Hello Everyone. I have a 87 Ford Ranger that has been giving me the go around. To start off I sent to the shop and had a new starter put on it. I had to replace the battery when I picked the truck up. The mechanic hooked the battery up backwards. After he corrected hisself he said I was good to go. On my way home the problems started. First I turned my radio on and when I press down on the gas pedal you will hear all kinds of static and the radio will go off let off the gas and it comes back on. I got the truck home and next morning the battery was dead. Charged the battery and next morning DEAD. So now I have to disconnect the battery after driving it anywhere or it will be dead when I return to it. Next thing is the bright lights blowed, not the fuse the lights then the dim went out. Fuse still good. Replaced lights and same thing happened. One of my friends was looking at it and while the truck was running they took the cable off the battery to see if altenator was working. Well the truck continued running fine but the windshield wipers will come on at high speed, reconnect the cable to battery and windshield wipers go off. I am sure that I have a short somewhere but do not have a clue at were to start. Anyone have any advice? Please?

 

Take it back to the shop that worked on it and tell them you want the altenator checked out, as you believe the backward battery hook up blew out a diode. This accounts for
the battery going dead overnight. Tell them about all the other problems as well , they
messed up and need to make it right.

 

I second that! Then again...if they can't even hook a battery up right, makes you wonder what the heck they might screw up when you take it in!

 

I have talked to the shop owner about this problem but I can't get him to do anything further. Not even sure that I want him to anyway. His response was I don't want to mess with it anymore. Talked to another guy today about it and he said that the altenator could be bad and if it was it would as you said kill the battery and send to much power to the lights and cause them to blow. So, I guess I should start by checking the altenator before the wiring? Thanks for your help.

 

If you cant do it yourself, Ask around for a shop with a good reputation, have them check it out and tell them ever thing that hapened, have them document everything they find. Then file a complaint . Please dont let this go, I work at a place where we work realy hard at trying to make the cust happy . If we screew up we make it right. Letting someone like this continue doing bussiness is bad for you and bad for us ( pretty soon everyone thinks all mech are crooks ) nail this guy. sorry but stuff like this realy tee"s me off.

 

Here Here!!

Jasmine...I can only guess by your screen name that you are a women (forgive me if I am wrong) some shops have been know to take advantage of the opposite sex more than they would a man...but regardless don't let them get away with this crap (no disrespect Jav409...there are alot of honest shops out there like you said). Check out the better business bureau...I agree with JAv409!