IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPER SENSOR MLFUNCTIONED. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL JUST COME ON ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. ALSO, SOMETIMES IT MAKES THE DOOR CHIMES RING, AND REGULATES THE REAR INTERIOR LIGHT. DEALER WILL REPLACE PARTS FOR FREE, BUT CONSUMER HAS TO PAY TO HAVE THE RIGHT SIDE DONE FIRST.*AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ranger years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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
Visibility complaints
63 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS -- BEGINNING SUMMER 1998 I EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPER, DOME LIGHT, AND DOOR CHIME COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. IN DECEMBER 1998 THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING SO I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MAGUIRE FORD FOR REPAIR. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED (OBVIOUSLY THIS INTERMITTENT ON/OFF CYCLE BURNT IT OUT), AS…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS -- BEGINNING SUMMER 1998 I EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPER, DOME LIGHT, AND DOOR CHIME COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. IN DECEMBER 1998 THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING SO I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MAGUIRE FORD FOR REPAIR. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED (OBVIOUSLY THIS INTERMITTENT ON/OFF CYCLE BURNT IT OUT), AS WAS A SWITCH FOR THE DOOR. THE FEATURES WERE TROUBLE FREE (THOUGH THE DOME LIGHT STILL HAS PROBLEMS) UNTIL 5/10/2000. ON THAT DAY I STARTED THE VEHICLE DURING A RAIN STORM, AND THE WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO MAGUIRE FORD FOR REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED, BUT WHEN I STARTED IT THE WIPERS STILL WOULD NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE SHOP AND REQUIRES A PART (COSTING ~$150). THE MECHANICS AT FORD KEPT REFERRING TO "INTERMITTENT WIPER" PROBLEMS ON OTHER FORD'S, PROMPTING ME TO CHECK THE "CAR TALK" WEB SITE, WHICH HAD A LINK TO THE NHTSA SITE. ON THIS SITE I SAW THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN HAVING SIMILAR WIPER/DOOR CHIME/DOME LIGHT PROBLEMS. WHILE ON THIS SITE I NOTICED NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ABS SYSTEMS. ON 11/28/99 WHILE DRIVING ON I-81 JUST NORTH OF BINGHAMTON, NY I HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE WITH MY BRAKES. A CAR CUT CLOSELY IN FRONT OF ME, PROMPTING ME TO APPLY MY BRAKES WITH FORCE, IN ORDER TO PREVENT A COLLISION. THE BRAKE ON THE FRONT RIGHT-HAND SIDE LOCK, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO JERK TO THE RIGHT. I SURPRISINGLY WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, BUT AFTER ANOTHER 30 MILES OF DRIVING I BEGAN NOTICING A GRINDING SOUND IN THE AREA OF THE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MIDAS AND WAS TOLD THE THE CALIPER ON THE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE BROKE AND THAT SOMETHING (THE BRAKE?) HAD SEIZED. I PAID FOR REPAIRS AND DISMISSED THIS INCIDENT UNTIL READING ON THE "CAR TALK - NHTSA" LINK THAT MANY OTHER HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR EVENTS WITH THEIR BRAKES. THE PROBLEM, IT SEEMS, IS WORTHY OF A RECALL. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. *AK
DOOR CHIMES AND DOME LIGHTS STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IS TO PULL THE FUSE. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE FUSE IS PULLED, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NO WORK NOR DOES THE SPEEDOMETER. THIS IS THE 2ND OCCURRENCE. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM (AFTER 3 DAYS IN SHOP) IN 1997. ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WASHER & WIPERS…
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DOOR CHIMES AND DOME LIGHTS STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IS TO PULL THE FUSE. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE FUSE IS PULLED, WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NO WORK NOR DOES THE SPEEDOMETER. THIS IS THE 2ND OCCURRENCE. THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM (AFTER 3 DAYS IN SHOP) IN 1997. ALSO THE WINDSHIELD WASHER & WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CONTROLS. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS, WHEN TURNED ON, ARE ERRATIC. THEY DO NOT HOLD A STEADY CADENCE. ALSO, DOMELIGHT STAYS ON AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR. IT WILL STAY ON FOR UP TO 5 MINUTES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WASHERS AND WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, CONSUMER FEELS THAT THEY COULD LIMIT VISIBILITY AT CRITICAL TIMES. *AK *ML
MODULE CONTROLS DOOR CHIMES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERIOR LIGHTS... WIPERS TURN ON WITHOUT USER CONTROLS. WIPERS STOP WORKING WHEN THEY ARE BEING USED OR NEEDED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM, YET THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FROM FORD MOTOR CO. *AK
DOOR CHIME INTERMITTANTLY RINGS, CONTINUOUSLY CAUSING EXTREME IRRITATION. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES WORK WHEN TURNED ON, BUT WHEN TURNED OFF THEY COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE DOOR AJAR CHIME AND DASH LIGHT STAYS ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME(AS LONG AS 90 MINUTES) AND THE DOME LIGHT WILL ALSO STAY ON FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER THE DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH WILL COME ON FOR NO REASON AND THEN GO OUT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL GO FROM INTERMITTENT TO FULL OPERATION WHILE IN INTE…
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THE DOOR AJAR CHIME AND DASH LIGHT STAYS ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME(AS LONG AS 90 MINUTES) AND THE DOME LIGHT WILL ALSO STAY ON FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER THE DOORS ARE CLOSED. THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH WILL COME ON FOR NO REASON AND THEN GO OUT. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL GO FROM INTERMITTENT TO FULL OPERATION WHILE IN INTERMITTENT MODE.
WIPER/WASHER INTERMITTENTLY WORK/DO NOT WORK REGARDLESS OF SWITCH POSITION, (DEMONIC POSSESION?). *AK
Official recalls
109V399000 · 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
1EA02011 · 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