Replace A Ford Ranger Odometer Gear

WARNING: Always disconnect the negative battery cable, then the positive battery cable and wait two minutes before working in the vicinity of the airbag impact sensors, steering column or instrument panel to avoid the possibility of accidental deployment of the airbag, which could cause personal injury.

The odometer stopped working on my 1996 Ford Ranger like they do on so many of them over time. Fortunately it’s a pretty cheap fix that you can do yourself.

You need to remove the (4) 7mm screws that holds the dash cover under the steering wheel. There is a metal retaining pin holding it in to the top corners. Be careful pulling it loose that you don’t break it.

Then remove the (4) 8mm screws that hold the metal plate in place so you can access the (2) 7mm screws hidden behind it that holds the dash panel in place.

Remove the (2) 7mm screws above the AC / Heater control panel, and pull the panel away from the dash. You don’t have to remove it completely, just enough to get the dash panel out from behind it.

And then finally the (3) 7mm screws above the instrument cluster.

There are (2) 7mm screws on the left side….

and right side of the instrument cluster that holds it in place. Remove the (4) 7mm screws and pull the cluster out far enough to unplug the (3) harnesses from the back of it.

You’ll also need to disconnect the shift indicator. It snaps in to the bottom of the cluster.

With the instrument cluster out, you’ll have to remove the cluster on each side first since they overlap the speedometer cluster.

With the speedometer cluster out, you can see the odometer gear motor on the back.

The odometer twists and locks in place.

Here’s the motor ready to come out.

With the odometer motor out, you can see where the gear came apart, and part of it’s still in the housing. When I pulled the gear of, it crumbled between my fingers.