of. will it matter if the new cluster is for an auto and i am a manual?

 

Read through this link https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ster-swap.html