Dean
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A while back I hit a post and cracked my driver's side tail lens. Unfortunately it also cracked the cross traffic/blind spot radar module.
Don't ask me how it happened..
Used lens with the radar module are not cheap (I paid $600 off of ebay) . But they are less than what the dealer wants (~$1200 + more to install?)
Can anyone chime in as to what they paid to have this done?
However as others here in the forum have indicated, after you swap a "different" spare into the truck it won't work. The modules are keyed via software to the vehicle. You will still be left with the "Cross Traffic/Blind spot" system errors and the system will be disabled. Presumably you have to take it to the dealer to get it programmed. I wonder how much they will charge for that? I did not want to find out. $600 was already enough in the hole for me.
Let me just say now before I continue - This is risky business I am about to show you. Proceed at your own risk and pearl. It is not easy and I am not certain if my fix is 100%. But I can say my error message is gone and I did not have to take the vehicle to the dealer.
I had my old broken radar module so I thought "Nothing to loose, let's open it and have a look.."
I'm not going through how to remove the lens and the module. If you can get that far on your own then maybe your capable to the rest.
To open the radar module itself will require a torx security bit. Alternatively you can grab the screw on it's edges with a set of decent pliers and remove them that way. As you can see this is already a sign that we are venturing where we should not go.
You will then have to pry the aluminum cover off to get to the electronics. The cover is pressed into a silicone sealing gasket, but it will pry off.
Now the first problem is removing what I will call "the main board". It is secured to the rest of the module by the 8 pins that route to the external connector. These are "press fit" into the main circuit board through vias (plated holes in the PCB). They are not soldered. This is the scary part. You use a small thin screw driver to pry the main board up and off of the pins at the two notched areas at the top of the board as shown in the first photo. You have to do this a little pry at a time and try not to damage the circuit board. This is not easy and you will cringe.
Hopefully you will get the main board off. Hopefully your main board will be intact as mine was. This main board is what is programmed to match your vehicle.
Under the main board is what I will call the "antenna board". As you can see in the photos my antenna board was cracked. There is no need to play with the antenna board.
So the plan should now become clear. Let's take apart the good (but unmatched) radar module in my replacement lens and swap the main boards between the two units. My Ranger will now have it's old friendly board and then be happy.
I figured that if this plan failed, I could re-assemble my good module and swap the main boards back, then take it to the dealer to get it programmed.
Well, the swap worked. I don't have any error message anymore. In addition, I tested cross traffic detection as I waited for a neighbor to drive down my road while I attempted to back out of the driveway. It correctly detected cross traffic as expected.
Now, what are the risks? Well the most risk is you might damage something during the disassembly and swap. But another potential risk is that there may be some sort of calibration information that is shared between the main and antenna boards. Another issue is that there may be board revisions and the two board could be incompatible as production changes occur. So try to get a used unit that is close to your Ranger's year of manufacture.
Finally, I was somewhat lucky in my case. Only my outward antenna board was damaged. That may not be the case for everybody, but it is likely, as there is a metal shield separating the two boards.
However, my detection test worked well enough that I'm satisfied.
Right to repair. baby, right to repair... We whooped them again, Josey.
Don't ask me how it happened..
Used lens with the radar module are not cheap (I paid $600 off of ebay) . But they are less than what the dealer wants (~$1200 + more to install?)
Can anyone chime in as to what they paid to have this done?
However as others here in the forum have indicated, after you swap a "different" spare into the truck it won't work. The modules are keyed via software to the vehicle. You will still be left with the "Cross Traffic/Blind spot" system errors and the system will be disabled. Presumably you have to take it to the dealer to get it programmed. I wonder how much they will charge for that? I did not want to find out. $600 was already enough in the hole for me.
Let me just say now before I continue - This is risky business I am about to show you. Proceed at your own risk and pearl. It is not easy and I am not certain if my fix is 100%. But I can say my error message is gone and I did not have to take the vehicle to the dealer.
I had my old broken radar module so I thought "Nothing to loose, let's open it and have a look.."
I'm not going through how to remove the lens and the module. If you can get that far on your own then maybe your capable to the rest.
To open the radar module itself will require a torx security bit. Alternatively you can grab the screw on it's edges with a set of decent pliers and remove them that way. As you can see this is already a sign that we are venturing where we should not go.
You will then have to pry the aluminum cover off to get to the electronics. The cover is pressed into a silicone sealing gasket, but it will pry off.
Now the first problem is removing what I will call "the main board". It is secured to the rest of the module by the 8 pins that route to the external connector. These are "press fit" into the main circuit board through vias (plated holes in the PCB). They are not soldered. This is the scary part. You use a small thin screw driver to pry the main board up and off of the pins at the two notched areas at the top of the board as shown in the first photo. You have to do this a little pry at a time and try not to damage the circuit board. This is not easy and you will cringe.
Hopefully you will get the main board off. Hopefully your main board will be intact as mine was. This main board is what is programmed to match your vehicle.
Under the main board is what I will call the "antenna board". As you can see in the photos my antenna board was cracked. There is no need to play with the antenna board.
So the plan should now become clear. Let's take apart the good (but unmatched) radar module in my replacement lens and swap the main boards between the two units. My Ranger will now have it's old friendly board and then be happy.
I figured that if this plan failed, I could re-assemble my good module and swap the main boards back, then take it to the dealer to get it programmed.
Well, the swap worked. I don't have any error message anymore. In addition, I tested cross traffic detection as I waited for a neighbor to drive down my road while I attempted to back out of the driveway. It correctly detected cross traffic as expected.
Now, what are the risks? Well the most risk is you might damage something during the disassembly and swap. But another potential risk is that there may be some sort of calibration information that is shared between the main and antenna boards. Another issue is that there may be board revisions and the two board could be incompatible as production changes occur. So try to get a used unit that is close to your Ranger's year of manufacture.
Finally, I was somewhat lucky in my case. Only my outward antenna board was damaged. That may not be the case for everybody, but it is likely, as there is a metal shield separating the two boards.
However, my detection test worked well enough that I'm satisfied.
Right to repair. baby, right to repair... We whooped them again, Josey.
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, they don't look bad. And I am very picky about after market lights!!
