1994 Ford Ranger Rear Exterior Light Issue..

[2011Supercab]

Seeing that the truck had amber turns (3 bulb lights) and now has (2 bulb lights)

You'll need to get a trailer light converter to get them to work properly

 

[rumblecloud]

Glad you said that because that's where I was headed.

Just doing some googling and everything I see has to do with trailer wiring. I'm NOT anywhere near understanding electrical stuff so I need to make sure I do my research before I lead someone astray

So the PO jury-rigged something or went without the converter and that's why the lighting is f-ed up.

Don't understand why anyone would want to go from 3 to 2 but whatever...If it were me, I'd go back to stock '94 3-light and call it a day.

 

[Ramzee]

Thank you for all the help! I'm just gonna try to go to the stock 3 light and see if that fixes everything I sure hope so!

 

[4x4junkie]

Seems to me to have a 2-bulb conversion work properly on a truck that was originally 3-bulb, you'd either have to already have that trailer light converter spliced into the wiring, or (more involved, but also more proper) replace the multi-function switch on the steering column and some of the associated wiring, as the factory setups are different between the two.


I do see the orange/lt.-blue and lt.-green/orange wires in your pic coming from the cab (right & left turn signal wires, respectively), so there might be some hope for this not being too hard to figure out. Check those to see if there is 12V there when you operate the turn signal stalk.

Backup lamps are the black/pink wire, parking lamps are the (solid-color) brown wire, brake lamps are (solid) lt.-green wire, according to my diagrams.

The wire colors aft of that spliced-in connector coming from the cab (the ones going to the bulb sockets) likely can be safely ignored at this point, those are not factory colors for a 1994. You may be able to reuse the sockets, but you'll need to figure out which colors go to which bulb filament (I don't have any factory 2-bulb diagrams to compare to).

 

[rumblecloud]

@4x4junkie
Thank you for jumping in --- you should the chart (scribbling) I have checking off the correct wire colors in the images. The ones that go to the bulbs are evading me and my EVTM

 

[4x4junkie]

@4x4junkie
Thank you for jumping in --- you should the chart (scribbling) I have checking off the correct wire colors in the images. The ones that go to the bulbs are evading me and my EVTM

Not quite sure... You mean like this?

Or did you mean this?

 

[rumblecloud]

No...I got all those.
In one the earlier images where Ramzee was holding two bulbs...this one:

 

[4x4junkie]

No...I got all those.
In one the earlier images where Ramzee was holding two bulbs...this one:
View attachment 117189

Yeah that's the one that's not factory for a 1994. If I had diagrams for 2000 - (?) I probably could tell you.

 

[Ramzee]

So with this photo the 6 wire connector to the 5 wire connector everything from the 5 wire connector to the rear tail lights is all modified right? On the stock 1994 does it have this 6 wire connector or is this modified as well?

 

[rumblecloud]

Ramzee I have taken a few images of mine and will be posting shortly...
and I think your assumption is correct on the five-wire side being modified. You'll just have to do some tracing to figure which wires go where. The images from the book that were sent earlier by 4x4junky and me should have the correct wire colors to the bulbs.

They're a bit confusing. First is of the six-wire side, that one is easy and matched yours.

The other four are of different sides of the five-wire plug. I couldn't get up into the back end to release it and if I did I most likely would not get back in position.


I'll be back in a while to check this against the book and hopefully confirm the wire colors. gotta go stain the side of the cabin...

Later tater.
R

 

[rumblecloud]

Pages 90-2 and 92-1 show different colored wires???
Brown to the left and right rear for park and stop
Light Green to Right and Left rear Park/Stop

Light Green/Orange to left turn
Orange/Light Blue to right turn ( I think you called this Grey instead of Light Blue

Black goes out to ground.

Still pokin around.

 

[4x4junkie]

So with this photo the 6 wire connector to the 5 wire connector everything from the 5 wire connector to the rear tail lights is all modified right? On the stock 1994 does it have this 6 wire connector or is this modified as well?

My diagram shows 6 wires coming from that connector to the tail light bulbs.

I'd probably suggest try to find a wiring harness off a junkyard truck (1993 or 1994) and cut it off ahead of that connector so all you have to do is match the wires to what's on the front side (coming from the cab) of your truck.

Also, if you can avoid it, don't use crimp connectors like those, it's much better to solder the wires and use heat-shrink tubing to seal them. If you're not good at soldering, then do what you have to do, but make sure the wires are completely free of any oxidation before you crimp it, and wrap them with heat-shrink.

Pages 90-2 and 92-1 show different colored wires???
Brown to the left and right rear for park and stop
Light Green to Right and Left rear Park/Stop

Light Green/Orange to left turn
Orange/Light Blue to right turn ( I think you called this Grey instead of Light Blue

Black goes out to ground.

Still pokin around.

The park/stop lamps have two filaments (one for park, the other for brake). If you look close, you'll see in the relevant diagrams the brown & lt. green wires are on opposite sides of the symbol showing the bulb.

 

[rumblecloud]

Crimps = Bad
Solder = Good

Thanks 4by..

 

[Ramzee]

Thank you so much for the help this has really been very informative! I'm going to get a wiring harness and original 94 lenses as well as another bulb socket so I can just go back to the three bulb setup and I will solder those wires instead I picked up a soldering gun recently. Thank you 4x4junkie and rumblecloud!