Charging issues and dash cluster issues

RON MCCALL

MEMBER
2002 FORD RANGER
4.0L
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
146,000 MILES

Tachometer, speedometer, dash warning lights, all gauges stopped working and it's not charging. All fusible links are good, all fuses and relays test good. The illumination bulb in cluster was burnt out, changed it. I have power to the alternator, but when I turn the key on, I have no power to the green wire with red tracer to the alternator. Have traced it back can't find any issue or breaks. However, no gauge works or tachometer or speedometer or warning lights, but the dash Illumination lights up the cluster when I turn on the lights. Also have checked and cleaned all grounds. Changed BCM and ECU. I'm lost and need to know where the issue is before I scrap it. Also, been doing collision and custom body and paint and all stages of body and mechanical repair for almost 44 years and have finally met my match. Any constructive help will be greatly appreciated.

4 Replies

RON MCCALL

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I forgot to mention my alternator tested out good, but I replaced it anyway as it's got a few years on it. But nothing I do makes any form of improvement or sign it's even helped the issues remain as if I've done nothing.

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Saturday, June 25th, 2022 AT 4:41 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

Forget the charging system. It will work once the instrument cluster issue is resolved. If you want to prove that to yourself, use a jumper wire to momentarily touch 12 volts to the light green / red wire while the engine is running. You'll hear the generator load the engine a little, and the headlights will get brighter if you have them on. Both the fat output wire and the yellow wire must have 12 volts all the time. Either one can be jumped to the light green / red wire to start the system. Once it's charging, it will continue to do so until the engine is stopped.

The light green / red wire is the turn-on circuit for the voltage regulator. The warning light is included in that circuit. In this case it's likely the warning light is just one more thing that isn't working. The best suspect for so many inoperative items is fuse F2.11 in the inside fuse box. Check that fuse first. If it's okay, check for 12 volts on both of its test points.

Let me know what you find up to this point.

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Saturday, June 25th, 2022 AT 7:10 PM

RON MCCALL

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I went through all the fuses and relays again. Just to get stumped. The fuse box on the driver's side fenders all fuses and relays have power to them and are good, however # 30 fuse which feeds the trailer tow lights was missing but I've towed a utility trailer I have several times and all the trailer lights worked. But I out the correct fuse in it. And the fuse biz on the end of the driver side dash has no power to either side on fuse #'s 24-28-30. Doesn't matter if the igniting switch is on or off or the motor running those 3 have zero power in or out of them. #24 is the clutch pedal switch and starter interrupt relay, no power to it but the truck starts and runs. #28 also no power and runs the GEM and radio but the radio works and finally #33 runs the headlamps daytime running lights module and instrument cluster, again no power but headlamps running lights work and the instrument cluster has the turn signal indicators the anti-theft light and illumination lights work, and they'll dim and turn off with the dimmer switch. But no gauges or warning indicator lights work in the dash including the tach and speedometer and the A/C won't work. I can hook my scanner up and try to run diagnostic tests and the ac clutch will engage then disengage but right after the tests fail to complete. Also, they didn't do anything with or to the cruise control switches on the steering wheel. Since I've had the truck the lights for the cruise switches have never lit up now the ones on the right of the steering wheel light up. So, what stumps me more than things not working g and I can't find the problem. The fuses with no power or missing and items they run still work is another beast of its own. Also, their truck has never had any of the wiring butchered or anything spliced into it anywhere it's just as ford sent it out condition wise and not one spot could I find that appears to have been overheated or burnt or anything abnormal. I'm a patient man yet this truck has taken me to the edge of go sit down don't talk to anyone font think about it and clear my head or get out the saw and go at it point several times this week. Also, I ran a continuity test on the green wire with red tracer going to the alternator and it has continuity yet will not power up when the ignition is turned on. Another stumper for me.

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Monday, June 27th, 2022 AT 8:54 AM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,916 POSTS

As I mentioned, the dead light green / red wine is not a problem on its own. It's just one more on the list of things that aren't working.

There's something wrong with the tests you're doing in the fuse box. You're missing 12 volts to some circuits, yet those circuits are working. Typically when this happens to me it's because the point on my test probe is too big to fit into the tiny test point holes on top of the fuses. One thing to try is to pull the fuse out, then check for 12 volts on one of the terminals in the fuse box. Another thing I do is to take a 2" piece of solid wire, such as one strand from a piece of 14 gauge house wire, and wrap part of that around the probe. Leave a half inch sticking out to act as the new probe. That's a lot skinnier and will fit into the test point holes.

If you verify the 12 volts is on the fuses, you'll need to remove the instrument cluster to check for 12 volts on the yellow wire in connector "C220c", terminal # 2. That's shown in the third drawing. If you find 12 volts there with the ignition switch in "run", there has to be a break on the cluster itself.

Again, let me know what you find.

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