IllustrationDRIVERS SEAT BELT WOULD LATCH AND LATER POP OUT OF BUCKLE. *TR
1996 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 80 of 413 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
41 crash reports18 fire reports30 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
26 reportsI HAVE A 96 FORD RANGER. SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY FASTENED, WILL COME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *JB
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASED WITHOUT WARNING, WOULD NOT RECONNECT. PURCHASED A NEW ONE AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. NOTIFIED FORD MOTOR CO., NO RESPONSE. *NM
WHEN I PUT MY DRIVERSIDE SEAT BELT INTO THE BUCKLE IT WILL NOT LATCH. I WENT TO CLASSIC FORD AT 7799 MENTOR AVE, MENTOR, OH AND THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRENTY AND FORD WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO REPLACE IT. APPROX. $100. I CURRENTLY USE THE FEMALE END OF THE MIDDLE PASSENGER SEAT BELT. *NM
ON MY 1996 FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCK THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS FAILED. THE SEAT BELT LATCH INSERTS INTO THE BUCKLE, BUT DOES NOT CATCH. I AM CURRENTLY USING THE CENTER SEAT BUCKLE FOR THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT UNTIL I GET IT REPAIRED.
I HAVE A 1996 FORD RANGER AND THE REASON I AM WRITING IS THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT STAY BUCKLE OR SECURE. I FASTEN THE SEAT BELT AND A MINUTE LATER IT COMES UNBUCKLE.
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING SEAT BELT PROBLEMS. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY WARRANTY, AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO, SEAT BELTS ON THE MIDDLE SEAT WOULD NOT NOT BUCKLE.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUCKLES WILL NOT LOCK PROPERLY CAUSING THE CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE A SEAT BELT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 60 MPH - ANOTHE VEHICLE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC LANE AND CAUSED A CRASH. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED OTHER VEHICLE PULLING INTO LANE. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO HOLD PASSENGER AND RELEASED DURING IMPACT. PASSENGER EXPERIENCED RIB INJURIES, AND MULTIPLE BRUISES ON BODY …
Read full complaint
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 TO 60 MPH - ANOTHE VEHICLE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC LANE AND CAUSED A CRASH. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED OTHER VEHICLE PULLING INTO LANE. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO HOLD PASSENGER AND RELEASED DURING IMPACT. PASSENGER EXPERIENCED RIB INJURIES, AND MULTIPLE BRUISES ON BODY AND FACE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BUCKLE WILL GO INSIDE OF RETRACTOR, BUT SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Official recalls
209V399000 · 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.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.