super funky wiring mystery - Ford Ranger Forum

beaulawcious · 12-28-2011, 12:15 AM

hi i just bought this sweet pre runner ranger 2002 4.0 auto with about 10,000 in upgrades, but i have two main problems with certain lights not coming on that i cant figure out.

first is my running lights not coming on at night time,neither of my tail lights light up at night or the cab brake light. but i do know the light bulbs work cuz when i hit the brakes all 3 red lights come on I(and the brake lights and running lights use the same bulb,i belive). ive tried finding the correct fuse, not entirely sure which fuse it is, but ive checked the dailight running light fuse, which i figured would be the same fuse for night time running lights. from what i can tell none of the wireing is damaged or cut...but i havnt inspected every inch yet.

Second is the really confusing part, and i wonder if both these 2 problems are from the same cause, my dashlights dont work at night. my digital clock works, and my warning lights work, like check engine light, bright light, airbag, blinkers lights all work on dashboard, but the light that iilluminates the speedometer,tachometer,fuel level,battery amperage,etc, and also the heater/ac and all my buttons on my radio dont light up at night....NOW here is the real funny part, at night time whenever i hit my brake pedals, all these lights that dont turn on...TURN ON and when ever i have my blinker/hazzard lights on, these lights that dont normally work come on and blink on and off in in sync with the blinker/hazzard lights, again i checked fuse i THINK is right fuse.....but no luck...any ideas?? im so lost as to what to check. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ALL YOUR HELP.

Captured Time · 12-28-2011, 01:17 AM

first off welcome to the forum.. it sounds to me like when all the mods where done to the dash they did not conect the all the wires back into the dash. and as far as the lights on the outside i would check the the wires coming off of the fuse box on the inside on the driver side. i have seen some ppl do work and if they dont need some thing they just for get bout it

klinger86 · 12-28-2011, 07:12 AM

Welcome.

**Hurley** · 12-28-2011, 08:57 AM

Was the cluster swapped out at one point?

beaulawcious · 12-28-2011, 10:55 AM

Nothing in the dashboard or cab has been changed out, as far as I know everything inside is stock. Only thing added was subwoofer cables running from battery to back of cab. And who knows, but the kid I bought it from swears up and down "on his sons life" that all those lights were working the day I bought it, he said the night before I bought it running lights stopped working, and his mom tried fixing them by messing with the fuses, and at that point the dashboard lights stopped working. But I checked all the fuses and they all looked like they were in the right place...haha and thanks for the welcoming, ill be posting pics and info of my truck on my profile soon. This is a sweet site, with lots of generous people

pooleo · 12-28-2011, 11:07 AM

well check your bulbs, because while it is one bulb, there are two filaments inside. One for tail, one for brake

beaulawcious · 12-29-2011, 10:57 AM

I will do that. Thanks. First im getting it out of impound today. I guess a truck can get impounded for not working tailights and no bumpers. Small town cops in la verkin hillbilly town hate people like me from other states with "stupid" looking trucks like mine, according to the cops. Lol

Redneck_ranger · 12-29-2011, 11:56 AM

There's half your problem right there.... A woman tried to fix it ^_^ lol I can only say to check fuses, like everybody else is saying. You're probably going to have to get into the dash and check that the wires are going into the right spots too. That can be a real problem.

beaulawcious · 01-16-2012, 03:30 AM

SOLUTION!!! SOLUTION!!!!! SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!
i am so embarrassed to admit that i just FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM AFTER ALL THIS TIME!!!!!!!! the entire time i was only checking the fuse box inside the cab....i asked a pritty knowledgable friend if it could possibly the fuse box under the hood and he said no it shouldnt have anything to do with it. so i spent for freaking ever taking the wire apart, pulling the wire out of the custom bedcage, crawling under the truck and inspecting every last inch of the wire and found not one cut. changed the light bulb housing, got new wires on the end, new connectors, new bulbs, still no luck! finally, being frustrated than all get out, i tell my "knowledgable friend" that hes full of crap, and he dont know what hes talking about (jokingly of course, i love him to death as my bro)and i pop the hood and check the fuses in the hood, and within 7 seconds i find a blown fuse, replace and and HOLY CRAP ITS A MIRACLE! the runnning lights, the reverse lights, the dome lights, the dashboard lights AND the cruise ALL WORK NOW BECAUSE OF THAT ONE STUPID FUSE IN THE MOTOR!!!!!!! i was told by several people that fuse box in the engine isnt destined for small dinky little things light taillights, but that fuse box is reserved for bigger things like fuel pumps, and what not, and only the fuse box in the cab is meant for taillights...well surprise its not!!!! haha what a relief!!!!!! thanks for all your guys help figuring this simple, but frustrating problem out! i really hope this helps someone else figure out the same problem with out all my confusion and frustration that i had!

