1994 Ford Ranger Electrical Problems

COMPLAINT: HIGH RISK OF ACCIDENT DUE TO ENGINE SHUT DOWN. SUBJECT: IGNITION MODULE SAFETY COMPLAINT. 6 OUT OF 7 BAD COMMENTS: PROBLEM: 1994 FORD RANGER PICKUP DIES FREQUENTLY AND SPORADICALLY AFTER IGNITION MODULE REPLACEMENT BY AUTO MECHANIC. FIRST 2 OEM MODULES FROM ADVANCE AUTO TEST BAD AT PARTS DEALER. THIRD MODULE IS FORD MOTOR CRAFT AND IS ASSUMED GOOD. SEVERAL NEW PARTS INSTALLED INCLUDING CRANK SENSOR, FUEL FILTER, FUEL RELAY, TIMING BELT, EEC (COMPUTER), WATER PUMP, EEC RELAY. SPORADIC DYING CONTINUES. FORD MODULE TESTED AT AUTO ZONE AND FAILS, BUT NEW AUTO ZONE DURALAST MODULE IS TESTED FOR COMPARISON AND PASSES. MECHANIC RETURNS MODULE AND ORDERS NEW ONE FROM ADVANCE AUTO. IT FAILS TEST IN STORE. MECHANIC ORDERS ANOTHER THAT PASSES AT ADVANCE BUT FAILS AT AUTO ZONE ON DURALAST TEST. I INSTALL MODULE AND IT FAILS A QUARTER MILE FROM HOUSE. MECHANIC GETS ANOTHER MOTOR CRAFT MODULE FROM FORD THAT PASSES AT ADVANCE AND FAILS AT AUTO ZONE. I DON'T INSTALL IT. THAT MAKES 4 OEM MODULES THAT FAILED AND 2 MOTOR CRAFT. FINALLY, I INSTALL AUTO ZONE MODULE THAT PASSED TEST AT AUTO ZONE. NO FAILURE FOR 4 DAYS AND COUNTING. LOCAL FORD DEALER TRIED TWICE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AFTER THE FIRST MOTOR CRAFT MODULE WAS INSTALLED AND DID NOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE AN OUT OF VEHICLE ANALYZER. MY CONCLUSION: THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT OTHER PEOPLE WILL ENCOUNTER THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE DIED ON THE ORDER OF SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD (ALMOST DAILY). LUCKILY I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND AM QUICK AT HITTING THE EMERGENCY BLINKER. AFTER AWHILE,I BOUGHT A USED CAR AND ONLY DROVE THE TRUCK TO TEST IT. SAFETY HAZARD: UNEXPECTED DYING ON BUSY HIGHWAY OR AT INTERSECTION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT YOUR DOING SOMETHING. FORD WON'T. *TR

NHTSA ID

10461993

Incident

Jan 11, 2012

Mileage

154,000 mi

OUR 1994 FORD RANGER STARTED ON FIRE WHILE SITTING IN ARE DRIVEWAY, FOR AND HOUR. IT BURNT ALL ELECTRICAL HARNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10395726

Incident

Apr 12, 2011

Mileage

94,000 mi

1994 FORD RANGER STARTED UP ON IT'S OWN WHEN GETTING A JUMP. CLUTCH SHIFT OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE WENT ACROSS THE STREET HIT A FENCE POST, SCRAPED CAR BUMPERS AND A TELEPHONE POLE**SB THE CONSUMER STATED HE TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THOUGHT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, HOOKED THE JUMPER CABLES TO THE VEHICLE WENT INSIDE AND CAME BACK OUT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS, OFF IT STARTED AND JUMPED INTO GEAR STRUCK NEIGHBOR'S VEHICLE AND THEN THE TELEPHONE POLE. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED ILLINOIS MOTORIST REPORT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10196914

Incident

Feb 23, 2007

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE STALLED AND FORCED THE DRIVER TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE OTHER OCCUPANT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. ONCE THE DRIVER OPENED THE HOOD FLAMES SHOT OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED FROM BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117558

Incident

Apr 5, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE CONSUMERS SON TURNED ON THE DEFROSTER AND SMOKE FILLED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *TC

