IllustrationDT: 1996 FORD RANGER. THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKED. CONSUMER SAW HYDRAULIC FLUID UNDER THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JULY 25, 2005. IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. CONSUMER PURCHASED THE SWITCH AND REPLACED IT HIMSELF. *AK *NM
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
What owners actually said
413 reportsDT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BRAKES BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE. THIS OCCURRED ON MAY 24, 2005. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAW THE BRAKE PEDAL HANGING DOWN. UPON INSPECTION, THEY NOTICED T…
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DT: THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO BRAKES BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE. THIS OCCURRED ON MAY 24, 2005. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE POLICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THEY SAW THE BRAKE PEDAL HANGING DOWN. UPON INSPECTION, THEY NOTICED THAT THE MOUNTING BRACKET BROKE WHEN BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT. THE MOUNTING THIS WAS MADE OF POT METAL, AND IT HELD THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TOGETHER. THE WHOLE THING BROKE. THE ESTIMATED SPEED WAS ABOUT 30-35 MPH.*AK
DT: ON 7/8/05 AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES , VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN OWNER NOTICED THE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, AND A BOOM WAS HEARD. THE OWNER RAN OUTSIDE AND VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES WERE NOTICED UNDER HOOD OF TRUCK. THE FLAMES WENT INTO CAB. THE FIRE LASTED ABOUT 30 OR 35 MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS PUT OUT. T…
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DT: ON 7/8/05 AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES , VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN OWNER NOTICED THE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, AND A BOOM WAS HEARD. THE OWNER RAN OUTSIDE AND VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES WERE NOTICED UNDER HOOD OF TRUCK. THE FLAMES WENT INTO CAB. THE FIRE LASTED ABOUT 30 OR 35 MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS PUT OUT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEVER GAVE INDICATION OF WHAT CAUSED FIRE. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. NO INDICATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THERE IS A RECALL ON 1996 EXTENDED CAB RANGER REGARDING THE PRESSURE BREAK SWITCH. BUT OWNER DOESN'T HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER. WORK TOOLS WERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BURNED. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR WARNINGS OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY. *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.
1. NO EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE. 2. WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO VEHICLE OR PROPERTY. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FAILED. IT WAS WORN THRU DO TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE. 3. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CABLE WAS REPLACED WITH FORD F57Z7E39…
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1. NO EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE. 2. WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO VEHICLE OR PROPERTY. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FAILED. IT WAS WORN THRU DO TO CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE. 3. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CABLE WAS REPLACED WITH FORD F57Z7E395A. THE BROKEN CABLE IS AVAILABLE.
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.
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 1 HOURR A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION. AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT INSTALLED AT 144,109, TIRE SIZE P225/70R14, DOT # PJFCDXKR4102. THE TIRE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK THE DEALER OFFERED A 15 DOLLAR CREDIT TO A NEW TIRE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE FEELS THE REMAINING THREE TIRES ARE UNSAFE. *TC
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO (I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE) I HAD TAKEN MY 1996 FORD RANGER XLT INTO NORTH GATE FORD (PORT HURON/FT. GRATIOT, MI) FOR A TRACE ON ELECTRONICS?'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER THEY HAD PLACED MY TRUCK ON THEIR COMPUTER THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TO 'DOWNLOAD UPDATES' TO MY TRUCK, WHICH WOULD TAKE SOME TIME (…
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ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO (I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE) I HAD TAKEN MY 1996 FORD RANGER XLT INTO NORTH GATE FORD (PORT HURON/FT. GRATIOT, MI) FOR A TRACE ON ELECTRONICS?'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER THEY HAD PLACED MY TRUCK ON THEIR COMPUTER THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TO 'DOWNLOAD UPDATES' TO MY TRUCK, WHICH WOULD TAKE SOME TIME (3 BILLED HOURS!). EVER SINCE THEN MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD 'ACT UP'. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED ABOVE THE SET SPEED BY 5-7 MPH, OCCASIONALLY UP TO 12 MPH, AND THEN THE THROTTLE WOULD RELEASE WITH A THUNK SOUND. USING THE BRAKE PEDAL, OR THE 'OFF' BUTTON WOULD WORK AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES HOWEVER. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE?WOULD NOT TURN ON OR SET. I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD DEALER UNKNOWINGLY, OR MAYBE EVEN WILLINGLY, INSERTED A COMPUTER VIRUS OR CORRUPTED CODE INTO MY TRUCK'S ECM MODULE. I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO BE CHECKED, BUT IT WOULD HAVE COST ME MORE THAN I COULD AFFORD TO PUT IT BACK ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. I'M AFRAID THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT?I HAVE MS AND RELY ON THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY. *JB
VBEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED, THEN IT ACCELCERATED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. *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.