IllustrationCHASSIS FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. ALL ENAMEL PAINT IS GONE AND CHUNKS OF RUSTED METAL IS FLAKING OFF
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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
20 reports1995 FORD RANGER. CONSUMER STATES LOST OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO A FIRE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A LOSS, HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE BETWEEN THE BED AND THE CAB. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ONLY THE FRAME, MOTOR, AND TRANSMISSION REMAINED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE BETWEEN THE BED AND THE CAB. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ONLY THE FRAME, MOTOR, AND TRANSMISSION REMAINED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT BELIEVES IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL. SHE CONSULTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY FIRE-RELATED RECALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 145,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR F…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT TO THE SERVICE CONTROL UNIT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V388000, REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKED. *NM
I WAS DRIVING MY 1995 FORD RANGER IN A PARKING LOT WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. IT PROCEEDED TO JUMP A CURB AND HIT A TREE AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *JB
CONSUMER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE & SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP VEHICLE. BRAKES WERE PRESSED COMPLETELY TO THE FOORBOARD. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED BY A 2,000 CONCRETE BARRIER. INSURANCE COMPANY WAS TAKING OVER. CONSUMER HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *AK
VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE RPM'S STARTED REVVING HIGH & THEN IT SUDDENLY TOOK OFF. WAS PRESSING BRAKES HARD, BUT FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. VEHICLE EVENTUALLY FLIPPED OVER. *AK
FUEL INJECTION THROTTLE VALVE STICKS, CAUSING DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING VEHICLE.
DOME LIGHT/DOOR BUZZER FAILED/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKSINTERMITTENTLY/ CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN COLLISION.
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