Hello everyone! Im new here and purchased my first Ford yesterday. Its a 1999 Ranger xlt 4cyl 2.5L. It has 130k miles and its intended to be a little work truck. Unfortunately when i got home and turned the key, it would not go all the way to the OFF position. Causing a continual "ding ding ding" noise. Upon further inspection I found that i could actually remove the key completely and still start the vehicle. Iv'e come to conclusion there's an issue with my Key Ignition Cylinder($70) and there is a little plastic broken clip that is part of the Air Bag Clockspring that is also broken($100 for a whole new clockspring). The battery also doesnt want to seem to hold a good charge so ill be replacing that.

Im pretty handy on working on my own vehicles but could really use some help from some more experienced people. I feel like since this was a cheap truck i found for sale online, i may have overlooked some things before buying it... Its all stock and I just want a reliable little pickup. Ill upload a few pictures with more detail. Any advice and help is more than greatly appreciated.

Here is a picture of the broken clip from the clockspring wiring that connects to the ignition and also makes the "ding ding ding" sound when connected into its ignition spot. Is this necessary for me to replace for the operation of my pickup? If not id prefer not to pay ($100) for a new clock spring and the challenge of installing it.

 

Update:

-Today I put in a new battery. Old one was 6 years old(wasn't holding a charge).
-Sprayed WD40 into the doors where the latch is located and it FIXED MY DOOR ADJAR light!
-Truck started up just fine, "ding, ding, ding" is now gone(Maybe all from the battery?)

Ill be returning the $70 Ignition Key Cylinder because it didn't seem to fix anything.

I will update with this thread with additional issues i may find over the next few days.

 

New problem arose overnight.

-I may have an electrical short of some sort.

This morning I woke up and my nice neighbor text me saying, "Hey i think your truck's tail lights are on."
I went out side to look to my surprise and yes, they were on somehow.

I went inside the truck, it started right up, i turned the headlight switch on and off a couple times and then finally the tail lights went back to normal(off). Additionally, last night when i drove my truck, only 1/2 my gauge cluster(in the dash) was lighting up.

After turning the light switch on and off a few times and tapping the gas pedal, the lights turned off... Let me know where i should start, fuse box or taking the dash apart. Thanks.

 

Me would have first started with diagnostics, in this case it would be important to know if it was only brake lights on or parking lights. Which of these two would influence the direction of the next diagnostic step, neither of which would be disassembling ANYTHING until I knew specifically why it needed to be done and that in doing so, the problem would be resolved with 100% certainty as a consequence of the work. Thoughts of failing brake light switch or multifunction switch would be in my back pocket as diagnostics were being performed. ***This post only applies to what is said in post #3.

 

Thinking it may be a Brake Light Switch or a MFS(Multi Function Switch) thats stuck open thats located somewhere in the steering column... sigh... Went outside this afternoon to diagnose, and when i got inside the truck, the battery was dead and i was unable to start the truck. I will try to jump it. Unfortunately this is a brand new battery i purchased 2-3 weeks ago...

 

And I know for a FACT it happened in the middle of the night. When i got home, i'm positive i turned off my headlights and locked my doors before going inside.

Really stressed with this...

 

Did you hook up jumper cables or a battery charger and then go look to see if any brake/tail/parking lights came on? This, in an effort to answer the question/thought in my earlier post?

 

Just started a new thread for this problem. Link is here: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-stuck-on.html

Yes, i did get a jump. No the lights did not come on when i connected it to the other car. The lights come on after ive been driving, then shut off, wait an hour, then it looks as if my headlight switch is (on) because my tail lights are illuminated. However, the switch is turned (off). So it looks strange in the middle of the night that my tail lights are illuminated like Lights (on), even though my headlights are completely off and the truck is parked.

What i do know... is they're illuminated, its NOT pressure on the brake pedal randomly lighting it up.