1997 Ford Ranger Interior & seats Problems

GUY NEXT DOOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR LATE ONE NIGHT TO TELL ME THAT MY DOME LIGHT WAS ON. I LOOKED & IT WASN'T. HE SAID THAT WAS ODD BECAUSE HE EVEN WALKED BY IT & COULD SEE INSIDE. A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF. FROM THAT POINT ON IT WOULD RANDOMLY TURN ITSELF ON. NATURALLY FORD TOLD ME THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP IT WITHOUT PAYING A TON OF MONEY TO A GARAGE WAS TO PULL THE FUSE & I'VE HAD TO USE A FLASHLIGHT IF I NEED A LIGHT AT NIGHT EVER SINCE. MY TRUCK ALSO HAS A THEFT LIGHT BECAUSE A FACTORY ALARM WAS AN OPTION FOR MY TRUCK. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALARM BUT THE WORD ALARM IS STILL ON THE PANEL. THAT LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY TURN ON & SAY THEFT. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALARM! I TOLD FORD & THAT TOLD ME THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE I DON'T HAVE AN ALARM. I SAID THAT MAYBE A WIRE WAS CROSSED SOMEWHERE BUT FORD TOLD ME," NO! ". TALKING TO OTHER RANGER OWNERS HERE & THERE I'VE FOUND OUT THAT NOT ONLY ARE THERE OTHERS DOING THE EXACT SAME THINGS BUT IT IS ALSO OTHER YEARS BESIDES 1997. I LIKE THE TRUCK JUST TIRED OF FORD & TIRED OF THE BS!!

NHTSA ID

10744089

Incident

Sep 20, 2007

I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT OF THE GROCERY STORE I HAD BEEN SHOPPING AT, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE RECLINING SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CONTROLS THE ANGLE OF, AND LOCKS THE BACK OF THE SEAT INTO POSITION, GAVE WAY AND THE BACK OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS CAUSING ME TO GO BACKWARDS AS WELL. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP MY VEHICLE WITHOUT CAUSING A COLLISION OR INJURY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT HOME, AND WITH INTERNET RESEARCH IT SEEMS THAT THE RECLINING SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN A WEAK POINT WITH FORD RANGER TRUCKS AND FORD EXPLORER SUV VEHICLES FOR YEARS. THE FORD DEALER/SERVICE CENTER THAT I DO BUSINESS WITH, NOW TELLS ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OBSOLETE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO CONTACT VARIOUS DEALERS STILL LISTING IT IN THEIR INVENTORY TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET THE PART, AS THE PARTS SUPPLIER FOR FORD THAT MADE THE REPLACEMENT LATCHES WENT OUT OF BUSINESS DURING THE BAD ECONOMY. I'M AMAZED THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED, GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR GREAT HARM AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH FROM THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT.

NHTSA ID

10374420

Incident

Dec 30, 2010

Mileage

80,697 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE SPEED WAS REDUCED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS RE-BUILT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,099 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 126,431. UPDATED 05/08/09 *BF THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE SEAT BROKE LOOSE. UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10265248

Incident

Apr 3, 2002

Mileage

59,099 mi

DT: CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARD. *TT

NHTSA ID

10122357

Incident

May 26, 2005

THE RELAY TO THE DOME LIGHT SHORTED OUT. IT'S HAPPENED TWICE. I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO DRIVE RANGERS , AND HAVE ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF THEM HAS HAD THE SAME FAILURE TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113917

Incident

Dec 6, 2000

DOME LIGHTS STAYS ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BULBS, NOW I HAVE NO DOME LIGHT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082748

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THIS PROBLEM EXISTED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10052268

Mileage

47,000 mi

FULL INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INTERIOR LIGHT WILL NOT FUNCTION. NO LIGHTSACCORDING TO AUTO MECHANIC, POTENTIAL SEVERE INTERNAL WIRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10052539

Incident

Apr 1, 2003

Mileage

60,000 mi

A FEW THINGS HERE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT RANDOM. HAD IT CHECKED A FEW TIMES. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. DOME LIGHT/DOOR CHIME WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN DOOR IS SHUT AND/OR CAR IS TURNED ON. LEFT HAND BLINKER WENT NUTS A FEW TIME, BASICLY IT WAS BLINKING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. A FEW SECOND 'POWER LOSS' HAPPEND A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER TO RAIDO, AND LIGHTS. THE REAR END BOUNCES WAY TOO MUCH WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10051112

Incident

Dec 23, 2003

THE INTERIOR LIGHT IN MY TRUCK DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043513

Incident

Jun 7, 2002

Mileage

115,000 mi

HOOD LATCH AND SAFETY LATCH FAILED, CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING. HOOD IS NOW DENTED FROM HOW FAR IT WENT BACK.

