On my '96 ranger with an automatic the reverse lights only come on between park and reverse, but once put into reverse they go out. The gear selector on the dash reads right, when the needle is on"P"it's in park, "R" drops into reverse and so forth. Do I need to adjust the shifter cable on the side of the transmission? If so how do I do this (I kinda need step by step with removal and adjusting, I've already tried and couldn't get it off the bracket). It's starting to drive me nuts, I've searched on the web for hours with no luck. I've even posted on other sites with zero answers.

 

You need to adjust the MLPS on the side of the trans

 

So is the MLPS the small round plastic part that the shift cable goes in to and a shift rod comes out, which snaps into a lever attached the the neutral safety switch? Or is it the actual neutral safety switch?

 

I cannot say 100%. I am used to working on fulsizes.

 

The MLPS is the Manual Lever Position Sensor. It tells the computer what gear range is selected, and sends info to the LCD display, and yours seems to be working.
From the description, there is another switch that is out of position. If you can get someone to move the lever while you observe which pieces are moving, watch the motion from P to R. The lever on the side of the transmission should rotate about its axis, and move something attached. What ever thing that is attached that has wires connected to it, is the part that needs adjustment. I looked in my 97 car manual, but it doesn't cover the Ranger, so I looked at T-bird, and the Crown Vic. Both, however, showed the MLPS and backup lamp switch to be part of the same unit. If one is out of adjustment, they all should be. Maybe your switch is damaged internally, or something has come loose. Or maybe the Ranger has more than one...
Find out what a new switch would cost, or check for used...
tom

 

Check on rockauto.com . I believe it's called a Neutral Safety Switch/Range Sensor.

 

As stated above the reverse light switch is internal to the NSS. I did adjust the MLPS (which it did need, the needle was never in the right position before) but now the reverse lights just plain don't come on at any position. So I'm assuming there's something wrong in the NSS, which I checked and the notches for its alignment are in the right spot. Well darn, seems like a waste to replace it since the NSS works properly.

 

When I have replaced stuff, I tend to take it apart. Many times I find that there is a simple cleaning or burnishing of contacts, or a plastic bit that has slipped out of place and just needs to be re-seated. If I can take it apart, I can also put it back together, and maybe just save a trip to the parts store. OTOH, if it's really broken, don't waste your time unless you are a closeted design engineer... I am not an engineer, but studied to become one for a year back when dirt was new.
tom