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97 cruise control buttons


James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Lost the thread on this. Someone was saying the 97 is different than the 99. My buttons, per usual, are shot. Cruise does actually work, but the buttons are all taped up and one group is broken off its mounting.
There are a ton of buttons for $20 like I got for the 99 but I'm told they are not the same even though 'they' say they will fit across the years. Are they full of crap?
I see OEM stuff for $250 all the way up to over $600 which is nuts.
So can someone point me to buttons that will work? Should I try to look at the part# on them and look for that?
I was told maybe $100. Yes I will ask junkyards but usually these buttons are trash from every Ranger I ever looked at.
Associated question: do the OEM buttons light up at night? This would be a plus, also, I want it to work like original. I could live without them lighting if it was a huge difference in price but I'd like to put it OEM-functioning if I can.
You know that new buttons really make it look better, especially on this one where the interior is totally clean. The busted buttons stand out like a sore thumb and you see them right in front of you all the time. I know when I changed them in the 99 it really made a difference cosmetically, plus I like to use them sometimes.
If there isn't crossover to 99, is there crossover to 96, 95, etc?
 


97RangerXLT

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If your oem buttons still work, get the cheapos and swap out the new circuit boards into the new shells. I found a good looking set off a newer ranger in the junkyard and put my electronics in them. No isdues over a year now

AJ
 

James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
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31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
My credo
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
thanks, but, when I said they work what I meant was you can make the truck go into cruise mode. So at least the "on" and "set" buttons work. The thing is, there's no covering to the buttons per usual it is all worn/gone/torn. on the left side they put a bunch of black tape on it. on the right side, one or both of the bracket part of the buttons (where it attaches to steering wheel) are broken and it's just flopping around there.

the circuits might/might not be totally good, but for sure I need the whole units.
perhaps I could somehow glue things together and put new coverings but really I think I just need the correct part and I've been told the 97 is different than 99. but tons are being sold as good for both.
it makes the interior look a lot better when the buttons are good I did them in the '99
I will check junkyards but every Ranger I've ever looked at for sale (and both mine) the buttons were worn out

questions:
what buttons will work w/ 97? I do not want to pay $245 or $625 for Ford OEM buttons. I was told for '97 maybe 100 so that's a lot different than 20 (for the '99)
are the buttons supposed to light up when the headlights/dash lights are on? or is that something I made up in my head as a nice-to-have
IMG_3040.JPG
 

fastpakr

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I think 97RangerXLT is correct - you should just be able to remove the buttons underneath your broken button shells and insert them into the new shells. Unless you have a reason to suspect the buttons themselves.
 

James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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Transmission
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
My credo
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
ok. I see what you all mean. actually if I could to that isn't it true I wouldn't have to pry the wiring apart? I'd just leave all that.
yeah if the internals are working then it gets me out of the whole "what fits" question as I'd say the covers are going to be the same.
 

superj

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my dad's sport track buttons were like that. looked terrible every time i drove his truck.
 

97RangerXLT

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All you need to do is remove the old electronic board from the old shells and transfer it into the new / good shells. The just snap together. Wires plug into the electronic board, nothing fancy.

I think i took some pictures, i will see if i can find them. My old buttons looked almost as bad as yours with large chunks missing

AJ
 

1990RangerinSK

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thanks, but, when I said they work what I meant was you can make the truck go into cruise mode. So at least the "on" and "set" buttons work. The thing is, there's no covering to the buttons per usual it is all worn/gone/torn. on the left side they put a bunch of black tape on it. on the right side, one or both of the bracket part of the buttons (where it attaches to steering wheel) are broken and it's just flopping around there.

the circuits might/might not be totally good, but for sure I need the whole units.
perhaps I could somehow glue things together and put new coverings but really I think I just need the correct part and I've been told the 97 is different than 99. but tons are being sold as good for both.
it makes the interior look a lot better when the buttons are good I did them in the '99
I will check junkyards but every Ranger I've ever looked at for sale (and both mine) the buttons were worn out

questions:
what buttons will work w/ 97? I do not want to pay $245 or $625 for Ford OEM buttons. I was told for '97 maybe 100 so that's a lot different than 20 (for the '99)
are the buttons supposed to light up when the headlights/dash lights are on? or is that something I made up in my head as a nice-to-have
View attachment 84597
Ford used the same steering wheel from 1995-1999 on the Taurus/Sable, with the same Cruise buttons. If I were you, I'd check with the wrecker, and ask them to cross reference the part number (of the entire unit) with other Ford models. Maybe buttons from a '97 Taurus are the same.
 

