IllustrationON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BRAKE ROTORS HAVE PREMATURELY CRACKED. *AK *TT
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 reportsAIR BAG THAT IS PRESENT NOW HAS NOT ON/OFF SWITCH. REQUESTING A PASSENGER AIRBAG CHANGE.
REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT ON FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS AT TIRES, SIZE 265/75R15 WITH FOURTYTHOUSAND MILES ON THEM TREAD SEPARATED. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK CONSUMER STATED ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED.*SLC
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT THE SWITCH BEING ACTIVATED.SOMETIMES THE WASHER FLUID WILL SPRAY WHEN THEY COME ON - - THIS IS SCARY WHEN PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE.I DID TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH SOMEWHERE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK
AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING BURNS AND RIPPING OF SKIN. AIR BAG HAS CERTAIN TOXIC MATERIAL THAT AFFECTED CONSUMER INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY.*AK
IF YOU WERE TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE REPORTS ALREADY FILED ABOUT THE BRAKES ON THESE VEHICLES YOU WOULD SEE A PATTERN OF NON-WORKING BRAKES AND MANY CRASHES I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO DISABLE MY ABS AND HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS. *AK
MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY L995 FORD RANGER DIES IN TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND OFTEN WILL NOT RESTART AT ONCE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (FEW MINUTES TO COUPLE OF DAYS) THE ENGINE WILL START. THIS FAILURE TO RESTART HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE. IF THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, BUT H…
Read full complaint
MY PROBLEM IS THAT MY L995 FORD RANGER DIES IN TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND OFTEN WILL NOT RESTART AT ONCE. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (FEW MINUTES TO COUPLE OF DAYS) THE ENGINE WILL START. THIS FAILURE TO RESTART HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE. IF THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER, BUT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WITH A WARM ENGINE, I.E., BUYING GAS CAN BE A LONG-TIME AFFAIR BECAUSE I HAVE TO WAIT UP TO AND HOUR OR MORE TO START AND MOVE MY VEHICLE. I DAILY HAVE TO MAKE A THREE MILE TRIP ACROSS A BRIDGE WITH HEAVY AND FAST TRAFFIC. STALLING OUT ON THE BRIDGE IS A GREAT FEAR OF MINE. MY RANGER IS CURRENTLY IN THE SERVICE SECTION OF WORLD FORD BECAUSE IT DIED FRIDAY MORNING, THREE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I HAD LEFT MY OFFICE. IT IS STILL IN GHE SERVICE SECTION BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAPPENED TO ONE OF THEIR WORKERS AS HE WAS TRYING TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE TO LUNCH. THEY SAY THAT FORD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THAT MY EXTENDED WARRENTY DOES NOT COVER MAKING A REPAIR UNTIL IT (THE TRUCK) IS TOTALLY UNABLE TO OPERATE. I AM AT A LOSS OF WHAT TO DO. I HATE TO TRADE OFF THE TRUCK KNOWING THAT SOMEONE ELSE WILL BE BUYING TROUBLE, BUT I CANNOT AFFORD THE LONG WAITS FOR THE VEHICLE TO START, AND I FEAR FOR MY LIFE SHOULD THE VEHICLE DIE IN HEAVY AND FAST TRAFFIC, AS THE THREE MILE BRIDGE.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE CONTACTED MULTIPLE FORD DEALERS TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT CORRECTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT SO FAR, THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM IS: THE ENGINE HAS DEVELOPED A SERIOUS "PING" WHICH CAN BE HEARD MOSTL…
Read full complaint
I HAVE CONTACTED MULTIPLE FORD DEALERS TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT CORRECTIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, BUT SO FAR, THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM IS: THE ENGINE HAS DEVELOPED A SERIOUS "PING" WHICH CAN BE HEARD MOSTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ON ANY SLIGHT INCLINE, OR SMALL LOAD ON THE ENGINE. THE "PING" IS VERY NOTICEABLE, AND LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, A BLOWN ENGINE ON A HIGHWAY SUCH AS THE PA TURNPIKE, OR I-95,COULD HAVE DEADLY RESULTS. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY, BUT I THOUGHT THAT YOU MAY WANT TO INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION, BECAUSE THIS LOOKS LIKE A BIG PROBLEM WITH NO CURE. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS. THANK YOU. *AK
NO SUMMARY FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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