# Solved: 1997 Ford Ranger, Flashers/blinkers



## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

I had the battery replaced today but then later driving not that on my 1997 Ford Ranger, Flashers,blinkers/turn or parking all went out and also the turn signal all went out.

I checked all the fuses and all is OK. Is there as flasher relay or something that would kill all those lights?
If so where is it at?

Also do you think that is what is wrong?
I had AAA come back out thinking maybe they did something and that was free but all he could think of was the same thing and the fuses are good. Later was when I was thinking of the relay. 

Is the relay then thing that clicks also?

Seem like I replaced that one time in 1976 in the Chevy PC but that was back in about 1978 so can't remember what all was out.

Funny coming home and it's dark and I am at a stop light in the turn lane and a cop pulls up behind me and went down the road behind me so I know he seen that all the running lights were out but he just turned off. 

Good thing the headlights and brakes work but need to get all the rest going.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

There may be fuses in another location for some of the lights, especially if this is equipped for trailer towing. The clicking is the turn signal flasher, if it's not getting power, I doubt it'll click. 

I'd look for a wiring diagram for that truck to see if there's a common failure point for those circuits.


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## Drabdr (Nov 26, 2007)

Too, I would think there would be two relays-one for the left and one for the right. I doubt they both would go. Somewhere is a bank of relays in the truck. I would start under the hood.

Do the front lights work? Or, the front and back went out?

Yea... the clicking noise is so that you don't look like an old fogy, going down the road with your left blinker on. 

If you're young, music is too loud to hear the clicking. If you're old, you can't hear either.

Back on topic, John's suggestion is the best one. Some central point is the cause, and possibly two fuse points. Also, I have seen some pretty interesting wiring jobs on vehicles, and they pull main wires off the battery terminal. Assure there are no wires hanging down that did not get connected.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

All the fuses I looked at are good and I even changed them out with new ones. 

The head lights and brake lights work.

Only the Orange turn lights are out. 

Then I called AAA back because I was thinking maybe other wires were hooked up to the battery.
But really all I ever seen was the main cable and then the other smaller thick wire that was another ground at the top front at the grill rail. So if there was another wire it had to be hiding down under the cover and really don't think they do that but only wonder and he said no.


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## Drabdr (Nov 26, 2007)

hewee said:


> All the fuses I looked at are good and I even changed them out with new ones.


Hewee, the fuses are pretty obvious if they are blown. You can check them with a meter, too. So, if they aren't blown, I would keep them.

Do you have a multimeter? You can check voltage at the fuse terminal you looked at. I would surmise that is pretty upstream of the circuit, and should have live voltage there. You can then move downstream from there.

Also, you can lift the wires and check continuity. I would think that would be plan B, as that would be some work. But that will help you figure out where the disconnect is.

Still, if you haven't looked already, I would second John's suggestion of making sure there isn't a second fuse terminal.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The reason I think of that is my 1986 Jag XJ-6 has three different fuse locations, as well as some fuse links. I've seen several cars with a fuse panel under the dash and another one under the hood.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

I took up to a place here that I trust and it is the switch controller.
The whole turn switch at that is at the steering wheel behind the air bag. It has the wiper control etc on it also all went out. 

Just how or why it went out after changing the battery makes me wonder unless maybe they did not have have the power off at the key and then power went to that switch when the battery was hooked up. But how to know and prove it. 

Anyhow it needs to get fixed and I sure do not know how to take all that apart and put back together.

They have to order the part to left the truck there so they can start on it first thing in the morning as they give it a 30,000 mile tune up also.


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

have your mech check at the battery for more than one wire going to the terminals. My ranger has 2 large wires at one of the battery terminals. It feeds the second fuse panel which all the hazard lights, turn signals, etc run out of.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

K7M said:


> have your mech check at the battery for more than one wire going to the terminals. My ranger has 2 large wires at one of the battery terminals. It feeds the second fuse panel which all the hazard lights, turn signals, etc run out of.


