Symptom: No power past the relay. I assume no juice to any part of the vehicle- '99 Ranger 4 cyl. mtx. Battery is charged, nothing obvious disconnected, fused or broken. By no power past the realy, I mean just that. Put the key in the igniton, nothing, you can turn the thing over by jumping the realy. Thanks. John Cairns
Sounds like a bad relay.
Don't generally like to replace components unless I know they're faulty, but I went down to AutoZone and replaced the starter relay on the fender next to the battery, no luck. You weren't referring to the relay in the power distribution box?
John Cairns
I honestly didn't know what you were referring to. you just said "no power past the relay". You didn't really say which relay so I just assumed you knew.
I'd imagine the ignition switch is bad. you should be able to jump power across the starter relay and see if the relay is your problem. If the starter turns over, then you know that it's either the relay or the circuit that closes the relay. I'd find it hard to believe that a 5 yr old vehicle would have a bad ignition switch but weirder things have happened.
-Bruce
Sorry Bruce, just noticed I typed '99, I meant 1996. The only problems I've been having have been corrosion related, my thinking is that I have a bad connection/open somewhere. I don't think the ignition switch is bad, I don't have any power at the switch or anywhere else beyond the starter relay, AFAIK. There is a place close to here that does electrical work, will probably have the vehicle towed there. John Cairns
I don't know how you determined that there was no power past the relay, but you should measure these devices with a DVM or other test instrument. Guessing can cost far more than the cost of a meter if you are wrong. Your problem could be as simple as a bad (corroded) terminal at the starter relay. Then again it could be there is no current going through the coil of the relay?
Solution was pretty hair brained actually. Had the positive battery cable/relay connection REVERSED. I had replaced the old one, the replacement was an OE piece from the Ford dealer. The ends aren't marked, near as I can tell, I even went to the trouble of laying the old harness back up there to make sure the connectors were oriented correctly, which they appeared to be. Finally, in desperation, I removed the positive cable ends from the relay and used test connectors to jumper the cable to the relay in the reverse order and bingo-started right up, works fine. Have to look under the hood of another Ranger, the new cable connector for the relay is twisted, couldn't figure out how it was routed unless this is a slightly defective new part.
John Cairns
Find the ground (or positive lead) of the relay switch and clean both sides (electrical wire & surface) with a wire brush. Sounds like your relay gate-switcher needs more power in the coil to switch the starter circuit to 'closed' position.
When it works, you can punish your car and say it's grounded
Dan
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