97RangerXLT

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Ford used the same steering wheel from 1995-1999 on the Taurus/Sable, with the same Cruise buttons. If I were you, I'd check with the wrecker, and ask them to cross reference the part number (of the entire unit) with other Ford models. Maybe buttons from a '97 Taurus are the same.
lol I already done that. trust me, the 97 is different. one less pin different on the electronics board. I compared the two myself. but yeah, the steering wheel and buttons didn;'t change at all looks wise from 95 - 2003 or 4 I believe.

AJ
 

1990RangerinSK

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lol I already done that. trust me, the 97 is different. one less pin different on the electronics board. I compared the two myself. but yeah, the steering wheel and buttons didn;'t change at all looks wise from 95 - 2003 or 4 I believe.

AJ
Right, I got that. '97 Ranger is a unicorn, every other year with the same steering wheel uses different guts and wiring pins for the cruise buttons. What about a '97 Taurus? Does it use the same guts as the '97 Ranger? That's what I was aiming at.
 

James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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Transmission
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
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31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
My credo
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Steering Wheel Cruise Control Switch Fits Fitsd F150 Explorer Sport Trac Ranger | eBay
If you go to this and put in 1997 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0L it says they have them
And it shows cross-ref it looks maybe ok
BUT when I asked if they had backlighting they said no
which they definitely should have unless there is an error in my manual it shows pins both sides for backlighting.
so I can take a chance they work, which isn't a huge chance at $20, and live without backlighting (not my preference)
or keep looking. I think I will talk to junkyard today see if they can come up with anything decent.
Meanwhile if anyone locates the actual real part let me know.
 

superj

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i don't think any ford i ever had had backlighting on the steering wheel buttons. even the 2014, 2015, and 2018 ford escapes. even my 2017 titan and the wife's 2018 mazda3 don't have it so i am pretty sure the older trucks don't have it
 

fastpakr

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i don't think any ford i ever had had backlighting on the steering wheel buttons. even the 2014, 2015, and 2018 ford escapes. even my 2017 titan and the wife's 2018 mazda3 don't have it so i am pretty sure the older trucks don't have it
I've been confused on that ever since getting my '99. The buttons have never lit up for me (before or after replacement), but there seem to be conflicting reports on whether they do for other Rangers of similar age.
 

James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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Location
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Make / Model
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Engine Size
4.0L in XLT, 3.0L in B3000
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
My credo
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Well, I'm going by the manual. As we know there are some errors in the manual, this could be one of them, but I kind of don't think so. It would make sense to have them backlit.
On my 99 I just put in the $20 buttons and they work fine... no backlighting... of course at that time I only conjectured it would be nice to have it, versus now the manual telling me so for the 97.
I know you'd think maybe you wouldn't see it on an old truck, but, why not, it's just an LED I imagine. Really leaving age aside the 97 has power everything and very nice, so no reason they wouldn't have done it.
Anyone with a manual, look up the buttons, it should give pin-out. I'm thinking they just don't do it in the replacements because they want to make them cheap.
When I ever get a replacement and have the buttons out I'll open them up and look... assuming they are original which they probably are. Can't really take the buttons out without having replacements on hand, the horn wiring goes though there too, horn might not work with them out, might throw errors too who knows.
 

James Morse

1997 XLT 4.0L 4x4 1999 Mazda B3000 2wd
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Location
Roanoke VA
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Make / Model
XLT 4x4 & B3000
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0L in XLT, 3.0L in B3000
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
My credo
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
Update, just to put this to bed YES they have backlighting my right button it is clearly visiblly lit, left has black tape over it so naturally you can't see it.
97 had some things you didn't get on later XLT for instance skid plates you had to get a diff model or get B4 4x4 to get those. Afaik.
Off topic - skids might have been an option on later xLT, pretty sure they were standard in 97 for this model.
 

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