Well here I am again this is Larry Bran New Problem today. Well having lunch in MacDonald My anti theft system triggered and the horn started blowing. I first thought someone had opened the door or something like that but then I realize no one was around so I think it’s just that Ranger problem.
I swear these little trucks are just way way too complicated all this damn computer stuff all hook together just unnecessary I want a little Knockaround truck that starts wi
hen I turn the key and gets me where I want to go and back. I thought that was what I was getting when I bought this little $500 truck. NOT! My bad...
maybe Ron Can chime in and help i sat at McDonald’s for over an hour trying every trick I can find on the web. Finally got out of the truck locked and unlock the door with my key three times and it turn the darn thing off. Didn’t find that trick on the web I just remembered it from an 02 Honda I had. I read somewhere that you could hook a ground wire through a toggle switch on to the black or any green were at do you have a pair in the connector on the antitheft module located somewhere I don’t know where and turn the darn thing off when you need to I read somewhere that you could hook a ground wire through a toggle switch on to the black or any green were at do you have a pair in the connector on the antitheft module located somewhere I don’t know where and turn the darn thing off when you need to. Any input and help on this matter will certainly be appreciated

Larry, Harmony162

 

What Year Ranger?

Its not PATS, if there is an alarm, i.e. horn sounds

So most likely 1998 or older Ranger
"Factory system" can also be Dealer installed system

Here is a 1997 factory alarm system

 

It’s a 97 XLT all power

 

Look at the wiring diagram

You can see the Dark Green/Purple stripe wire is the DOOR disarm switch, hooked to both door switches

When either door is unlocked that wire is a GROUND

So if you installed a switch or grounded that wire then alarm would be disabled, it would no longer work, it would NOT shut off the alarm if it has already been set off, i.e. horn was honking
While a door is "unlocked"(green wire grounded) the alarm wouldn't be turned on by locking the doors with fob or key

Dark Green/Purple stripe wire is behind drivers side kick panel

As for why it "went off" check hood open switch, these can get corroded

You can test if the lock/unlock switches are working by testing the Dark Green/Purple stripe wire with OHM Meter, unlock and lock the doors with ohm meter on that wire to see if its stay ungrounded

 

What about a disabler switch. Has anybody done that. Where is this anti-theft module with the 2 connectors. One allegedly has 8 wires the other has 11 wires. The black and green wire that, when grounded, disables the system Allowing all other functions to work normally. This fix came from another forum. What I want to know is
1. Will it work?
2. Does anybody know why the Ranger system seems to have a mind of its own?
3. Where is this pesky anti-theft module.

I’m just about ready to put this bitch up for sale after spending over $1k with a Tranny and Paint job planned. I should have kept my 15 Titan. I’m getting very old can’t drive much anymore and just thought I would get me an older smaller truck to tinker with and ride to McDonalds in. Not a F ix O r R repair D aily.. I should have looked at this forum before I bought the Ranger. I had an S-10 a few years back with no issues.

I guess I shouldn’t complain for I got rid of a $500 payment and put 8 grand under my mattress...

 

I will check tomorrow but I believe the hood open switch has been disconnected and the wire is just hanging there it may be swinging around and got grounded. the right door passenger has been replaced with a non-powered door by the P.O. I have picked up from JY A factory wiring harness electric mirror and regulator for the window and also a factory speaker. I have all that working but the door lock is still manual And the connector is just hanging loose inside the door.

 

The RAP module should be in the trim panel behind drivers seat near where seat belt attaches on 1995-1997 Rangers

There is no Black/green wire shown in the 1997 diagram so I would say what you were reading was for another year Ranger

It doesn't have a "mind of its own", although I get the frustration, lol, its just electronics, so garbage in = garbage out, computers don't think they just do what they are told, so something is telling the alarm to activate horn, and I assume lights as well

 

Studying the diagram that Ron sent me the system already has two disarm switches. they are located in the door locks. when you unlock the door with the key it closes the switch and grounds the Dk green wire coming from the anti theft module. This disarms the system. Looks like all I would have to do if I wanted a disarm switch inside the cab would be to run ground wire to that Dk green wire through a switch. The only remaining question is where best to intercept that green wire?
any ideas on that?
And finally, many thanks to Ron. he came through again with the right diagram to solve the problem.

 

Did you read my 4th post?

Dark Green/Purple stripe wire is behind drivers side kick panel

It comes out of the drivers door in the harness
Also on passenger side, same place, but driver side would be easier to wire in a switch accessible to driver

 

Yes I read your fourth post I’ve read every post religiously. That sounds like a good idea of catching that wire behind the kick panel, however, I had also thought about picking it up right at the module and dropping down to the floor and putting a switch through the floor behind the rocker panel. That way if I get locked out by the system I’ll leave the key in the truck as I sometimes do I could disarm it that way. What say you?