NHTSA ID

10109645

Incident

Oct 7, 2004

Mileage

110,000 mi

I HAVE A 1994 FORD RANGER. THE TRUCK AFTER BEING PARKED FOR LONG AND OR SHORT PERIODS WILL NOT START, ONLY CRANK. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL RELAY, FUEL PUMP, CRANK SENSOR. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS BEEN CHECKED BY THREE DIFFERENT TECHS AND COULD NOT FIND ANY CODES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEIR OPINION WAS EITHER THE IGNITION MODULE OR COMPUTER. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023931

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

2 YRS AGO TRUCK BEGAN NOT RE-STARTING AFTER ENGINE TURNED OFF FOR APPROX. 20 MINUTES. WOULD EVENTUALLY RE-START, 30 MINUTES TO 1 HR LATER. IN APRIL 2002 TRUCK STARTED DYING ON THE FREEWAY AND IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC 10-60 MPH. NOW IT DIES WHETHER HOT OR COLD, MOVING OR AT STOPLIGHT. ON FREEWAY THIS PROBLEM IS VERY SERIOUS AS ONE MUST TRY AND MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE VEHICLE QUITS ROLLING. OTHER CARS SWERVE AND BLARE HORNS. RESTARTS IN VARIOUS INTERVALS 20 MINUTES TO 2 HRS. HAMMOND FORD FOUND NO PROBLEM (AT $100 AN HOUR) SWANSON FORD, LOS GATOS, CA FOUND NO PROBLEM AND SAID THERE WERE NO SERVICE OR RECALL NOTES FOR THIS PROBLEM. (ALSO $100 AN HOUR) HAVE REPLACED IGNITION MODULE AND FUEL PUMP RELAY. PROBLEM CONTINUES. SOMETHING WHICH HELPS RESTART SOONER PULL OUT AND COOL DOWN THE FUEL PUMP RELAY, THEN PLUG BACK IN. NOW EVEN THIS ACTION DOES NOT WORK 100% OF THE TIME. THIS VEHICLE IS NOW PARKED BECAUSE I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. DT

NHTSA ID

768941

Incident

Aug 28, 2002

THE TRUCK WOULD STALL UNEXPECTEDLY DURING COLD WEATHER RUNNING. THE PROBLEM BEGAN APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AFTER MY PURCHASE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN IGNITION MODULE WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT I WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT WAS THE ENTIRE PROBLEM. THREE MONTHS LATER IT OCCURRED AGIN ON A ROAD TRIP. PRIOR TO THE TRIP FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO CANADA, I WROTE A LETTER TO THE V.P OF CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS AND SATISFACTION EXPLAINING THE DANGER OF THE SAME COMPONENT FAILURE IF ONE WERE TRAVELING ON A REMOTE HIGHWAY IN A COLD ENVIRONMENT. I EXPLAINED THAT ONE COULD DIE OF HYPOTHERMIA AND SUGGESTED THEY FIND THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSED. MY FORESIGHT WAS EXACTLY CORRECT. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZZARD IN MONTANA AND IF I AND MY TRAVELING COMPANION WERE NOT IN GOOD PHYSICAL SHAPE WE BOTH WOULD HAVE DIED. AFTER WAITING IN THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, WITH NOT A SINGLE VEHICLE PASSING US, THE TEMPERATURE IN THE CAB DROPPED TO ABOUT 15 DEGREES. IT WAS NEAR 0 DEGREES OUTSIDE. SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE. I RAN FOR TWO MILES ACROSS A FIELD UNTIL I LUCKILY REACHED A HOUSE WHERE THEY CALLED A TOW TRUCK. WE WERE ALSO LUCKY WE WERE GOING ON A SKI TRIP, SO WE HAD PLENTY OF WARM GEAR, BUT WE WERE STILL NEARLY FROSTBITTEN BY THE TIME THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. I AM SURE AN ELDERLY PERSON WOULD HAVE PERISHED IN THE COLD. ANOTHER IGNITION MODULE WAS INSTALLED IN MONTANA. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN IN JULY OF 1998. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND THEY COULDN'T TRACE THE PROBLEM. SO THEY MADE ME PAY $806 FOR THE REPAIR, ALL THE WHILE CLAIMING THIS WAS NOT DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. I DISAGREED. AFTER THE THIRD PROBLEM, I WROTE A LETTER TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALSO SENT COPIES TO THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO V.P. OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ALL I RECEIVED WAS A CALL FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO HAD NO IDEA WHY SHE WAS CALLING ME; SHE WAS ONLY INSTRUCTED TO GIVE ME A CALL!*AK