Are you sure? 
Darn you think they know that.

What year is yours?

So I can call and have them double check before doing all the added work.


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

Hi hewee
I have a 95 and my wife drives a 98. both have two wires off the negative, one to the block the other the the body. The positive has two wires that come off, one to the starter and the other looks like it goes to the power distribution panel on the drivers side near the firewall. All the rangers and explorers are pretty much wired the same. The power distribution panel is all the main fuses and relays for AC, power windows etc. and there is another fuse panel in the vehicle on the drivers side. 
Good luck
Bernie


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

I guess mine is the same. I do not have the power package so no power windows, locks etc.
The negative is the same but then the smaller wire runs to the body and your see more wires are grounded at that same nut. On the positive it's hard to see because that cable does have another wire or more added but it's all wrapped up in wire wrap. I did look now but it's dark. The battery sure ate away at things under and around the battery. You know if that was leaking and where I was living it was flat where I parked. After I moved here in July 08 the drive way has a real good slope so that acid got on other things. I was not looking after that because I was not doing well and later the heart attack and then another year goes by. 
But It's all fixed now. He said they have replaced a lot of them and even more on the ones with the power package because there was a recall on them because they were catching on fire. So those ones got replaced for free. Cost a lot for that for part and 2 hours labor. Not easy getting to with a hour to get to it and take it off and another putting the new one in and putting it all back.

But I had other work done also and $877.00 with a little over $500.00 for the labor. That switch and flushing out the trans and cooling and new trans filter. Oil filter, oil, air filter and all the other things he checked and filled. Did the tires etc and the 30,000 mile check up.
Year I got 30,286 I think on a 1997.
So getting all that needed done adds up. Now I got the Ins that is $640.00 and DMV I think is $108.00.

I feel like that saying saying. *When it rains it pours* and it's washing away my money.

But looking over everything good I seen no new wires or nuts taken off or new tape so all had to be good under the hood and it just happen to go out.

I asked him if they did not have the key turned to off when new battery was hooked up if they would do the damage and he said no and if so it should blow a fuse first and they were all good.

Plus I trust where I took it. I have known Al a long time and he and my dad go or used to till after dad stopped was always going hunting.
Dad even got his German wild hair point from him for free. Vet cut the tails short so he had trouble selling them and only had the males.
Dad has the trans go out and had him rebuild that and a short time later the AC went out but to fix the AC you had to replace it with one that was freon free so that cost a lot. He ask dad if he want to but a dog and dad said no. Al goes why not and dad says you keep taking all my money. Anyhow some where they got to be good friends talking about hunting and he gave dad the one pup for free. All the paper work on him and the mom and dad and going back many many years so had a long history of the blood line. Dad made buddy a house dog also and Al never had any as a house dog nut only 100% bird dogs that he would not let any other people around. 
Dad never trained buddy either. But he go hunting out with a lot of others and if other shot a bird and those other dogs could not find then or it was out you did not know buddy would go out and find and bring the birds back. At first they was thinking buddy was not trained and just out running around but he was just better then all the others and he just blow everyone away because dad never trained the dog and broke the rules by making him a house dog also and then he had the best dog.

Al just blows me away. Down where he took over a closed gas station in 1978 that whole shopping center was dead. A bar and a liquor was the only thing that was still around and the other places that keep moving in would not last but Al keep doing great. Later and he owned the place and the part to the side to the corner also so was not renting. He added a big new side that had big high roll up doors and it was a 3 bay drive tru also. So he could now work on the big trucks, buses and RV's. Plus he gets work the CHP car etc too. All this growing going on as the rest around him keep falling apart he keeps growing. But he is good and honest and he gets after those who work for him and they all have to keep going back to school etc to learn new things and keep them selfs all up to date. But that turned out to be good because they know more and it helped him grow and grow. He has 6 bays. The 3 that were in the old gas station and then the other side he had build on. Plus who knows how much money he just made either renting or I bet he sold the land to the side going out to the corner and I thing that will be a donut shop. Guess the only bad thing that has happen to him is his wife left him.


