1998 Anti-Theft Causing Blinking Turn Signals After Battery Replacement

[StangerRanger]

I have a 1998 Ranger 3.0 4WD, manual trans, no power locks/windows.

It was working great and then I replaced the battery. Now the turn signals park lights all pulse and the small led on the dash panel on the left side above turn signal lever flashes rapidly.

I have tried the common methods of cycling the ignition on and off the 9 times leaving it on at the end. I have also tried to do the "hard reset" disconnecting the battery in the specific sequence, discharging the truck, waiting, and reconnecting.

Unlike most of the posts about these types of anti-theft symptoms, the truck does start still after the replacement so its not a PATS fuel lockout and I don't even think I have PATS because this is a 1998.

But I can't stop the blinking lights until I let them run for 60-90 seconds. Then they seem to stop until I open a door again.

Without power locks the RAP reset instructions I could find did not make sense.

I looked at the fuse panel and don't see any obviously blown fuses.

Also when the turn signals park lights all blink and the dash led flashes, the horn does not go off. But I confirmed the horn works when manually activated.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

I guess first thing is that Anti-theft system doesn't use the turn signals, it uses Park lights and flashes the Park light relay and honks horn, so there would be no flashing turn signal lights on dash

1998 does use the same Flasher unit for turn and 4-way
But turn only works with Key on, 4-ways work key on or key off
So if the dash turn signal bulbs are flashing then could be 4-way switch has been pushed down or Flasher unit is defective

So is it the Park lights that are flashing
OR
The turn signals?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Did you repair cable ends and not put the grounds back where they were?

Long shot maybe... but it only happened after you put the battery in... could very well be something you did.

 

[StangerRanger]

Welcome to TRS

I guess first thing is that Anti-theft system doesn't use the turn signals, it uses Park lights and flashes the Park light relay and honks horn, so there would be no flashing turn signal lights on dash

1998 does use the same Flasher unit for turn and 4-way
But turn only works with Key on, 4-ways work key on or key off
So if the dash turn signal bulbs are flashing then could be 4-way switch has been pushed down or Flasher unit is defective

So is it the Park lights that are flashing
OR
The turn signals?

You are right - its the park lights. The dash does not show turn indicators. Thank you for the clarification

 

[RonD]

Alarm resets after a minute or two which is why the flashing stops, but then starts up again if door is opened
Not sure why the horn is not honking, it should be

Get out of vehicle, close door
lock drivers door with key
Unlock drivers door with key<<<this should disarm anti-theft
Also try same thing on passenger door

Each door has an arm/disarm switch activated or deactivated by the key, not the door handle inside or by puling up and pushing down the post, key only

Hood switch
There is an anti-theft hood switch, open the hood and look along top edge of firewall should see a push button type switch
Push it down a few times, its spring loaded
Does it "feel" OK, are the wires plugged in

Closed hood
Try reset procedure again(key on/off), hood must be closed and doors UNLOCKED with key and closed


Worse case is you can disable the system by grounding one of the Doors dark green/purple stripe wires behind the kick panel on that side

 

[StangerRanger]

I did have my hood open - that very well could be the issue in my reset attempts. Thank you so much - you are all super helpful!

 

[StangerRanger]

That was it - thanks @RonD for the great detailed walk through.

 

[RonD]

Good Work

And thanks for the follow up and THE FIX, it will help someone else down the road

 

[Eddo Rogue]

RonD is our Mayor.