By White001
2002 Ford Ranger 2.3L 4-cylinder p1432 code
I had this code on my Ranger. The dealer charged me $130.00 to tell me it’s the electronic thermostat and wanted $500.00 more to fix it. I located one on Ebay and put it on myself for about $110.00. After I got the new one installed, the auto parts dude reset the check engine light, and I was good to go. I inspected the old unit and sure enough, the little, tiny connectors on the wire plug looked fried and black. I had to remove a keeper clip to pull that wire connector out for inspection.
So based on my experience if you’re getting P 1432 code and a fried connector, it may be time to replace the electronic thermostat.
Also of note is that I purchased a 2001 2.3 Ranger thermostat. The folks that sold it said it’s the same part, so I trusted them and It’s working well so far.
After closer inspection it looks like I broke the wires off a thermistor coming out of the thermostat housing. It appears that the thermistor is imbedded in epoxy, and it’s fried to a crisp.
The 2001 and later 2.3L engines has a thermostat that is part of the housing. The thermostat and housing is replaced as a unit. It can be located by following the LOWER radiator hose down to the engine block.



About The Author
Jim Oaks is the founder of The Ranger Station (TRS), one of the longest-running Ford Ranger enthusiast communities on the web. He has spent over three decades owning, modifying, repairing, and driving Ford Rangers on the street, trail, and overlanding routes.
Since launching TheRangerStation.com in 1999, Jim has documented thousands of real-world Ranger builds, technical repairs, drivetrain swaps, suspension modifications, and off-road adventures. TRS has been heavily referenced by enthusiasts, mechanics, and off-road builders looking for practical, experience-based information.