NHTSA ID

10038914

Incident

Sep 14, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THE WASHERS DID NOT WORK. ALSO THE DOME LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER THE DOOR WAS CLOSED FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES OR MORE. *JB THE WIPERS WOULD COME ON WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE USED. THE DOME LIGHT WAS DISTRACTING AT NIGHT. SCC

NHTSA ID

10009970

Incident

Mar 5, 2003

A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASHBOARD.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008964

Incident

Feb 7, 2003

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL CONTINUOUSLY COME ON AND STAY ON. ALSO, ALARM WILL COME ON FROM TIME TO TIME, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE DOOR SWITCHES WILL NOT ALLOW THE INTERIOR LIGHT TO GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS IN FULL MOTION WITH THE CLUTCH LET ALL THE WAY OUT. WHEN BACKING UP IN THE DARK IT IS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW BECAUSE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. *JG

NHTSA ID

8013044

Incident

Jun 2, 2002

HOOD LATCH AND SAFTEY LATCH FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN HOOD FLYING UP WHILE DRIVING.*AK

NHTSA ID

759749

Incident

Mar 24, 2002

SEATBELT LATCH WILL NOT HOLD SECURELY ON DRIVERS SIDE. CALLED ELYRIA FORD AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT WAS ADVISED THEY WOULD DO NOTHING UNLESS THEIR WAS A RECALL. UPON CHECKSING I SEE THAT OTHER FORD VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SEATBELT DEFECTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

757785

Incident

Dec 1, 2001

WON'T GO IN ANY GEAR THIS MORNING SEEMED FINE YESTERDAY.THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME EVEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED, IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IS VERY INCONVENIENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

757312

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

MY FATHER WAS REAR-ENDED AT 55-65MPH. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, MY FATHER'S SEAT BROKE CAUSING HIS SEAT TO FLY BACKWARDS AND THUS, HIS HEAD TO CRASHED THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW OF HIS PICKUP TRUCK. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS SEAT SHOULD HAVE WITHSTOOD THIS KIND OF IMPACT. BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BREAKING, MY FATHER HAS SUSTAINED NUMEROUS LACERATIONS TO HIS FACE AND NECK, AND MASSIVE NECK INJURIES. MY FATHER'S INJURIES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO SEVERE IF THE SEAT WITHSTOOD THE IMPACT. MY FATHER WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH A LIST OF INSTANCES WHICH A FORD RANGER'S SEAT HAS BROKEN IN THE PAST? ALSO, WHO IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE SEAT IN THE FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCK? IF YOU COULD INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. MY FATHER WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 180-190PDS AND IS 5'11" THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *JS *TR

NHTSA ID

756364

Incident

Oct 26, 2001

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON. ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 1994 FORD RANGER. *AK

NHTSA ID

753684

WHEN SENSORS IN DOOR ACCUMLATE DIRT IT CAUSES DOME LIGHT TO COME ON. LIGHT WILL NOT GO OUT UNTIL CONSUMER TAKES OUT FUSE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

891326

WHEN GETTING INSIDE OF VEHICLE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALL DAY, AND THERE IS A BINGING NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

889319

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

INTERIOR DOOR LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED WHEN DOORS ARE SHUT, AND WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THIS PROBLEM BECOMES MORE OF A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

885853

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WILL REMAIN ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. REPLACED THE INTERIOR LIGHT RELAY. THIS DID NOT WORK. THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF. THIS CAUSES SERVERE DANGERS AT NIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID

742328

Incident

Feb 22, 2001

POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE PUMP WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AIR CONDITIONER PUMP REPLACED. RIGHT WINDOW IS LOOSE WHILE GOING DOWN. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OCCASIONALLY WHILE TAKING OFF. THERE ARE LOOSE BOLTS UNDERNEATH SEATS. FOG LIGHT FAILED. CONSUMER STATES OIL FROM MASTER CYLINDER DAMAGED HOOD. DOOR LOCK INSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR NEVER WORKED AND WAS REPLACED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

882240

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

THE DOME LIGHT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF AND CAUSED THE PINGING SOUND AS IF THE DOOR WAS AJAR. I CALLED CARRIAGE FORD (WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE). THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE DOME LIGHT BUT IN THE DOOR SWITCHES--THEY'VE HAD TO REPLACE A NUMBER OF THESE ALREADY. MY DAUGHTER, WHO LIVES IN TN, ALSO HAS A RANGER AND SHE'S HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE NOTICED PEOPLE IN OTHER RANGERS DRIVING WITH THEIR DOME LIGHTS STUCK ON, TOO. I REASONED THIS MUST BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND CHECKED TO SEE HOW MUCH THE PARTS WERE TO REPLACE IT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS MINIMAL FOR THE PARTS--BUT THE LABOR WAS $160+. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FORD TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS WITH THESE PARTS. BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES, (DOME LIGHT AS WELL AS REAR HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT) I HOPED THEY'D TAKE CARE OF IT. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP ME. CAN YOU? WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? THANKS, [email protected]. *AK

NHTSA ID

741980

Incident

Oct 1, 2000