1996 Ford Ranger

lights are

didn't show up

Thanks, I appreciate your help. I found a wiring diagram for the radio on the net. I think what I'll do is purchase a new radio and the proper wiring connections and redo it. I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks for all your help. I hope this works.

Danny

Exactly what I was goin to say. Sounded like a backfeed into the lights cause the radio was tryin to seek a good ground and found it in the lights, cause the radio wasnt hooked up correctly..

Ford Tech

IT WORKED!! IT WORKED!! I fixed the problem. Sure enough it was the radio that was causing the problem. This past weekend I pulled out the radio and disconnected all the wires. I placed the battery cable back on, and what happened? THE LIGHTS WERE OFF!! The radio was not grounded correctly. Whoever wired that thing like that needs to find a new profession.

I would like to thank all you guys for helping me out. If it wasn't for yall, I probably would have went ahead and took it to a mechanic and shelled out big money for this. I am very appreciative. I really am, truely.

I look forword in keeping in touch. Now I know were to go if I need help.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danny Castro

Glad to be of help , but it was your presistance with posting that counted. I was convinced it was a ' man made' problem from the start. Thanks for the links in your other post.

Congrats.. I agree with Samstone that it was your persistance that paid off, I didnt share his feelings about a man made problem. Either way you got it figured out, now ya just have to get it all wired up straight.. LOL

Ford Tech

OK, I thought everything was fine and dandy, until now the check engine light comes on. The radio works fine and I do not have anymore problems with the parking lights. Now the check engine light comes on. The only way I can take it off is if I disconnect the battery cable, and yes I know that all I'm doing is resetting it. I'm wondering if the radio is causing this or is it something else. I took it to Autozone and had it checked. It passed. And after he unhooked from the computer it came off until this moring when I was driving from work it came on again. The only thing I can think of is that I know that the truck just ran out of freon for the A/C, but would this cause the check engine to come on because it needs to be refilled or something else. Can you give me some advice what I should do?

Thanks DC

I have little knowledge of CEL and the causes for it to indicate trouble. I doubt very much the the CEL has anything to do with either the radio or the a/c charge. Being a 96 , I think that means the truck has a OBII which holds the codes that made to CEL light-up and is readable with a OBII scanner. So when the CEL is 'on' you need to have the codes pulled.

OK, let me ask another question. What do you mean by "having the codes pulled," and what do I need to do to have this done?

Basically DC what happened was when you reset your computer by disconnectin the battery you erased all the codes it had stored in the Keep Alive Memory or KAM. So when the Autozone fella tried to read codes, there werent any to read.

Now that you have the CEL back on, you need to go back to autozone and have the fella read the codes AGAIN. This time he will have a code as long as the CEL is ON.. DONT erase those codes again.

More often than not, the codes set are due to a malfunction with the engine or a subsystem. A/C and Radio wont do it. Usually its something that will cause the emissions system on the vehicle to be less than effective or reduced. So you need to get the codes re-read by someone with a scan tool. This time write them down and tell us. I can look them up for you, and some of us will have possible solutions for you..

Ford Tech

And remember that just because the code may say O2 sensor. doesnt mean the problem is with the O2 sensor, only that it is reading out of range.

Whitelightning

OK, I took the truck to Autozone and had it hooked up to the computer and I got a code. P1443 Evaporative emission control system control valve. They told me that it could range from my gas cap to the injectors. What should I do first? And I really don't know what to do first on this or where I should start looking.

read this

Could be you left the engine running with the cap off for refueling.

Nah, it wouldnt be that.. I do that all the time in my 2000 Ranger.. Never set the CEL for me..

I would start with replacing the gas cap.. If that doesnt get it to go away, then I would start checking air flow capabilities in your fuel vacuum lines by blowing through them... If all that checks out, go after that Canister Purge Valve, aka Vapor Management Valve on a ford..

Ford Tech

What is the Canister Purge Valve, aka Vapor Management Valve on a ford..

Its the valve that is located on the canister that allows fuel vapors to be pulled off of the charcoal canister and into the intake to be burned.. It is a vacuum operated valve.

While your vehicle sits overnight your fuel slowly evaporates away. The charcoal canister collects these vapors to keep them from getting into the air. Once your engine gets up to operating temperature, and goes into closed loop, the purge valve aka VMV is opened and the vapors collected in the canister are pulled into the intake and burned. Thereby effectively reducing hydrocarbon emissions from your vehicle..

Ford Tech

OK, I have another question. Where is the canister purge valve located in the truck? Also, I did replace the gas cap, but the check engine light still came on.

ALso, I forgot to mention that when I start the truck in the morning to warm it up. It revs up hard when I start, then go down.

The reving up might be due to a sticking Idle Air Control valve first thing... The VMV is probably located below the battery on the drivers side. thats where all my vacuum lines run for that system on my 2000 Ranger. I would hunt around that area, and look for a valve with 3 wires and two vacuum lines running into it. ..

Ford Tech

Sorry it took so long to post this. I have been busy with work and school...