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1995 Ford Ranger

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Ranger years

Owner complaints for the 1995 Ford Ranger are substantially higher than the model-year median of 144.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 41 of 321 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Visibility. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

25 crash reports9 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

14 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY L995 FORD RANGER DIES IN TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND OFTEN WILL NOT RESTART AT ONCE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (FEW MINUTES TO COUPLE OF DAYS) THE ENGINE WILL START. THIS FAILURE TO RESTART HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE. IF THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, BUT H…

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MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY L995 FORD RANGER DIES IN TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND OFTEN WILL NOT RESTART AT ONCE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (FEW MINUTES TO COUPLE OF DAYS) THE ENGINE WILL START. THIS FAILURE TO RESTART HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE. IF THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, BUT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WITH A WARM ENGINE, I.E., BUYING GAS CAN BE A LONG-TIME AFFAIR BECAUSE I HAVE TO WAIT UP TO AND HOUR OR MORE TO START AND MOVE MY VEHICLE. I DAILY HAVE TO MAKE A THREE MILE TRIP ACROSS A BRIDGE WITH HEAVY AND FAST TRAFFIC. STALLING OUT ON THE BRIDGE IS A GREAT FEAR OF MINE. MY RANGER IS CURRENTLY IN THE SERVICE SECTION OF WORLD FORD BECAUSE IT DIED FRIDAY MORNING, THREE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I HAD LEFT MY OFFICE. IT IS STILL IN GHE SERVICE SECTION BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAPPENED TO ONE OF THEIR WORKERS AS HE WAS TRYING TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE TO LUNCH. THEY SAY THAT FORD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THAT MY EXTENDED WARRENTY DOES NOT COVER MAKING A REPAIR UNTIL IT (THE TRUCK) IS TOTALLY UNABLE TO OPERATE. I AM AT A LOSS OF WHAT TO DO. I HATE TO TRADE OFF THE TRUCK KNOWING THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL BE BUYING TROUBLE, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD THE LONG WAITS FOR THE VEHICLE TO START, AND I FEAR FOR MY LIFE SHOULD THE VEHICLE DIE IN HEAVY AND FAST TRAFFIC, AS THE THREE MILE BRIDGE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #751349

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

NO SUMMARY FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #748413

Mileage unknown · Nov 28, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WILL STALL INTERMITTENTLY. WILL START AGAIN AFTER 10 TO 15 MINUTES, MOST OF THE TIME. DEALER CANNOT PROVIDE SOLUTION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #875607

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

I FEEL FORD MOTOR NEEDS TO EXTEND THIS RECALL THEY CURRENTLY HAVE IN EFFECT 7 YEARS OR 100,OOO MILES MY CAR WAS OVER THE MILEAGE TO COMPLY WITH THEM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THEY KNOW THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, HEAD GASKETS JUST DON'T BLOW OUT FOR NO REASON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #722056

Mileage unknown · Apr 4, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainStructure

THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ODI #551563

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY CONSUMER

NHTSA ODI #701671

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE BLOCK HAS RUSTED, CAUSING RUST IN RADIATOR AND FAILURE OF ORIGINAL THERMOSTAT.

NHTSA ODI #526873

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE BLOCK HAS RUSTED CAUSING RUST IN THE RADIATOR, AND FAILURE IN THE ORIGINAL THERMOSTAT.

NHTSA ODI #526851

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed ControlCrash

DRIVING UP HILL 30 MPH, TOOK FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR WHICH STUCK, HIT ACCELERATOR TO UNSTICK, ENGINE REVVED, VEHICLE SLID SIDEWAYS & HIT SNOW BANK W/REAR FACING OTHER DIRECTION. VEHICLE STALLED OUT. HAD TO DIG OUT. TOOK TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #808071

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 1996
Engine And Engine Cooling

STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS--UNABLE TO STEER.

NHTSA ODI #508098

Official recalls

1

09V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Oct 13, 2009

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.

Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA02011 · Safety Belt Assembly Failure

Opened Jul 2, 2002 · Closed May 21, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

ODI RECEIVED 18 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND FORD IDENTIFIED ANOTHER FOUR REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS INDICATE INABILITY TO LATCH THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAUSED BY A BROKEN LATCH RELEASE SPRING.NONE OF THESE 22 REPORTS RESULTED IN ANY INJURIES OR CRASHES.NO COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS.FORD CONDUCTED LIFE-CYCLE TESTING ON 6 FIELD SAMPLE BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES.THE RESULTS OF THAT TESTING DEMONSTRATED THAT THE TESTED BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES COULD BE EXPECTED TO OPERATE PROPERLY BEYOND THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.BASED ON THE LIMITED NUMBER OF REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS RECEIVED, AND A DECLINING COMPLAINT TREND, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXIST DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION