IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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
What owners actually said
321 reportsTHE 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.
INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AND DOOR AJAR CHIME STAYS ON. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM (SEE POSTINGS AT WWW.FORDRANGER.COM). OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND A SAFETY HAZARD (TRY HEARING ANYTHING GOING ON WITH THE BONG, BONG, BONG GOING ON CONTINUOUSLY). *AK
DOME LIGHT AND DOOR CHIME STAY ON NEAR CONSTANTLY WITH DOOR CLOSED. CHIME DOES NOT ALWAYS HAVE SAME BEAT AS SONGS ON RADIO; DISTRACTING! *AK
WIPER/WASHER INTERMITTENTLY WORK/DO NOT WORK REGARDLESS OF SWITCH POSITION, (DEMONIC POSSESION?). *AK
FUEL FILL HOSE LEAKS FUEL WHEN TANK IS FULL AND WHEN BEING FILLED. HOSE FAILED PREMATURELY (CRACKED) WHERE HOSE CONNECTS TO TANK. *AK
THE STEERING WHEEL HAD A LOT OF PLAY IN IT CAUSING WHEEL TO DISCONNECT / FALL APART. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL BOX BROKE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BOLTS. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *YC
WINDSHIELD WASHERS COME ON WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. DANGER IS AT NIGHT WHEN WINDSHIELD WASHERS COME ON AND FLOOD WINDSHIELD, MAKING VISIBILITY IMPOSSIBLE. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, DOOR CHIME STAYS ON CONSTANTLY, LIGHT DOME STAYS ON EVEN AT NIGHT WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, HEATER DOESN'T WORK, AND MOST IMPORTANT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITIENTLY AND SPRAY FLUID DISTRACTING DRIVER. I'VE ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING RIGHT, SOMETIMES THE WIPERS DON…
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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, DOOR CHIME STAYS ON CONSTANTLY, LIGHT DOME STAYS ON EVEN AT NIGHT WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, HEATER DOESN'T WORK, AND MOST IMPORTANT WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITIENTLY AND SPRAY FLUID DISTRACTING DRIVER. I'VE ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING RIGHT, SOMETIMES THE WIPERS DON'T WORK AT ALL WHEN RAINING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. THANK-YOU, SHANNON CASE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE DOME LIGHT AND THE DOOR LIGHT TO STAY ON, AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR ON THE DOOR. PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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