NHTSA ID

753714

Incident

Apr 2, 1996

ENGINE SIMPLY QUIT AND IT WILL RESTART LATER. I'VE REPLACED TIMING BELT, IGNITION SYSTEM, FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, DISTRIBUTOR STROBE AND IT CONTINUES TO STALL IN TRAFFIC, WHEN HOT OR COLD

NHTSA ID

745759

Incident

May 23, 2001

I HAVE A 1994 FORD RANGER. A JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA HAS ORDERD A RECALL OF A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES FOR STALLING. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE THICK FILM IGNITION (TFI) WHICH REGULATES CURRENT GOING TO THE SPARK PLUGS. SINCE THE TFI IS MOUNTED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR, IT HEATS UP AND FAILS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THIS CAUSES STALLS AT ANY SPEED -- EVEN HIGHWAY SPEEDS! THE RECALL WILL BE FOR UP TO '93 RANGERS, BUT I HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEMS STATED IN MANY ARTICLES: - HTTP://WWW.COOLCATS.NET/TFIWARNING.HTML , - HTTP://WWW.ABCNEWS.GO.COM/SECTIONS/US/DAILYNEWS/FORD_RECALL001011. I HAVE TAKEN MY RANGER TO THE DEALER SERVICE AND THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE AND A FUEL PUMP RELAY. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE TFI DEAL AND THEY INSIST THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM. - WHAT DO I DO? I FEAR FOR MY LIFE. *AK

NHTSA ID

740047

Incident

Jan 6, 2001

THERE CURRENTLY IS A RECALL FOR FORD RANGERS UP THROUGH 1993'S. MINE IS A 1994 AND HAS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE RECALL STATES THE ELECTRICAL IGNITION SYSTEM WAS MOUNTED INCORRECTLY NEAR THE ENGINE AND CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL. MY RANGER HAS THIS PROBLEM AND I WANT FORD TO INCLUDE THE 1994 RANGER IN THIS RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

736834

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEEL WILL LOCKUP. THEN, ENGINE WILL STALL WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. THIS HAS HAD HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND ALWAYS HAD HAPPENED ON LOW SPEED.*AK

NHTSA ID

874379

Incident

Nov 3, 2000

A FUSE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ABS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE/ TAIL LIGHTS TO BE INOPERABLE, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO FUNCTION ERRATICALLY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

863971

WHEN IT RAINS, THE DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM UNDER TRUCK HOOD GETS WETS AND TRUCK WILL NOT START UNTIL IT DRIES OUT. ONE CAN ONLY GUESS THAT THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE SEAL THAT DOES NOT KEEP RAIN OUT. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOLLOWING MODERATE OVERNIGHT RAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

719282

Incident

Feb 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

857372

WHEN FUSE 10 IS BURNED OUT - APPLYING BRAKE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL

NHTSA ID

718085

Incident

Jan 20, 2000

PROCESSOR FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

543224

Incident

Nov 8, 1995

CAR COMPUTER SHUTS DOWN AND VEHICLE CUTS OFF COMPLETELY OFF. DEALER HAS REBOOTED COMPUTER 3 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

810478

Incident

Mar 18, 1997

'CHECK ENGINE' WARNING LIGHT ON DUE TO TWO FAILED SENSORS.

NHTSA ID

503673

Incident

Aug 31, 1994

WHEN DRIVING IN WET WEATHER AND WATER SPLASHES ON ENGINE, THERE IS A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FUNCTIONS INCLUDING POWER STEERING, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS

NHTSA ID

982460

Incident

Feb 8, 1996

WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES OF WATER, EXPERIECED ELECTRICAL FAILURES. *AK

NHTSA ID

980839

JUST PARKED VEHICLE WHEN ELECTRICAL FIRE OCCURRED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TRUCK WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

977576

Incident

Jan 2, 1996

THE VEHICLE BURNT TO THE GROUND. IT CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *AK

NHTSA ID

968440

Incident

Jun 21, 1995

STATIC ELECTRICITY CREATED WHEN DRIVER EXITED VEHICLE RESULTED IN FIRE WHEN DRIVER REACHED FOR FUEL FILLER NOZZLE TO FILL GAS TANK. *AW

NHTSA ID

481947

Incident

Feb 15, 1995

CAR STALLED;THE DEALER SAY THERE IS A MICRO CHIP THAT IS MISSING CAR STALL WHEN DRIVING STOPPED ON HIGHWAY TURNING THE CORNER. TT

NHTSA ID

958268

Incident

Jan 29, 1994