IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. *AK SUDDENLY THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED AND WAS BANGING AGAINST THE BODY AND FRAME. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE , THE ACCIDENT CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE. *CB *JB
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 reportsI OWN A 1995 FORD RANGER. I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WHEN I SAT DOWN IN THE DRIVERS SEAT ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. WHEN I SAT DOWN AND LEANED BACK, THE SEAT WOULD FALL BACKWARDS. I FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC THAT A BOLT HAD BROKEN IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SEAT. HE SHOWED THE BROKEN BOLT TO ME WHICH I STILL HAVE. I HAVE SINCE BRACED T…
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I OWN A 1995 FORD RANGER. I STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WHEN I SAT DOWN IN THE DRIVERS SEAT ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. WHEN I SAT DOWN AND LEANED BACK, THE SEAT WOULD FALL BACKWARDS. I FOUND OUT FROM A MECHANIC THAT A BOLT HAD BROKEN IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SEAT. HE SHOWED THE BROKEN BOLT TO ME WHICH I STILL HAVE. I HAVE SINCE BRACED THE SEAT UP WITH A 2"X10" SO I CAN DRIVE THE VEHICLE.*AK
SOMETIMES THEY WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL, OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD COME ON BY THEM SELVES, NOW THEY DON'T WORK AT ALL. ON THE NUMBER OF FAILURES I LOST COUNT.
I AM AN OWNER OF TWO FORD RANGER PICK UPS AND HAD OWNED ANOTHER RANGER IN THE PAST. ALL T HERE VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DOOR CHIMES DINGING NON STOP, DOME LIGHT FAILURE, RADIO POWER FAILURE AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNING ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. I MADE SEVERAL COMPLA…
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I AM AN OWNER OF TWO FORD RANGER PICK UPS AND HAD OWNED ANOTHER RANGER IN THE PAST. ALL T HERE VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DOOR CHIMES DINGING NON STOP, DOME LIGHT FAILURE, RADIO POWER FAILURE AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNING ON AND OFF ALL BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION. I MADE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS TO FORD AND WAS TOLD TO STOP HARASSING THEM. MY DEALERSHIP SAID AND I QUOTE "YOU'RE JUST BEING A WOMAN." WELL THIS AFTER NOON THE PROBLEM TOOK A VERY SERIOUS TURN. RETURNING HOME FROM A VACATION MY 1995 FORD RANGER EX CAB XLT 2.3 LITER ENGINE. BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. IT STARTED WITH POWER LOSE TO THE RADIO THEN A POWER SURGE TO THE WIPERS, AND THROUGHOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THOSE AREAS OF PERSISTENT CONCERNS. THEN THEY ALL STOPPED. I NOW HAVE A COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHTS, SPEED CONTROL, ODOMETER (LET'S TRUST THAT READ OUT),INTERIOR LIGHTS, RADIO AND SEVERAL OTHER SYSTEMS. I ATTEMPTED TO FIND A FUSE OR RELAY TO REPAIRS THEM BUT ALL OF THOSE WERE INTACT AND REPLACEMENT MADE NO CHANGE. ESTIMATED DAMAGER AND REPAIR COST IS WELL ABOVE A GRAND. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE 1996 AND HAVE BEEN IGNORED BY FORD. *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOWOUT. IT DAMAGED THE RIGHT FENDER. FIRESTONE, SIZE# P225/R15, DOT#W2001PO. *AK
POOR TRACTION ON SNOW COVERED ROADS CAUSED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *PH *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVERS SEAT BELT WONT UNLATCH. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
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
I OWN A 1995 FORD RANGER. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS COMING ON WITH OUT BEING TURNED ON. THE RESTRAINTS DON'T RETURN WHICH CAUSES THEM TO GET CAUGHT IN DOOR. THE TEMPERTURE GAUGE WENT OUT AND I HAD TO REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER GAUGE THAT YOU MOUNT UNDER THE DASH. THE LATCH ON THE TAILGATE WENT OUT. THE IGNITION H…
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I OWN A 1995 FORD RANGER. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS COMING ON WITH OUT BEING TURNED ON. THE RESTRAINTS DON'T RETURN WHICH CAUSES THEM TO GET CAUGHT IN DOOR. THE TEMPERTURE GAUGE WENT OUT AND I HAD TO REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER GAUGE THAT YOU MOUNT UNDER THE DASH. THE LATCH ON THE TAILGATE WENT OUT. THE IGNITION HAS WENT OUT AND IS GOING OUT AGAIN. I HAVE READ ALOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WHO OWN THE SAME VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. IT'S TIME THAT FORD OWNED UP TO THESE PROBLEMS AND FIX THESE TRUCKS.I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE THERMASTAT TWICE. THERE IS DIFINATELY ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
THE CONSUMER DID DOME RESEARCH ON RECALLS REGARDING HIS FORD RANGER AND CAME ACROSS A RECALL REGARDING THE SEAT BELTS BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THE DESCRIPTION MATCHED THE PROBLEM HE WAS HAVING. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE NHTSA WEBSIE DID NOT HIS MODEL VEHICLE LISTED. *JB
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