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## K7M (Feb 27, 2000)

Glad you got it all sorted out. I have been lucky, I have 186,000 miles on my 95 and it's still running. Just put a clutch in it at 178,000, I was hoping to get 200,000 out of the clutch LOL. It was getting real noisy, the release bearing was gone. Well hope you had a safe NEW YEAR. I spent some time with neighbors and came home about 12:15. A nice quiet evening.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

Yea glad here also. I only wish a coupe years back when I called AAA about the dead battery that I replaced it then. I would not had the damage of the acid leaking it did and just maybe the other switch controller I had to replace if some how they did do something that killed it when they took out the other battery. Plus it was $40.00 cheaper back then or cheaper in price or price because of part of town I was living. I think a lot of things were cheaper where I was living because it was a small town out by itself so prices were cheaper to keep you from driving to the other towns around to get things. For a lot of things it was best to shop in the other towns but you could pay a lot less for foods and get some of the best deals I ever seen at the hardware store. I think they sell some things at cost or close to it so you go to the store. Plus a lot of times it would still be cheaper if they have what ever because to save a couple bucks you could spend more on gas driving to the other parts of town to save a buck but used 5 bucks in gas. 
Plus the one church used to make great pies and sell them outside in front of the store and man they were good. I even had to call in to the church to put in my order or have them hold a Oatmeal Pie for me because the owner of the hardware store would but like all the Oatmeal Pies. They were so very good and they could be put in the freezer and keep well and that was what that guy did. Tells you how good they were to but them like that. 

Your doing good I guess with the miles you got. I never had a car or truck more then 3 or 4 years in the pass and then it was the Toyota I had most of and they were always good on getting many miles more then the USA cars and trucks. Not sure but I think the older Toyota trucks that were made in Japan were the best build ones. Darn you only had to put gas in them and change the oil and lube it. They just keep running.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

What was the problem? I cant find the solution buried in that huge blob of text.


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## itsjusme (Aug 19, 2006)

hewee said:


> I took up to a place here that I trust and it is the switch controller.
> The whole turn switch at that is at the steering wheel behind the air bag. It has the wiper control etc on it also all went out.
> 
> Just how or why it went out after changing the battery makes me wonder unless maybe they did not have have the power off at the key and then power went to that switch when the battery was hooked up. But how to know and prove it. ..................................


It`s probably just coincidence and they didnt do anything wrong. Not much they could have done to damage that switch just changing the battery. Those multifunction switches go out pretty regular, i change quite a few of them here. They have several open holes on the back which allow dust, dirt, hair, and you name it to get in and onto the contacts. Here we have a problem with corrosion and oxidation from the salt air. The switches can be taken apart and the contacts cleaned in an emergency, but if you`re paying someone else to do it, it`s cheaper to change the switch.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

John,

Flashers,blinkers/turn or parking all went out because if the switch controller. 
The switch controller is what I turn down for left blinkers and you up for right blinker. I push forward to bright headlights and also as thw wiper spray and control on it. 
Hard part it the work just getting to it takes an hour and another hour putting it back. The air bag is what makes harder to deal with I was told. 

Thanks itsjusme. No was would I know what to do with a book with the info in it and even then I am not sure on cars now days. Even then would I even have the tools needed because the way somethings go together or come about it uses a tool made for that job that most people do not have. 
Like when the radio went bad when truck was new. I watched the guy take the one out and put the new one in. Now that was slick. Guess it just slides in and locks and he had one or two metal clips you stick in the holes to I think move the spring like sides out of the way so you can slide it out. It was so fast and easy. Hard part was getting new radio out of the box.


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## hewee (Oct 26, 2001)

I want to thank everyone who replied for the help.


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