IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHERS WILLSTART UP AT ANY TIME. AT ONE POINT I ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT. *AK
1997 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
60–25K
525–50K
2250–75K
2075–100K
36100–150K
21150K+
110 reports with mileage · 301 unknown
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.
- Tires. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
40 crash reports8 fire reports30 injury reports
Visibility complaints
36 reportsMY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN-ON ON THEIR OWN AND OPERATE AT VARIED SPEEDS REGARDLESS OF MY CONTROL. I CANNOT SHUT THEM OFF AND SOMETIMES CANNOT TURN THEM ON. I'VE HAD THE GEM MODULE REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE YET THE SITUATIONS CONTINUES. ALSO MY INTERIOR LIGHT WILL TURN-ON ON ITS OWN AND I TOO CANNOT GET IT TO SHUT OFF AT TIMES…
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MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN-ON ON THEIR OWN AND OPERATE AT VARIED SPEEDS REGARDLESS OF MY CONTROL. I CANNOT SHUT THEM OFF AND SOMETIMES CANNOT TURN THEM ON. I'VE HAD THE GEM MODULE REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE YET THE SITUATIONS CONTINUES. ALSO MY INTERIOR LIGHT WILL TURN-ON ON ITS OWN AND I TOO CANNOT GET IT TO SHUT OFF AT TIMES*AK.
DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTED AND DOOR CLOSED AND DOES NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM SEEING AT NIGHT... NO WAY TO TURN OFF WITHOUT REMOVING THE BULBS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT START WHEN TURNED ON THE DO NOT GO OFF WHEN SWITCHED OFF. HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ON THEN OFF AGAIN. SHIFT KNOB COMES OFF WHEN PULLING SHIFT LEVER FROM 1ST …
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DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTED AND DOOR CLOSED AND DOES NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM SEEING AT NIGHT... NO WAY TO TURN OFF WITHOUT REMOVING THE BULBS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT START WHEN TURNED ON THE DO NOT GO OFF WHEN SWITCHED OFF. HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ON THEN OFF AGAIN. SHIFT KNOB COMES OFF WHEN PULLING SHIFT LEVER FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 3RD TO 4TH. MAKES SHIFTING DIFFICULT WHILE STARTING UP A HILL AND MERGING ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE THE KNOB SLIPS OFF COMPLETELY AND THE SHIFTER ENDS UP IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AND FLUID TURNS ON BY ITSELF. DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANYTHING, JUST COMES ON FREQUENTLY.*AK
THE BLEND AIR DOOR INSIDE OF THE HEATER/DEF PLENUM BROKE - CASUING EXTREME HEAT IN CAB. DOOR IS NOT SERVICEABLE - REQUIRES TOTAL HEATER REPLACEMENT. SEE FORD TSB 99-8-8. 7-10 HOURS LABOR TO FIX A 2.00 PART. FORD REPLACED THIS ABS PLACTIC BLEND AIR DOOR WITH STONGER NYLON - PLENUM #F87Z-18471-DA. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT YET N…
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THE BLEND AIR DOOR INSIDE OF THE HEATER/DEF PLENUM BROKE - CASUING EXTREME HEAT IN CAB. DOOR IS NOT SERVICEABLE - REQUIRES TOTAL HEATER REPLACEMENT. SEE FORD TSB 99-8-8. 7-10 HOURS LABOR TO FIX A 2.00 PART. FORD REPLACED THIS ABS PLACTIC BLEND AIR DOOR WITH STONGER NYLON - PLENUM #F87Z-18471-DA. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT YET NO ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE TO OWNERS. THIS COULD COST ME UP TO $1000.00 OR MORE TO FIX ON A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. ALSO THIS INHIBITS THE AC SYSTEM TO WORK.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF AS THEY PLEASE. THERE HAVE BEEN 13 PRIOR REPORTS TO YOUR WEBSITE ON THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED YOUR OFFICE AND GOT SOMEONE WHO HAD A "TOUGH LUCK" ATTITUDE. WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO GET WITH FORD AND GET THIS SAFETY PROBLEM RESOLVED?*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION, AND WINDSHEILD WIPER FLUID RELEASED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK DOOR AJAR LIGHT / DOME LIGHT REMAINED ON. *YH
WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT OPERATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH, WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF WITH THE SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *ML
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THE DOME LIGHT ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THEY BOTH COME ON AND GO OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. *AK
DOOR SWITCHES AND WINDSHIELDWIPER SWITCH REPEATEDLY FAILED. SAME IN FATHER'S 1997 F150. *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
2DP00005 · Front Seat Belt
Opened Oct 2, 2000 · Closed May 15, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE99045 · Steering Knuckle Separations
Opened Jul 6, 1999 · Closed Oct 29, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available