I'm having some issues with my 99 ranger. It all started on my way to work one afternoon. Going down the road I started to smell some type of electrical burning smell. I looked at my instrument cluster and seen a trail of smoke come up between the steering wheel and ins cluster from under and gear selector covers. After that the O/D off light started flashing and downshifting hard. My pwr windows and dome light also quit working. Checked fuse #26 and all my fuses before going into work that afternoon, all of them were good and none blown. After shift was over that night going home I needed to use the wipers and they wouldn't work either. Also noticed then that my speedo, odometer and trip odometer not working. I've pulled my dash and steering covers off trying to find or see anything but nothing yet. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Check the wire coming from the gear shifter. I have seen a lot of those chafe and blow the fuse.

 

No fuses were blown. I tested every fuse that afternoon all were good. I kinda wish one would have so maybe I'd know where to start looking.

 

The GEM module is common to those things that aren't working, its located on the firewall behind the radio, so maybe remove the radio & have a look at GEM, the wiring that feeds into it & its wiring bundle that crosses over & around the steering column or under dash supports. If you can't see anything obvious, try using your nose to sniff the GEM itself, or any other suspect area for the burned smell, to try & narrow your search area down some. Good suspect areas are anywhere wiring crosses over or through, or lays on, or vibrates against metal, or anything else that moves or gets hot. Brake & accelerator pedals & their mounts & connections move & are in the suspect area. Try unlocking & lowering the steering wheel tilt adjust, to have a look & maybe with the key on, wiggle the suspect wiring to see if you wake something up & maybe narrow your search down some.
More thoughts for pondering, keep us posted on your trouble shoot.

 

Ok we'll I have changed my GEM module out with one that had the same identical numbers. I've moved and ran my hands down every wire bundle to find or feel any chafing, burnt or cut marks. Since the trail of smoke came up right where the blinker, wiper and hi/lo beam switch is I took it out and took it apart (which I'll never do again) to see or smell and burnt signs. Didn't see or smell any signs of burning. I did unplug the blinker, hi/lo, wiper and four way flasher connectors before plugging the GEM module in if it happened to be in that switch assembly but no luck. It's still the same. I've checked all fuses under the hood and in the cab again to make sure I didn't miss one. I've seen something about a multifunction electronic control module and it looks to be something different than the GEM. Can someone confirm that and could that possibly be a culprit to. Could that control the wipers, pwr windows, speedo, odometer, trip odometer, dome light and the reason the O/D off light blinking is happening. Thanks again for anyone that can give me some insight as to where I need to look now.

 

That's a tough one. I was thinking that paw paw was onto something when he mentioned the GEM, since it is involved with the myriad of components that you are having issues with.

Smoke from the steering column is usually associated with a burned-out multifunction switch, but I can't see how that would affect things like the transmission or speedo.

You mentioned checking the primary fuse boxes for blown fuses - did you also check the relays?

There also is a relay box located under the driver's side dash that has 4-5 relays inside, might be worth popping open the box and checking those relays.

I'm wondering if you have a couple of distinct problems going on...

 

Pulling the relays out one by one is where I'm headed next. I realize the relays could be welded or stuck together and not look like there is a problem with them on the outside. None of them are melted or warped in anyway. As many relays there are I'll set up a test station with a 12v bulb and alligator clips to cycle the relays on and off. I just thought about this. This is a dumb question but here goes anyway. Would pulling the battery cables off for a bit maybe reset anything. Just asking grasping at anything right now. I'm showing no codes being thrown right now.

 

Ok I've checked every relay I could find under the hood and the dash. All checked out good. Now I'm at a dead end.

 

Bummer. It baffles me that you have tranny issues in conjunction with the other seemingly-separate electrical issues. Other than vis a vis the GEM, I don't see how they all can be caused by a single electrical problem.

Not sure if it will help, but IIRC, some late-year '99 Rangers have the same wiring as the '00 models. If that's the case in your situation, then it might be worth looking over this TSB:

Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - View Single Post - 2000 Ford Ranger Overdrive light flashing

 

I will check this out because up until about a month ago we were getting rain everyday for about a month or more (no joke). Only thing that comes to mind is I seen smoke just before the O/D off light started blinking. Also what's the chance of me getting a bad used GEM that I put in.

 

Didn't realize the GEM was a used one, so your right to put it back on your suspect list.

 

Well after all the aggravation I've been through with this I think I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. After checking everything I could think of the problem looks to be the speedo gauge itself. After pulling my cluster to check for chaffed wires behind it I started putting my connectors back in and my dome light blinked and I heard a fuse blow. Started checking them and found #25 blown. Why it hadn't blown before now with all the problems I've had is beyond me. Soon as I put another fuse in it blew. Did it again same thing fuse blew. I unplugged the cluster no more fuse blowing. So the Instrument Cluster and GEM are on fuse #25. Well the GEM is associated with all of these fuses #10, #20, #25, #26 and #28. The only one that seems to have given me a problem was #25. The instrument cluster is associated with fuses #11, #15 and #25. So I'm wondering since there are 3 fuses and 3 connections on back of the instrument panel does #25 go with the speedo connector and #11 and #15 go with the other 2 connectors. I also changed my GEM out with a used one and I'm not sure if my old one was or is bad or not. I have pulled my cluster out and have pics of what I found wrong with it. I have driven my truck with the cluster pulled out and everything is working now like it's supposed to except for no instruments being there. I have bought another cluster off of ebay with only 3000 miles difference from mine plus I'm upgrading it also has a tach. Check the pics out and you'll see what I found and the capacitor that went bad. [/IMG] [/IMG] [/IMG]

 

Trying to add photos of what I found. Got to figure it out how now.

 

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