By White001
2002 Ford Ranger 2.3L 4-cylinder p1432 code
I had this code on my Ranger. The dealer charged me $130.00 to tell me it’s the electronic thermostat and wanted $500.00 more to fix it. I located one on Ebay and put it on myself for about $110.00. After I got the new one installed, the auto parts dude reset the check engine light, and I was good to go. I inspected the old unit and sure enough, the little, tiny connectors on the wire plug looked fried and black. I had to remove a keeper clip to pull that wire connector out for inspection.
So based on my experience if you’re getting P 1432 code and a fried connector, it may be time to replace the electronic thermostat.
Also of note is that I purchased a 2001 2.3 Ranger thermostat. The folks that sold it said it’s the same part, so I trusted them and It’s working well so far.
After closer inspection it looks like I broke the wires off a thermistor coming out of the thermostat housing. It appears that the thermistor is imbedded in epoxy, and it’s fried to a crisp.
The 2001 and later 2.3L engines has a thermostat that is part of the housing. The thermostat and housing is replaced as a unit. It can be located by following the LOWER radiator hose down to the engine block.
Jim Oaks is the founder of TheRangerStation.com, the longest-running Ford Ranger resource online since 1999. With over 25 years of hands-on experience building and modifying Ford Rangers — including magazine-featured builds like Project Transformer — Jim has become one of the most trusted authorities in the Ford Ranger off-road and enthusiast space. In 2019, he was loaned a Ranger FX4 by Ford Motor Company to test and document across the TransAmerica Trail. Jim continues to inspire and guide Ranger owners around the world.