99 Ranger Problems

[bobjohnson76]

Hi Guys,
New to the forums here and wanted to run some stuff by other Ranger owners....

1. The front end of my Ranger squeaks like crazy. It squeaks when I hit turbulence in the road, it squeaks when I make a turn. I've never had anything like this. It also squeaks when I bounce up and down on the front bumper. Any idea what this could be?

2. My windshield wipers will turn themselves on automatically. Pretty annoying when it's not raining. I usually have to manually turn them on, then turn them off to get it to stop. Happens once a day, at least.

3. There seems to be some sort of leak in the roof when it rains. The fabric right behind the driver's side headrest gets soaked during a rain, and drips onto the seat. I've looked, but there's no apparent area on the roof/back window seal that looks weak. Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading....


Bob J

[zpn_by]

Hi Bob: I had a little experience with a 99 (fixing my dad's) so I'll try to help you out a little.

Squeaking: Could be worn shocks, but from what you describe I'd be checking the outer tie rod ends and especially the ball joints. You didn't say how many miles are on your truck, but that would be my first target.

Wipers: do you feel anything strange in the rotator switch on the turn signal stalk? I mean gritty or loose, maybe the clicks are more like a light drag instead of actual clicks... Also, check the connection into the wiper motor under the cowl. Clean the contacts with some scouring pads or sandpaper and some electrical contact cleaner. If the problem is in the switch on the turn signal, be careful working around the steering column and the airbag. Check with a local shop or take it in if you haven't worked around airbags before. If you have to open the steering column, make sure to disconnect the battery entirely (I take off both terminals) and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before you proceed. Check with a shop or have a friend with you if you need to.

As for the leak, it could be coming from the seam in the roof, which might not be totally sealed under the weatherstripping around the back window. I've seen people just gob the entire rubber seal on both sides with clear silicone weatherstripping, but it looks like garbage and is a real mess. if that's where the leak is, I'd try to remove the weatherstripping and run the caulking underneath it, then reinstall the rubber seal. If you're not up to this (b/c the rubber seal could rip or tear when you remove it and you might have to buy another) any auto glass shop could do this for you.

Hope these tips help. I don't know what your skill level is, so that's why I went on a little and made reference to shops a few times. good luck!

[bobjohnson76]

Thanks for the reply. I'll let you know how everything turns out once I start investigating a little more.

[nearchicoca]

I hope someone can tell what it is because its very imbarrasing lol.99 ranger