@ BareBonesXL
This Sat [8/3] I'll be checking the wheel speed sensors -and- trying pulling the ABS fuse.
My gut tells me the real cause is the proportioning valving that is contained in the mechanical part of the ABS control unit.
Yet another U-tuber claims that by exercising the solenoids and doing an ABS bleed - it can 'sometimes' cure the wheel locking. Unfortunately I don't (yet) have a scan tool that is capable of exercising the solenoids and doing the ABS bleed function..
I did receive a scan tool I ordered from Amazon yesterday but as luck would have it they did not send one that was compatible with the ForScan application - the doc that came with the unit even said it was not compatible with ForScan - so I'm going to try and re-order it.
Again thanks to everyone for the input.
Jan

 

@ pawpaw
Greetings
I received a scan too on [ 8/2 ] but Amazon sent the wrong one it was marked OBDII and not ELM327, I'm going to try re-ordering it to see if I get the right one.
I do have a question - What interface is the ELM scan tool you were successfully using? I ordered the wifi version but another user elsewhere said once you connect to the tool via wifi - your internet via wifi becomes un-available ? I see that as a major issue as some of the scan tools I read about go back to the internet for more information once a code is gathered. Any further info is much appreciated.
Thanks
Jan

 

ELM327 doesn't really matter, you want OBD II with the J1850 PWM communication protocol. Are you sure that what you got will not work?

https://www.obdtester.com/obd2_protocols
"SAE J1850 PWM
Diagnostic bus/protocol used mostly on Ford. "



Some of the ELM327 devices work and some don't.

This one does not work. "not support J1850".
This one should. "supports SAE J1850 PWM"

 

@ BareBonesXL
The latter one IS the one I ordered but did not receive - trying again...
Thanks
Jan

 

Your 06 Ranger is OBD-2 CAN = On Bored Diagnostics-2 Controller Area Network. My 99 is OBD-2 but not yet CAN, which came about 2002 as my moldy oldy brain remembers.

Is this a BAFX ELM ?? If so & you didn't contact them Before ordering, contact their Tech Service before reordering to make sure they have one in stock that's OBD-2 & CAN compatible & capable of two way traffic using enhanced FORScan as you want to exercise your 06 Ford Ranger ABS system. If you did all this as previously suggested before ordering they'll likely make things right if they can.
If they don't have a CAN compatible or can't get one that is & will perform two-way communication with FORScan, then look up the ELM models on the FORScan site they say are compatible.

 

Just realized that the second one will work for reading data but it says that it won't work with Forscan. It's an ELM327 device. Not sure why the Amazon links won't open on my computer. They start to open then close. You should probably just cancel that order if that's the one that they're sending.

WIFI ELM327 OBD2 Adapter Scanner Reader for IOS iPhone and Android Phones OBD2 to WIFI OBD 2 ELM 327 Adapter Scanner Diagnostic Scan Tools OBDii ELM327 Interface Code Readers for Ford GM Chevy etc

• Wide compatibility to phones and APPs: .... But not support Forscan.

I have the BAFX device and have used it with Forscan. But it looks like BAFX stopped selling them for some reason.

https://bafxpro.com/collections/automotive

 

The Forscan site has three options that they recommend. $34 for the least expensive.

https://forscan.org/download.html

 

Hang on, folks... I know you all mean well, but if the wiring diagram for the 2006 Ford Ranger 4.0L 4x4 at the "Operation CHARM" website is correct, then the PCM does not use CAN protocol -- it's SAE J1850 PWM (essentially what Ford calls "SCP"), on the OBD2 16-pin connector at pins #2 and #10.

And, even more importantly, given the OP's problems, the ABS module speaks ISO 9141-2 protocol (or, more accurately, Ford's version of it), on the OBD2 16-pin connector at pin #7. The only module in that truck using CAN protocol is the IC (Instrument Cluster).

So the OP should be sure to get a scantool that supports all of these protocols:

1. SAE J1850 PWM (PCM module)
2. ISO 9141-2 (ABS and 3 other important modules)
3. CAN (ISO 15765) (Instrument Cluster module)

IMHO, I'd avoid all WiFi scantools. Wired (USB) is best, but Bluetooth is OK (better than WiFi) if you need to go wireless. If you're going to use FORScan (a very good idea!), then running the Windows version gives the most capability and a USB scantool is highly recommended in such a case.

 

BIG issue with ForScan - perhaps someone can help...
I purchased the vLinker USB for ForSan, however I need the extended version to do an ABS brake bleed.
I cannot find a way to purchase this item - they tell you go go to the forum.forscan.org and join - which is from what I see impossible.
I fill out everything and one of the boxes expects an invitation code ??? anyone know where / how to get that ?
Anyway without an invitation code my registration will not complete. What a TERRIBLE way to do business.
Any help will be most appreciated.
Thanks
Jan

 

What's now showing in the FORScan "About" section tab?

