Howdy yall, just yesterday i picked up a 2000 ranger xlt 2wd 5 speed 2.5 pick-em-up-truck.

First thing of getting it home, from the 100 mile drive (it ran good), i parked it and replaced the oil and continued to clean up the inside.

After looking through it all i've seem to found a few quirks and such that i was wondering about. One being that i think is a pretty common problem is that the door ajar light on the dash stays on even when the doors are fully closed. Anyway to fix this?

The person before thought he didnt need the parking brake cable so he cut it off. I'd like to fix this incase im ever needing to park on hills or when i pull a boat. Whats there to putting this cable on?

The tailgate handle has broken off on one side and needs to be replaced. I already removed the plate on the other side of the gate and it appears i have to remove two nuts and remove the whole handle in order to fix it? Also where would i be able to find a handle for it?

Lastly, the kid before me had the exhaust done with no cat and just a muffler that i think might be gutted. Therefore the truck kinda sounds like sheot since its just a 4 cylinder. Anyways i was just wondering that since theres no cat is it making this truck run a bit weird? From the way it sounds when i slow down it kind of jerks and runs a bit different. This week im getting a estimate on getting the exhaust redone so its more quiet.

Anyhow sorry for the long post and any help on it would be grateful! Thanks alot.

Btw heres a picture of the truck.

 

Door Ajar light meet WD40. Done deal

The cat is not affecting the trucks performance.

I never replaced the parking brake cable, I'm sure you can look it up in a service manual

Autoparts store should have all the parts you need. Don't bother going to a dealership

 

On the dome light question, have a look in the "Tech Info" thread atop this forum, on where to spritz the door locks with the WD-40 that grandmas77f150 mentioned.

Lots of other good wrench turning info there too.

Maybe a salvage yard would be another source for the tailgate handle.

I too have never had to replaced an emergency brake cable, so I don't have much input to offer there.

If you don't want to invest in a repair CD, or printed manual, maybe drop by your local library & see what they have to check out, or maybe view other repair publications offerings there, to see which ones format & detail best meets your likes & needs, before you purchase one.

On the cat question, the factory has the 4 bangers intake & exhaust tuning/back pressure/exhaust velocity/scavenging fairly well tuned.
So messing with it by changing pipe diameter, back pessure, exhaust velocity, ect, should be done by someone that understands engine tuning & how it's going to affect the engines HP & torque curve, ect, so driveability & towing aren't adversely affected.

If you have safety & emissions inspections in your state, you'll likely need to have the cat converter, down stream O2 sensor & emergency brake cable attended to, in order to pass emissions & safety inspection.

More thoughts for consideration, let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks for the help fellas!

Got a estimate on putting a cat on the truck today. Going to cost me $160, so since the noise kinda annoys me i'm just gunna get it replaced and hopefully it will help the truck.

Going to douse the doors tomorrow with wd-40 in hopes the light goes off. Btw do you just spray it where the door connects to the cab or where?

Figure ill check out the parts stores tomorrow and see if i can get a handle and cable ordered. Maybe find me a manual too wouldn't hurt.

Lastly, i forgot to mention prob the most annoying thing wrong with the truck. The ignition isnt working properly. I can stick the key in but when i try to turn it it wont move. It has the push button behind it for when i have to take the key out but not matter what i do i have a hell of a time trying to get it to turn. Now if i leave a key in it after i shut down the truck it doesnt have any problem. Therefore i've just been locking my truck with the windows up and the key in ignition, an carring my spare key to unlock it. Btw, when i try to turn it and it wont work it wont let me turn it backwards either.

Thanks again yall!

 

Spray the key with WD-40 & insert it a number of times to lube the switch innards & see what happens.

Spray into the latch area on the doors, as thats where the light switch is, that you want to do a lube job on.

 

Okay that ignition is becoming a huge problem. The last hour i was trying to get it to turn over but its just stuck in the off position. No matter what i do. I tried turning it so much i had to tape my fingers so they didnt hurt as bad.

How do i replace the ignition where the key goes into it? Theres not a special key for these trucks is there? I just have a spare key for it.

Thanks!!!!!

 

Make sure the steering wheel isn't locked in a bind, as that will make it all but impossible to turn the ignition switch on!!!!

So while trying to turn the ignition switch on, lightly wiggle the steering wheel to unload it & find the sweet spot that doesn't bind up the switch.

 

Yeah i know how steering wheels do that. But this has been doing it since i got the truck and no matter what i did it wouldnt work.

In the middle of getting pissed of trying to fix it such i ended up rippin out the old ignition cylinder and replacing it with a new one. Seventy bucks i wish i could have spent another way, but atleast the truck starts perfect now.

Thanks alot for the help though man its really appreciated. Now if only i can get that daggum door ajar light off!!! I sprayed down the drivers side, do i need to do the passangers side also??? Could anyone possible show me an exact picture of where i need to spray? Thanks alot.

 

Yup, spray the passenger side too.

What your trying to do is lube the light switch plunger, thats attached inside to & operated by the door latch mechanicals.

It's a common problem on Fords & most times WD-40 will work for a while & you'll need to spray again.

Beats having to take the door panel off & trying to fish/change the switch out.