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Ford Ranger engine light is on!

Kubota King

New member
I have a 99' Ford Ranger. Does anyone know how I can turn the yellow "check engine" light is on & driving me nuts. Does anyone know how I can shut it off with out bringing it to the dealership?? I am selling the truck & 2 people came to look at it & they of coarse were alarmed by it.
 

Big Dog

Large Member
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
First try taking the gas cap off and then replace it back on securely and check for loose vacuum lines under the hood, usually on the top of the engine somewhere ....emmisions and O2 sensor.

Start it, if it doesn't go out

Try pulling the battery cables for 30 minutes (sometimes works by resetting the onboard puter), replace and try it.

If that don't work your paying $35 for a diagnosis hook up and replacing the defective part.

I'm not a technician and you might wait for a expert to reply!
 

TOMLESCOEQUIP

Just Plinkin Away the $$
The engine light you refer to is the emissions light. If you don't want to spend the $$ for a repair or dealer computer reset , you can go under the dash & remove the bulb. Black permanent markers work too. (disclaimer: don't ask how I know this !) I might have heard of someone who did this prior to trading in an old truck.....but I don't recall............
 

Kubota King

New member
Thanks Tom & Greg for your input! I removed the neg terminal for over an hour & the light came back on fairly quickly after starting it once the terminal was reinstalled. I did notice a hose hanging down under the truck in the transmission area. Someone told me that Auto Zone & Advance auto parts will go out in to the parking lot & plug a portable computer in & tell you what is wrong & sell you the part so I guess that will be tomarrow's mission. I fear that if I use permanent marker the next potential buyer will see it. I am selling the truck well below the nada value of it as it is so I dont want to spend anymore money on it then I need to. The last guy that came yesterday to look at the truck said " get it checked out & call me when the "check engine" light is not on anymore :pat: .
 

OhioTC18

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Some of the Ford warranties on emissions related items is 5 years, 60,000 miles. It would be nice if it was still covered. You might check into it. But yes Auto Zone and Advance will plug it in for free.
 

Kubota King

New member
OhioTC18 said:
Some of the Ford warranties on emissions related items is 5 years, 60,000 miles. It would be nice if it was still covered. You might check into it. But yes Auto Zone and Advance will plug it in for free.


Unfortunaly the truck has over 100K so I guess that wont work :( ! I see these osb II auto scanner tools for sale & on sale. Might be good to have for the future of my other vehicles. Were do they plug into on the truck?
 

OhioTC18

Gone But Not Forgotten
GOLD Site Supporter
Kubota King said:
Unfortunaly the truck has over 100K so I guess that wont work :( ! I see these osb II auto scanner tools for sale & on sale. Might be good to have for the future of my other vehicles. Were do they plug into on the truck?
They plug into a diagnostic connector under the dash panel around the steering column area. If you go to the Actron website, they have the codes on there. Actron code lookup
 

buy_25

Banned
Kubota King said:
I have a 99' Ford Ranger. Does anyone know how I can turn the yellow "check engine" light is on & driving me nuts. Does anyone know how I can shut it off with out bringing it to the dealership?? I am selling the truck & 2 people came to look at it & they of coarse were alarmed by it.

[font=&quot]If you do not have a scanner, go to autozone. They do it for free. This is one reason why I bought a snap-on scanner. Best out there for the price.

Also there are a billon sites that have the codes on them. Most good scanner will have them built in there scanner.

Pulling the battery cable most times does zero. The codes can stay inside the ECM for 40 starts even if no light is on.
[/font]
 

Kubota King

New member
I went to advance auto parts today & they scanned it for me. It came up on there as running to lean but then said " no problems detected" the advance parts employee was just as confused as i was. I guess at this piont I am going to unplugg the "check engine" bulb
 

Junkman

Extra Super Moderator
I had the same problem with my 1997 Explorer and I had the check engine light reset to go off. It came back on a few days later. I then disconnected both battery cables and left them off for about 1/2 hour. The light hasn't come back on since. When they scanned it the first time, it said that the Catalytic converter needed to be replace. Seems that the cat is better now...... no light. Same thing with my Mercedes... the light comes on and then goes off a few days later. Nothing comes up on the scan. I had a 1982 Buick Skylark that the light came on a week after buying in new and never went off for more than a few days after they "repaired" it. A friend was the service manager of the dealership, so they kept replacing parts trying to resolve the problem. They were never able to get the light to stay off for more than 3 or 4 days. Ten years later, the light still was burning brightly and the bulb never was changed. They should only make tail lamp bulbs last as long.. :thumb: :whistle:
 

Archdean

New member
Kubota King said:
how do they reset it to go off??

Just like you reset most other electronic devices ,, locate the small hole (generally in the center of the unit on fords) poke it (hold in for at least 10 seconds) with a paper clip end!!!!
 
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