 

To check the basic things out, since you now have a pigtail ELM scan-tool & If you've downloaded FORScan Lite, have it scan the vehicle for pending or set trouble code clues & post All code Numbers. More thoughts for consideration.

 

I think that you mean the License Key. Maybe? I remember having a problem figuring out where it was. Turns out it was in my Download folder (I think). So, you need to know where your downloads end up. The Forscan guys did not create a menu asking where you want your License Key, they just send it to wherever you have your system set up to put downloads. That's how I remember things happening, but I could be off.

It doesn't quite match how they descrbe things. It should always be remembered that Forscan is a program written by one or two or more Russians that know programming. For a short while they couldn't take payments because of bad relations between Russia and the US. It might be that they can't take payments now. The US has banned the use of Kaspersky security software in the US because Kaspersky is a Russian company.

Anywyay, beside all of that, I think that you might be able to use the temporary extended license. I used it for some PATS work. You only get to try it once per computer. Lots of good stuff in the link below.

https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=836

"3. After license key is successfully generated, click on the Download link in the Action row of the table and download the license key to any convenient place.

4. You have 2 ways to apply the license key:
4.1. Just double-click on the file and confirm adding the registry record, then restart FORScan.
4.2. Use button Load license key in FORScan->About section, then agree to restart the application."

https://www.bis.gov/press-release/co...e-us-customers

 

I just noticed the message below on their "What's new" page. Might be specific to your problem.

https://forscan.org/

June 28, 2023 - Microsoft mail domains block FORScan mail server

Starting from the June 28th all Microsoft Outlook-protected domains (hotmail.*, live.*, msn.*, outlook.* etc) bounce back emails from FORScan mail server with error code 550 (blacklisted). Unfortunately, really numerous attempts to resolve the problem with ISP and Microsoft didn't give any effect. For now, no any FORScan mails are delivered to these mail domains. We are trying to find a solution.

 

The "invitation code" you seek wasn't needed in the past to "register" for the forums. It became necessary around April 21, 2022, as described on this page.
For your case, IIUC, this means that you'll need to buy the extended license before you get the invitation code to join the forums.

Yes, it's annoying, but it helps keep the spammers and other trouble-makers off the FORScan forums. If you saw some documentation suggesting that you need to register on the forums before buying the extended license, then it's outdated. Can you please give a link to where you saw such instructions?

Now back to fixing your truck....

First, it would be helpful if you mentioned which variant of FORScan you're using -- FORScan for Windows, FORScan Lite for iOS, or FORScan Lite for Android.

Regardless of which variant you're using, @pawpaw's idea is wise -- i.e. you should consider checking for DTCs (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) now. You can do this with the non-extended-license version of FORScan.

Ideally, you'd do this before shutting off the truck the next time the wheel lockup (or any other ABS anomaly) occurs. Shutting off and re-starting the truck can often cause a particular ABS-warning-lamp-triggering condition to annoyingly "disappear", so it's best to scan for ABS DTCs before ever shutting down the engine after something odd happens with the brakes and/or whenever you see the ABS warning lamp illuminated.

Now a suggestion, as first mentioned above by @BareBonesXL... If you still want/need the extended-license version (e.g. to bleed the ABS system), you could get the trial (2-month) version for free and (if FORScan's instructions are correct), without ever having to sign up for the forum (i.e. without going through the annoying "registration" process).

Lastly, if you don't want to mess with the 2-month trial version of the extended license, you can go directly to this page:

https://forscan.org/download.html

Then click on the "Buy 1 year Extended License" link and buy the $12.00 1-year extended license version, also (supposedly) without ever having to go through the annoying forum "registration" process. When you do that, they are supposed to send you the "invitation code" that will allow you to register (if you want) and participate in the FORScan forums.

For the record, in the roughly 10 years that I've been successfully and happily using FORScan, I have never used the FORScan extended license (either the trial or paid versions) since I have had no need for it, so I cannot comment with 1st-hand experience on enabling and using it.

Regardless, be sure to ask if you encounter problems. Good luck!

P.S. Hopefully you already noticed this, but @BareBonesXL's link to the "Standard and Extended licenses for Windows" instructions is long-obsolete. The newer instructions are here:

https://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=67017#p67017

 

Thanks so much for the info - I seem to be having nothing but bad luck with ForScan.
I did purchase USB vLinker FS per the ForScan site, I've downloaded the ForScan software and eventually figured out how to get the trial license installed.
Now for the bad news - I cannot see anywhere in the software how to bleed the ABS system. And I've looked everywhere.
To be clear I've never had any ABS lights show up just the wheel locking.

Now - regarding that... I thought it was the front wheel but driving on a seldom traveled road and hitting the brakes with the window open, it's the drivers side rear that is locking and possibly the passenger side too - can't tell. So I may have been mis-diagnosing this issue from the start.
Soooo could it simply be a bad master cylinder ? As I recall the backup system goes to the rear brakes.
Any definitive way to tell if the master cylinder is bad? They don't cost all that much since it's 18 years old I was thinking of just replacing it - thoughts ?

Thanks
Jan