 

By the way the hood open switch is completely missing the plug is matted on the passenger side near the front up under the fender lip with nothing hooked to it same way with the passenger door lock the wire is just laying in the door the lock is still manual I haven’t changed it yet.
next question how does the system re-arm itself after a disarm with the key and what is your best guess at what set it off yesterday?

 

No idea what would set it off

There is no motion detection, or broken glass(noise) triggers that some alarms have, and create this problem

There is also the ignition tamper switch which looks to be closed, grounded, when key is off and alarm is on, via clock spring wiring

Could be voltage issue, but you would need wiring diagram of inside the RAP module to see if that was possible, some alarms trigger with low voltage, i.e. power tampering

 

Do these Rangers have a reputation for flakey or unpredictable behavior? I could have probably got a hood open switch at Pull A Part but I didn’t know what the receptacle was for.
Do you suppose the missing hood open switch & the missing door lock switch would have anything to do with the flakey operation? I have been unable to find a hood open switch online.

 

Not much info on the factory systems so they are not "flakey" or there would be lots of posts about it, people rarely post "everything is working great", lol

Unless the wires were shorting then shouldn't trigger anything

How many times has it happened?

 

Once sitting in the driveway in middle of nite.
Then the other day at McDonalds.
Pulled up turn the key off raise the steering wheel went inside bought my lunch gone about 10 minutes came back out got in truck attempted to start it and that is when the alarm went off.

 

So was it locked using the key Fob both times?

 

No. Unlocked with key left in ignition & window down a few inches.
I don’t have a key fob...
PS: I live near a small town can’t remember the last time a car was stolen and I live on a farm mile and a half to the nearest blacktop then 5 miles to town...

 

Key left in the ignition could set it off

BUT...................alarm shouldn't be active if door is unlocked(grounded), so most likely a RAP Module issue, it is activating, it has a timer circuit, so there can be a delay and it can be random, depending on what failed in the circuit

You can unplug the module, so no more alarm, but you will need to Ground the Starter Relay wire, the light green/purple stripe wire on pin 9(C409) of the RAP module

 

I think I will just leave it alone for now if it starts acting up again I will just disable the system and ground the starter relay as you suggest.
on another issue if you remember we were talking about using the circuit for the cargo lights for another purpose. I pulled the light today and found out two sockets have gotten wet and corroded prongs broke off so I got to get a new one. In the process I check the wiring harness coming to the cargo/brake light and there is only three wires. there is no wire going from the cargo light To the dome light. So I assume the domelight is being fed from another harness when you turn the cargo lights on. I’m going to drop the dome light figure out which wire is turning it on with the cargo lights and clip it. Would this keep the dome light from coming on when I turn the cargo light switch is turned on?

 

Yes, there is NO wire from 3rd brake light to dome light, shows that in the wiring diagram
They use separate wires but have a common power source at the interior lamp relay

 

Ron, what is your background? Were you a Ford mechanic at a dealership for years or something similar? Seems like you know everything there is to know about these Rangers; of course I am glad you do...
My name is Larry. This form gave me that silly name of harmony 162...

 

No, just a DIYer who likes Ford trucks and specifically Rangers for the last 35 years, and GM cars, GM can't build a truck to save their life and good Ford cars are few and far between, IMO

I did have a shop, at my house, and restored late 1960s cameros and chevelles, really liked those cars, but not "factory" restoration, daily driver restorations, I like the looks not the 1960s technology
So did make some $$ doing that in spare time

And I am over 60 now and have been wrenching since I got my first erector set, lol

I don't know all that much, just enough to know how little I know, lol

 

I heard that I am 75 and in all those years the one thing that I’ve learned is how much I don’t know...
i’ve been wrenching all my life also but this is my first Ranger. I bought it because they are cheaper than other trucks and boy was ever I right. LOL
This family drives Honda’s They seem to hold up better for me than anything else I’ve had. The only thing I don’t like about a Honda is the transmission doesn’t have a pan and the tranny fluid cost $15 a quart and you better pay up and change it every 50,000 miles or you’ll be buying a transmission at about 75 to 100,000.

Larry

 

Yes, when you are young you are SURE you know every thing, then you get out in the real world..............the more you learn, more you know how much you don't know, lol

Honda did and does make some good models

I think the Rangers are better value than say a Ridgeline, although a crew cab does have benefits

I guess it just comes down to the devil you know, lol