IllustrationSEAT BELT LATCH FAILURE. BUTTON SPRING BROKEN AND BELT TONGUE WILL NOT DISENGAGE LATCH. DT
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 reportsISSUED AS A ADVISORY WHY NEVER RECALLED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
DURING RAINY WEATHER, FRONT BRAKES GRAB ESPECIALLY WHEN FIRST APPLIED. DEALER REPLACED PADS AND TURNED ROTORS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE PURCHASE. *TT
FUEL FILLER TUBE, WHICH IS PART METAL AND RUBBER, IS ROTTING AND CRACKING. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL HAZARD. CONSUMER SMELLS GAS FUMES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE.*AK ALSO WHEN FILLING THE VEHICLE, GAS WOULD LEAK OUT. CONSUMER REPLACED TH FUEL FILLER TUBE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY BACK PRESSURE WHEN UNSCREWING THE F…
Read full complaint
FUEL FILLER TUBE, WHICH IS PART METAL AND RUBBER, IS ROTTING AND CRACKING. CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL HAZARD. CONSUMER SMELLS GAS FUMES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE.*AK ALSO WHEN FILLING THE VEHICLE, GAS WOULD LEAK OUT. CONSUMER REPLACED TH FUEL FILLER TUBE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY BACK PRESSURE WHEN UNSCREWING THE FUEL CAP. NOW THAT THE TUBE WAS REPLACED THERE IS PRESSURE. *JG
AIRBAG ON DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED INCORRECTLY. AIRBAG CAME OUT FLAT AND THEN IT INFLATED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS HIT IN FACE WITH COVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS BURNED OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*AK WHEN SWITCHING FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS THE LIGHTS WILL GO OUT. THE SWITCH MELTS AND TURNS DARK BROWN WITH USE. *JG
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED IN A PANIC STOP PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
IGNITION CHIMES WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AFTER VEHICLE WAS WARMED-UP AND DRIVING HOME AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES OF STOP AND GO DRIVING, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR INDICATION OF PROBLEM. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD ABSOLUTELY NO PLAY OR "BRAKE FEEL". IT WAS AS IF A "BRICK" HAD BEEN PLACED BEHIND THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE BRAKES WOULD ONLY "SLIGHTLY E…
Read full complaint
AFTER VEHICLE WAS WARMED-UP AND DRIVING HOME AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES OF STOP AND GO DRIVING, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR INDICATION OF PROBLEM. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD ABSOLUTELY NO PLAY OR "BRAKE FEEL". IT WAS AS IF A "BRICK" HAD BEEN PLACED BEHIND THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THE BRAKES WOULD ONLY "SLIGHTLY ENGAGE" (E.G. IT TOOK ABOUT 500 TO 600 FEET TO STOP FROM 15 MPH AFTER SEVERAL FRUITLESS ATTEMPTS TO "PUMP" THE BRAKES. ALMOST ALL FREE-PLAY WAS GONE FROM THE PEDALS, THE BRAKE "FEEL" WAS ALL GONE & I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES HAD WORKED FLAWLESSLY UP UNTIL THIS POINT. I CHECKED ALL WARNING LIGHTS, FLUID LEVELS AND HYDRAULIC LINES AND CONNECTIONS & UNDER THE DASH (NO OBSTRUCTIONS TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WERE FOUND). THE FLUID IN THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS CORRECT AND NO LEAKS WERE DETECTED. AS MY DEALER IS OUT OF TOWN & THE CAR MUST BE TOWED (BRAKES REMAIN NON-FUNCTIONING) - I AM HAVING A LOCAL REPAIR SERVICE - VISALIA EXPERT TIRE & WHEEL & BRAKE (FIRESTONE DEALER) CHECK THE BRAKES TOMORROW MORNING. FOR THEIR DETERMINATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT ME BY E-MAIL. THANKS!*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