I've got a couple of things going on at once with my 99 Ranger. Just wondering if they are all connected....first, when I start my truck after it's not been running for a few hours, it will sometimes (most of the time), not want to idle. It's almost like it's being smothered out...very low idle, with gas fumes. Then it will eventually reve up on it's own and idle correctly. Or, if I take off with it idling like that, after driving it for about 2 blocks, it will idle fine. Secondly, a few times here lately, the windshield wiper will come on by itself and swipe once or twice then stop. Thirdly, when I turn the key on, it will normally light up the dash and all of the dinging noises come on. But twice this last week, when I turned the key on, some of the lights on the dash came on, but no sounds at all. I'm sure the windshield wipers and the dash lights and sounds are connected, maybe a short or something??? But, the low idle? Don't know!
Any ideas? I know that taking it to a Ford garage is going to be way more than I can afford, so any help would be appreciated!
Toni

 

Also, the check engine light has never come on....so no codes.

 

The mystery with the wipers etc. is likely to be the GEM. They're more of a minor issue.
Try pulling the vacuum line off the fuel pressure regulator to see if there's any gasoline in the hose.
AL.

 

Sometimes the phantom wipers are caused by a bad multifunction switch/connector.

What engine?

 

I found a website that lists recalls, and in 2001 there was a recall for the 99 Ranger for the windshield wipers coming on when the switch is off. Wonder if Ford will still honor that?? I didn't know anything about it.

 

On the '99, the fuel pressure regulator is in the tank, unlike the earlier Rangers.

tonij87, could you please post a reference or link to the place where you got the information on the wiper recall? If it is this one: "00B40 APR 00 Recall - Multifunction Switch Replacement" then I would assume that you should consider a new MFS.

But I'd like to see more info on that recall and I can't find any...

Also, is the poor idle right after starting more noticeable after the truck sits for a while? Is it worse in the morning, for example?

 

To fix the wipers,pop the end cap off of the twist **** and spray a little WD-40 in it and work it a few times.The mysterious wipers have been around since 94.

 

Tonij, " Owner Notification no charge program service", for the multifunction switch replacement on "Certain" 99 & 00 model Rangers, Explorer, Mountaineer, Expedition, Navigator & Villager vehicles, was Program Number 00B40.

You could call your dealer & see if your 99 Ranger was one of those "Certain" vehicles, or if the service has been done on your vehicle.

I got my letter in May 00.

You could also go to the Ford Vehicles web site, click on "My Ford" at page top right side, register, login & check any outstanding recalls on your vin #.

Ford finally got this site up & running last week, after at least a 19 month problem that prevented you from registering.

Some have had luck spraying WD-40 into the multifunction switch & working it in. You may want to try that before paying to have it replaced or buying a new one to do yourself if your vehicle isn't one of those "Certain" ones.

I'd have the computer scanned for codes, at your favorite auto parts store, most will do it at no charge.

I had a similar smell of gas, & sometimes rough idle, on my 94 Taurus 3.8L, that turned out to be a vapor purge canister problem that I didn't know I had. It hadn't set the CEL.
The scanner found it when I pulled the codes.

Was a dry rotted vapor hose coming from the canister to the engine. When the purge solenoid opened the engine sucked air instead of gas fumes, so it upset the A/F ratio, & the fumes escaped into the engine compartment, not a good idea at all. Maybe you'll be as lucky & find as easy a fix.

 

Check out this link:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=272071

and note the following:

"PROGRAM TERMS: This program has no expiration date"

 

http://www.alldata.com/TSB/992022_en.html
This is the link where I found the recall info.
And, the idle is worse after it sets for a while. It used to be when it was really hot and humid outside that I had the problem with it not wanting to idle when I first started it. Now, it seems to be pretty much all the time. I remember last summer having trouble in the afternoons when I left work....the thing would barely run when I first started it. Then, after a couple of minutes of driving, straightened right up. After the weather cooled down, no problems. It started back up this summer when it got hot outside, and has been a pain ever since.
I'll have my brother do the W-D 40 with the windshield wipers. My biggest concern now is the idle.

 

If the idle were more consistently poor temperature-wise, than I would be inclined to tell you to consider the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve, since that is the component that most directly controls the idle. And they are more or less a "wear item" in that they will usually fail before a lot of other things.

But your situation seems to be more like something is leaking down into a cylinder(s) while the truck sits for extended periods. I believe that is why Dealford mentioned the fuel pressure regulator, because that would be one of the places where fuel could be lost, and also possibly a leaky inejector or two could cause the same type of condition. So even though your FPR is in the tank, you still might want to check your fuel pressure, including doing a leakdown test.

Along the same line of thought, you also have to consider whether it is oil or coolant that might be getting into the cylinders. This would be indicative of a failing lower intake gasket or head gasket (more likely the former). When my lower intake gasket was failing, I was getting a little coolant in one cylinder and the result was a stumbling idle upon cold start and and occasional misfire. After the engine ran for 30 seconds to a minute, the coolant was burned off sufficently where the truck would idle fine for the rest of the day. In all other respects, the truck was running very well, so I was kinda surprised when I got an oil sample back from a testing lab showing traces of coolant in my oil. Which leads me to also advise you to go get an oil sample performed, it's cheap, easy, and it can tell you a whole lot of things about your engine.

 

Thanks! You've been really helpful. I'm going to print all of this out, and see what can be figured out. I appreciate all of your ideas on this.