IllustrationAFTER SMELLING FUMES COMING FROM THE TRUCK AND SEEING FUEL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, OWNER FOUND FUEL TO BE LEAKING FROM THE FUEL LINE THAT GOES INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUTH THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION. *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 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED ON TO INTERMITTENT SETTING STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND WILL NOT CONTINUE. THIS CAUSES A VISION PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING WHEN THE WIPER BLADE IS IN THE PATH OF THE DRIVERS VISION. MUST TURN WIPERS ON TO EITHER LOW OR HIGH SPEED (NON-INTERMITTENT SETTING) TO GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY. BRAKES:…
Read full complaint
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED ON TO INTERMITTENT SETTING STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND WILL NOT CONTINUE. THIS CAUSES A VISION PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING WHEN THE WIPER BLADE IS IN THE PATH OF THE DRIVERS VISION. MUST TURN WIPERS ON TO EITHER LOW OR HIGH SPEED (NON-INTERMITTENT SETTING) TO GET THEM OUT OF THE WAY. BRAKES: ROTORS CRACKED AND CAUSED HEAVY VIBRATION AND TROUBLE BRAKING. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AT RANDOM,STAY ON WHEN TURNED OFF, OPERATE AT DIFFERENT SPEED THAN WANTED, DOOR CHIME STAYS ON CONSTANTLY, INTERIOR LIGHT ON CEILING STAYS ON AT RANDOM; REGARDING BRAKES: DURING WET WEATHER THE FIRST 2 OR 3 TIMES BRAKE IS APPLIED SEVERE "GRABBING" OCCURS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN …
Read full complaint
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AT RANDOM,STAY ON WHEN TURNED OFF, OPERATE AT DIFFERENT SPEED THAN WANTED, DOOR CHIME STAYS ON CONSTANTLY, INTERIOR LIGHT ON CEILING STAYS ON AT RANDOM; REGARDING BRAKES: DURING WET WEATHER THE FIRST 2 OR 3 TIMES BRAKE IS APPLIED SEVERE "GRABBING" OCCURS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT;ON WHEN TURNED OFF. *AK
AT THIS HIGH RATE OF SPEED, DURING A RAIN STORM, THE WIPERS SHUTDOWN AND ABOUT CAUSED ME TO WRECK THE TRUCK.
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON WET CONDITIONS THEY GRAB AND BECOME HARD AND GRAB, AND OFTEN TIMES THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR , RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING, ONCE CAUSING A MINOR COLLISION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FRONT DISC PADS . MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN IT'S RAINING OUTSIDE OR IT'S FOGGY AND DAMP, REAR RIGHT BRAKES WILL LOCK UP WHEN APPLIED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER, AND CONSUMER HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I15 WHEN TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO STOP. I SLOWED MY RANGER TO LESS THEN 10 MPH WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO MOVE ON. A MAN DRIVING A IZUZU TROOPER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TRAFFIC STOPPAGE AND SLAMMED INTO THE REAR OF MY RANGER AT APPROX 40 MPH.THE IMPACT SENT ME BACKWARDS SLAMMING MY HEAD THROUGH THE BACK WINDO…
Read full complaint
WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON I15 WHEN TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO STOP. I SLOWED MY RANGER TO LESS THEN 10 MPH WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO MOVE ON. A MAN DRIVING A IZUZU TROOPER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TRAFFIC STOPPAGE AND SLAMMED INTO THE REAR OF MY RANGER AT APPROX 40 MPH.THE IMPACT SENT ME BACKWARDS SLAMMING MY HEAD THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW OF MY "SUPERCAB" TRUCK. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND HAD MY SEATBACK IN A NORMAL UPRIGHT POSITION. ONCE I GOT MY WITS ABOUT ME 5 MINUTES LATER I NOTICED THAT MY SEAT BACK WAS FULLY RECLINED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. MY BACK WINDOW BEHIND THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY MISSING AS A RESULT OF MY HEAD HITTING IT. I ONLY RECEIVED A MODERATE HEAD INJURY (3 STAPLES TO HOLD IT TOGETHER) BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. SHOULD MY SEAT BACK GIVE OUT LIKE THIS DURING A REAR IMPACT???? I FEEL I WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE IF THE SEAT HAD HELD. PLEASE SEND ME A REPLY WITH AN ENGINEERS ANALYSIS (OPINION). I CAN E-MAIL PICTURES OF THIS ACCIDENT IF IT HELPS. THANKS BRIAN LABREE. *AK
WHEN COLD OR WET, BRAKES LOCK UP AND FAIL TO "CATCH" PAVEMENT BRIEFLY BEFORE STOPPING. HAPPENS EVERY TIME IT IS RAINING OR VERY COLD OUTSIDE. NO ACCIDENTS YET, BECAUSE WE ARE AWARE IT MAY HAPPEN AND PREPARE FOR IT, BUT KNOW IT CAN INEVITABLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IN MORE ADVERSE CONDITIONS.
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER COMES ON UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *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