Inertia Switch Location....if any.

[DangerRanger]

I've got a '90 Ranger that I've had since '96 and it's turned into a trail rig over the years. It has unfortunately been on it's side a couple times and on it's top once(Hey, it could happen to anybody) It has never triggered any kind of switch to shut if off. Actually I had to shut it off once with the key. I don't see an inertia switch under the dash, but thought maybe it's there and it's just bad, or good, depending on how you look at it. Did all Rangers have these switches????? and where?

 

[mhughes165]

its at the front of the passenger foot compartment, pull the carpet back. itll be about right in the middle, someone may have bypassed it like i do on all my rangers

 

[mjonesjr]

it is actually right at the top of the carpet.

I wish I could find a new one, my kinda fritz out at times.

 

[DangerRanger]

Thanks, I'll check there again, but I don't remember seeing it. I removed the ECM from there and moved it up to where the glove box used to be, maybe it's in with that harness. My guess is it's been bypassed. There should be evidence of it being there at sometime though. I'll check it out.

 

[Sunk]

It's pretty small, about 2x2" or so and black. It has 2 red/pink wires going to it.

 

[fastford04]

just cut the plug off an butt connect the 2 wires together! an it wont ever fritz out again! ive done it to mine when they start 2 fritz an after that no more probs!!

 

[VaGent]

it is actually right at the top of the carpet.

I wish I could find a new one, my kinda fritz out at times.

I don't have a "new" one but have several used ones that worked fine when I took them out. Let me know if you want one. I have many parts for 1989-90 Bronco IIs & Rangers. Pay for the shipping & you can have one at no charge.

 

[Will]

Mine's never triggered after 3 flops. I've also rammed nose down into embankments and ditches without triggering it. It's an inertia switch, not a gravity switch.

If you want to keep your truck from getting started without your knowledge, you can flip that switch up with a screwdriver tip.

 

[mhughes165]

mine liked to puke out when bumpin curbs, hittin potholes, and on random when i parked the truck, what is wierd is after a while it would somehow reset itself, then one day i jumped it with a paper clip, i drove the truck for a year with the paperclip jumper, i did the same thing to my autoshop teachers truck back my juniour year when his wouldnt start, and his truck is STILL like that LOL

 

[Will]

Well, it's faulty. Then maybe I would bypass it. But if it isn't faulty, I wouldn't bother.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I tripped mine when I rear ended someone... luckily I knew what happened and just reset it... nothing happened to either vehicle, managed to hit bumper on bumper...

 

[Will]

It's entirely possible that having the switch functioning is a good idea. Being on fire is a less than optimum situation if you value personal comfort. It's easy to come up with scenarios. I'm sure Ford reviewed some data and decided it was worth the small cost of installing that switch. You go off the road (name a cause--blow out, another car takes a curve wide etc.) thump into a ditch filled with tall grass. Your converter catches the grass on fire, the fuel pump is merrily pumping away while your fuel lines melt in the burning grass.

 

[fastford04]

your right i mean if its faulty or pukin out then i feel its ok to jump it but if its not messin up then it's alright!!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

passenger floor pan, up under the dash by the trans hump. Lil red button on top you press down to reset.

I have bypassed them before, and sometimes they do go bad. I've also built up a small stockpile of replacement ones from scrapping vehicles or going to the junkyard, so when one goes bad, I have a replacement.