**Hurley** · 01-16-2012, 03:33 AM

I'm glad to hear its all taken care of. Now you can really enjoy your truck.

12-28-2011, 12:15 AM	#1
beaulawcious Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cedar city, utah Posts: 19	super funky wiring mystery hi i just bought this sweet pre runner ranger 2002 4.0 auto with about 10,000 in upgrades, but i have two main problems with certain lights not coming on that i cant figure out. first is my running lights not coming on at night time,neither of my tail lights light up at night or the cab brake light. but i do know the light bulbs work cuz when i hit the brakes all 3 red lights come on I(and the brake lights and running lights use the same bulb,i belive). ive tried finding the correct fuse, not entirely sure which fuse it is, but ive checked the dailight running light fuse, which i figured would be the same fuse for night time running lights. from what i can tell none of the wireing is damaged or cut...but i havnt inspected every inch yet. Second is the really confusing part, and i wonder if both these 2 problems are from the same cause, my dashlights dont work at night. my digital clock works, and my warning lights work, like check engine light, bright light, airbag, blinkers lights all work on dashboard, but the light that iilluminates the speedometer,tachometer,fuel level,battery amperage,etc, and also the heater/ac and all my buttons on my radio dont light up at night....NOW here is the real funny part, at night time whenever i hit my brake pedals, all these lights that dont turn on...TURN ON and when ever i have my blinker/hazzard lights on, these lights that dont normally work come on and blink on and off in in sync with the blinker/hazzard lights, again i checked fuse i THINK is right fuse.....but no luck...any ideas?? im so lost as to what to check. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ALL YOUR HELP.

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12-28-2011, 10:55 AM	#5
beaulawcious Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cedar city, utah Posts: 19	Nothing in the dashboard or cab has been changed out, as far as I know everything inside is stock. Only thing added was subwoofer cables running from battery to back of cab. And who knows, but the kid I bought it from swears up and down "on his sons life" that all those lights were working the day I bought it, he said the night before I bought it running lights stopped working, and his mom tried fixing them by messing with the fuses, and at that point the dashboard lights stopped working. But I checked all the fuses and they all looked like they were in the right place...haha and thanks for the welcoming, ill be posting pics and info of my truck on my profile soon. This is a sweet site, with lots of generous people

12-29-2011, 10:57 AM	#7
beaulawcious Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cedar city, utah Posts: 19	I will do that. Thanks. First im getting it out of impound today. I guess a truck can get impounded for not working tailights and no bumpers. Small town cops in la verkin hillbilly town hate people like me from other states with "stupid" looking trucks like mine, according to the cops. Lol

12-29-2011, 11:56 AM	#8
Redneck_ranger Banned Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA Posts: 7,129	There's half your problem right there.... A woman tried to fix it ^_^ lol I can only say to check fuses, like everybody else is saying. You're probably going to have to get into the dash and check that the wires are going into the right spots too. That can be a real problem.

01-16-2012, 03:30 AM	#9
beaulawcious Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cedar city, utah Posts: 19	SOLUTION!!! SOLUTION!!!!! SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!! i am so embarrassed to admit that i just FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM AFTER ALL THIS TIME!!!!!!!! the entire time i was only checking the fuse box inside the cab....i asked a pritty knowledgable friend if it could possibly the fuse box under the hood and he said no it shouldnt have anything to do with it. so i spent for freaking ever taking the wire apart, pulling the wire out of the custom bedcage, crawling under the truck and inspecting every last inch of the wire and found not one cut. changed the light bulb housing, got new wires on the end, new connectors, new bulbs, still no luck! finally, being frustrated than all get out, i tell my "knowledgable friend" that hes full of crap, and he dont know what hes talking about (jokingly of course, i love him to death as my bro)and i pop the hood and check the fuses in the hood, and within 7 seconds i find a blown fuse, replace and and HOLY CRAP ITS A MIRACLE! the runnning lights, the reverse lights, the dome lights, the dashboard lights AND the cruise ALL WORK NOW BECAUSE OF THAT ONE STUPID FUSE IN THE MOTOR!!!!!!! i was told by several people that fuse box in the engine isnt destined for small dinky little things light taillights, but that fuse box is reserved for bigger things like fuel pumps, and what not, and only the fuse box in the cab is meant for taillights...well surprise its not!!!! haha what a relief!!!!!! thanks for all your guys help figuring this simple, but frustrating problem out! i really hope this helps someone else figure out the same problem with out all my confusion and frustration that i had!