Tard Time: What's that buzzing noise?

[Baz]

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Tard Time, where Ranger owners answer my stupid questions.

This weeks question: Sometimes when I drive over an uneven surface and give the truck a good bounce, I hear a buzz/alarm from the dash. This only occurs when I have a wheel off of the pavement, so I'm wondering, is this some kind of a braking system warning?

The noise is similar to the one that comes out of Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber when he asks, "Hey, wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?"

Any advice is welcome. I figure a truck is designed to take a bounce or a jolt once in a while, so I hope the sounds means, "Be careful," instead of "Oh you dumb ****, you just ******-up big time."

The truck is a 2001 Ranger, 2WD, 3.0.

Thanks.

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Yo,
If it only occurs when you have a wheel off the ground, my first guess would be your ABS computer going to work. What (if any) dash lights come on when this happens, and do you have your foot on the brake when you are bouncing about?

 

[Baz]

I see where you are heading. Yep, I'm usually braking as I turn off a main street onto a quieter street, crossing a shallow runoff ditch in the concrete AND a slight rise up and across a sidewalk, which means, braking, BOUNCE, 1 wheel up, and a short bzzzzz. If I hit it again I'll try and see which light on the dash lights up. It MAY have been the ABS, but I'm not sure.

Thanks.

 

[JFA_Spyderman]

Yo,
Another thing you could try is on a gravel/dirt road, try and lock up your brakes. If it makes the same sound when you are locking up your brakes, then i think its the same thing.

 

[zapper2003]

It sounds like the ABS motor to me.

 

[JohnnyO]

Or just a loose dash or panel someplace. Detroit has gotten a lot better at eliminating rattles but I'm old enough to remember when they were standard equipment. Next time it happens, smack the dash in a few spots and see if it stops.

 

[Ranger5.0]

i agree with the abs therory, and man, i gotta say thats the best post ive read in a week lol

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have heard of the doors on extended cab trucks flexing enough to set off the open door ajar sensor on the doors, you might see if the dome light comes on (an assistant would be better to notice it) when you hit your bump.

 

[Jspafford]

The ABS light will only come on when there is a problem with the system, not when it is doing it's job.

 

[Shoeboy]

Ok, first off, ABS will not activate when all four wheels are in a lock, the computer system is reading the the vehicle is doing 0 mi/km /hour so the computer will react as if the vehicle is doing that. If you can get in an area (where safe to do so) either with we pavement or grass or gravel, keep 2 wheels on dry pavement and 2 wheels on a soft surface. The 2 wheels on the soft surface will lock up first and the 2 wheels on dry pavement will continue to turn. The ABS will activate and if it makes that same noise then thers your problem.

Also, some vehicles the light will come on when the abs is activated, and others will not. I know with my truck (Before I disabled that retarded RABS setup), when ever my ABS kicked on, the light would come on and turn off when I shut the tuck off (I know its not susposed to do that, but you know Ford and electrical).

My $0.02, also, JohnnyO's dash panel rattle idea could be a possibilty, this horible Chryslet I'm stuck driving for the next few weeks is full of the rattles, certin rattles at certin speeds, and it can vary when your turning, and the road condition and such, but such is Chrysler.