2000 ranger 3.0l problems in body text

[Slim_spinach]

Hello everyone I’m new to the forum thank you for all of your help in advanced there are a lot of things going on all at once forgive me for the typos.

Problems
The trucks O/D light started flashing then the transmission started shifting hard then the wiper switch quit working and now won’t turn the wipers on but will activate the turn signals. The dome light and chimes(both the doors and ignition) don’t work. Everything started off being intermittent and now just happens all the time.

What I’ve done
I’ve changed the sensor in the rear diff which I’ve read is both the vss and the abs,the ABS light is not on and I pulled the kick panel on the passenger side unplugged and jumped the plug it gave me the 16 flashes I’ve read it’s supposed to when you preform this test. I’ve changed the relay for the wind shield wipers, when I did that the problem went away for a day and then returned. I’ve cleaned the pcm with contact cleaner and inspected for damage corrosion and loose wires. I pulled the drive seat and inspected the plug under it with the 10mm bolt.

Conclusion
I can’t seem to find any wiring diagrams for this year that pertain to the vss circuit with is what I believe the code is saying is malfunctioning any and all suggestion will be greatfully received and appreciated.

Respectfully
Kael

 

[Dirtman]

Ummm 2000 has obd2. You need to either spend some money on a code reader or take it to a place like autozone and they will scan it for free. Get the obd2 codes and tell us what they are.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I would also look at these failures individually... will you find a common point causing all of this? Maybe but most likely no. Pick a system failure then find the fault.

Agree with getting the truck scanned for the codes

 

[Slim_spinach]

Ummm 2000 has obd2. You need to either spend some money on a code reader or take it to a place like autozone and they will scan it for free. Get the obd2 codes and tell us what they are.

Alright will do thank you!

 

[Slim_spinach]

I would also look at these failures individually... will you find a common point causing all of this? Maybe but most likely no. Pick a system failure then find the fault.

Agree with getting the truck scanned for the codes

I’ll start with the codes and report back. Hopefully that will give me some where to start.

 

[Slim_spinach]

Hello everyone I’m new to the forum thank you for all of your help in advanced there are a lot of things going on all at once forgive me for the typos.

Problems
The trucks O/D light started flashing then the transmission started shifting hard then the wiper switch quit working and now won’t turn the wipers on but will activate the turn signals. The dome light and chimes(both the doors and ignition) don’t work. Everything started off being intermittent and now just happens all the time.

What I’ve done
I’ve changed the sensor in the rear diff which I’ve read is both the vss and the abs,the ABS light is not on and I pulled the kick panel on the passenger side unplugged and jumped the plug it gave me the 16 flashes I’ve read it’s supposed to when you preform this test. I’ve changed the relay for the wind shield wipers, when I did that the problem went away for a day and then returned. I’ve cleaned the pcm with contact cleaner and inspected for damage corrosion and loose wires. I pulled the drive seat and inspected the plug under it with the 10mm bolt.

Conclusion
I can’t seem to find any wiring diagrams for this year that pertain to the vss circuit with is what I believe the code is saying is malfunctioning any and all suggestion will be greatfully received and appreciated.

Respectfully
Kael

Also the speedo doesn’t work sorry forgot about all that.

 

[Slim_spinach]

Ummm 2000 has obd2. You need to either spend some money on a code reader or take it to a place like autozone and they will scan it for free. Get the obd2 codes and tell us what they are.

P0500 is the code it’s showing vss circuit malfunction.

 

[acsnowrider]

Check the wires VERY closely, at the rear diff VSS plug--Had to repair so many of them, I couldn't begin to count!! Pull off, if it has still, the wire loom cover, and gently pull each wire, working down the length to the frame--the wires break inside, leaving the rubber outside intact--the fault point will stretch out. The breakage, if present, will generally be within 8 inches, of the rear diff connector, and mostly, its right at the plug itself, were the wires go into the plastic plug, because this is were the wires get the most stress--you can buy the plug, with connectors already in it, and pigtail ends, to splice right to your harness, if issue found.

 

[Dirtman]

Check fuse #10 and fuse #26 in the fuse panel in the cab. If they are good start tracking the wires from the speed sensor. I cant remeber exactly when but at some point the vss went from the rear axle to the transmission. The axle still had the sensor for the rear ABS but the speedo signal came from the transmission sensor.

 

[acsnowrider]

Dirtman is correct--they did change locations, on that VSS, but I do not remember when the change was for Rangers. Perhaps, another member can check this.

 

[Slim_spinach]

Check the wires VERY closely, at the rear diff VSS plug--Had to repair so many of them, I couldn't begin to count!! Pull off, if it has still, the wire loom cover, and gently pull each wire, working down the length to the frame--the wires break inside, leaving the rubber outside intact--the fault point will stretch out. The breakage, if present, will generally be within 8 inches, of the rear diff connector, and mostly, its right at the plug itself, were the wires go into the plastic plug, because this is were the wires get the most stress--you can buy the plug, with connectors already in it, and pigtail ends, to splice right to your harness, if issue found.

Thank you I will check this out today and report back with what I find!

 

[Slim_spinach]

Dirtman is correct--they did change locations, on that VSS, but I do not remember when the change was for Rangers. Perhaps, another member can check this.

From what I’ve read 94 to 97 had the vss in the tranny and the 98-2000 had it moved to the rear diff and report to the pcm from the sensor there.

 

[Slim_spinach]

Check the wires VERY closely, at the rear diff VSS plug--Had to repair so many of them, I couldn't begin to count!! Pull off, if it has still, the wire loom cover, and gently pull each wire, working down the length to the frame--the wires break inside, leaving the rubber outside intact--the fault point will stretch out. The breakage, if present, will generally be within 8 inches, of the rear diff connector, and mostly, its right at the plug itself, were the wires go into the plastic plug, because this is were the wires get the most stress--you can buy the plug, with connectors already in it, and pigtail ends, to splice right to your harness, if issue found.

So I went to check the wires this evening I found a green wire with a black stripe and a red wire with a pink stripe. I decided instead of pulling the wire protection off I would test the continuity again considering the problems had been intermittent before as well as the check engine light. I read somewhere in my searches the ohms should read 1.4 at the sensors plug so I ran a wire from the pcm to the rear diff and checked the gr/bk wire read 1.4 the rd/pk wire read 40. Then from the rear diff up to the 10mm plug under the drivers seat I get .4, from that plug to the black box on the passenger side behind the radio I get .4from the plug under the seat to the 10mm plug under the master cylinder and power distribution panel I get a reading of 40 again. So now I test the connection from the other direction from the pcm to this 10mm plug under the pdp and get a .4 so I had to stop it’s late but there’s a continuity issue from the female end of this plug in the engine compartment to the GEM and the other black box behind the radio. Sorry for the long winded update did a lot of tracing and testing this evening. Any advise you have would be helpful and thank you for what you have offered.