Lost O/D speedo and cruise, all at once! Any ideas?

[jandm]

1996 ranger 4.0, 4x4 , auto,e-O/D
I was driving home tonight at around 100kph with the cruise on and all of a sudden cruise shut off, the O/D quit, the speedo droped to 0 and O/D off light started flashing ,cruise will no longer work. All other gears are still working. Any help on where to start checking without going to a tranny shop would be appreciated.(every penny counts at this time of year and i dont think the kids want santa to leave them a tranny under the tree)
thanks

 

[Jspafford]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say the VSS (vehicle speed sensor) went south.

 

[jandm]

Thanks for the quick reply. Where is the vss located?

 

[fordwheelinman]

Do you have four wheel disk brakes? If NOT, it will be located on the top of the rear diff. A single bolt is all that holds it in. A 1/4 drive ratchet with a 10 mm socket will zip it out no problem if this is your style system.

 

[Bent Bolt]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say the VSS (vehicle speed sensor) went south.

Ditto. But it could be anywhere on the vss circuit. Particularly if it has 4 wheel ABS.

 

[AllanD]

Disc brakes or not is irrelevant.

Explorers with discs and live axles don't have "four channel" ABS.
they have only three channel ABS, sothere is only ONE axle speed sensor. (and ONE rear brake line)

And I take it from the OP that it's a ranger which isn't equipped with discs anyway.

"VSS" refers to the speed sensor mounted in a Transmission tailshaft (2wd)
or T-case tailshaft (4x4) inline with the mechanical speedometer drive.

a 1996 doesn't have one.

And whhile ointing him to the sensor on top of the diff is correct I believe they kept the old name "RABS Sensor" from when that was the only job the sensor on the diff was doing.

Yes, I believe your rabs sensor died OR there is a wiring fault to it.

AD

 

[bigmikem]

can the rabs keep the trans. from shifting

 

[AllanD]

Without the RABS seonsor on a '95-up the computer has no idea when
the upshift speed is reached to the computer won't shift the trans into OD.

On a 95-up the only direct input to the computer for vehicle speed is the RABS sensor because the VSS was not used on RBV's after 1994.



AD

 

[bigmikem]

Thanks

Thank you very much Allan D. You saved me much time and money

 

[fordwheelinman]

EXCUSE THE LIVING HELL OUTTA ME AllanD. I said disk, but i meant anti lock. Ive had a disk brake conversion in my head for a while now and had that on my mind. So its 4w abs that makes a difference, not 4w disks. I know the difference. Im not THAT stupid yet.

 

[Jspafford]

Man has anyone noticed the attitude around here lately SUCKS!