Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Ranger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
4WD STOPPED WORKING SOME TIME AGO, SERVO/ACTUATOR SEEMED TO BE FREE, RECENTLY STARTED MAKING GRINDING NOISES IN THE FRONT RIGHT, SOUNDS LIKE HUB IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. SORT OF POPS OUT WHEN COMING TO A STOP HVAC DOES NOT WORK, FAN SPEED ONLY INTERIOR COURTESY STOPPED WORKING
MY FUSE #27 FOR BACKUP LIGHTS AND THE O/D KEEPS BLOWING OUT AND NOW THE O/D LIGHT FLASHES SOMETIMES I PULLED THE COVER OFF OF THE STEERING COLUMN BUT THE O/D CORD WASN'T PINCHED OR DAMAGED ALSO NO APPEARANCE OF ANY WIRE TOUCHING ANYTHING
TURN SIGNALS FAILURE AT TIMES, DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. *TR
UPON ACTIVATING TURN SIGNAL ON A DARK MORNING, THE HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY FAILED. ACTIVATING THE DIM/BRIGHT LEVER PROVIDED INTERMITTENT ACTIVATION. UPON RELEASE OF THE DIM/BRIGHT FUNCTION THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT REMAIN ON IN EITHER DIM OR BRIGHT MODE. OTHER USERS OF VEHICLE REPORT COMPLETE HEADLIGHT FAILURE. THEY TOO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESTORE HEADLIGHT FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY AFTER SEVERAL FRANTIC SECONDS OPERATING THE LIGHT SWITCH OR THE DIMMING LEVER WHILE TRAVELING IN THE DARK. *TR
PARKED OUT ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND 9 PM. FIRE TRUCKS CAME AND PUT IT OUT AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AROUND 9:25 PM. *TR
TRUCK WAS PARKED AT THE VETERINARIAN AND I HAD GONE INSIDE WITH MY TWO DOGS. AFTER ABOUT 15 OR 20 MINUTES SOMEONE OUTSIDE WAS BLOWING THERE CAR HORN. THE RECEPTIONIST LOOKED OUT AND THEN TOLD ME MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. I RAN OUTSIDE AND SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE USED FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT THAT DID VERY LITTLE. THE FIRE TRUCK GOT THERE AND GOT THE FIRE PUT OUT. THEY CUT THE HOOD OPEN TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE WAS OUT.
MY 1998 FORD RANGER CAUGHT FIRE ON JULY 31, 2006. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AND THE ENGINE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND A WATCHFUL NEIGHBOR CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOW, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE IS COMPLETELY CHARRED, PROPERTY ON THE HOUSE IS DAMAGED, AND THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND I WILL HAVE A FIRE INSPECTOR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A FAULTY SPEED CONTROL SWITCH PRESENT ON MANY FORD VEHICLES. THE NHTSA IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS MATTER, AS IT HAS ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 550 COMPLAINTS FROM SIMILAR INCIDENTS. PLEASE MAKE A REPORT OF THIS COMPLAINT AND CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. THANK YOU. *NM
I HAVE HAD 3 DOOR SWITCHES REPLACED ON MY RANGER DUE TO THE "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT COMING ON. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE W/FORDS AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DOME LIGHT WILL STAY ON, AS DOES THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND SOMETIMES THE HORN STARTS BLOWING. *JB
DOOR AJAR SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS; CAUSES DOME LIGHT TO STAY ILLUMINATED; HAD TO REPLACE SWITCH INSIDE DOOR ASSEMBLY. *NM
WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO OPERATE AGAIN. *AK THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO MOVE THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER MUST TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO OPERATE AGAIN. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED THE HIGH BEAMS ON, THEY WOULD FAIL TO GO BACK TO DIM. THE SWITCH ON THE DASH SOMETIMES FAILED TO BRING THE LIGHTS ON, WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE GOING OFF. THE SWITCHES IN THE DOORS WERE FAULTY AND CASUED THE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO TURN OFF. *SC
WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE ANTI THEFT DEVICE WOULD ACTIVATE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. DRIVER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. *AK A TECHNICIAN DISABLED THE RELAY. *TS *NLM
THE POWER THE CORD THAT THAT GOES TO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER CAUGHT FIRE AND MELTED SOME OF THE WIRES LOCATED BEHIND SPEEDOMETER. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE INSIDE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT, THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF, WHEN THE KEYS ARE LEFT INSIDE THE IGNITION WITH THE DOOR CLOSED, THE CHIMER WILL KEEP DINGING UNTIL THE KEY IS REMOVED, THE DEALER CLAIMED THE PROBLEM WAS THE JEWEL MODULAR, HOWEVER THE BULBS INSIDE THE DASH KEEP BLOWING, WHEN THE BLINKERS ARE TURNED ON THERE IS A CRACKLING NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A WIRE SHORTING OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACT ERRACTICALLY WHEN IN DELAY MODE, THE HAZARD LIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, CONSUMER HAS CONCERNS WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT, WHEN HE TURNS THE SWITCH TO THE OFF POSITION, THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND WHEN CONSUMER TURNS THE SWITCH TO THE ON POSITION, THE LIGHT INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF.*JB
VEHICLE WAS SITTING/IDLING AND SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM BENEATH THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK *JB
VEHICLE WAS SITTING STILL IDLING AND SMOKE STARTED COMIING FROM BENEATH THE HOOD. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
4- WHEEL DRIVE HAS QUIT WORKING, IT HAS ONLY BEEN USED 3-4 TIMES. ALSO HORN HAS FAILED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
COIL PACK KEEPS FAILING DUE TO FAULTY SENSORS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO QUIT RUNNING. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED PACK AT LEAST TWICE. *AK
WHILE CONSUMER IS DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO DEALER MANY TIMES BUT THE ARE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND THE COMPUTER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. NLM
ENGINE CONTINUALLY STALLING, HESITATION AND SURGING, UNABLE TO RECTIFY SINCE PURCHASE. MJS
THE VEHICLE STALLS AT RANDOM INTERVALS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO FORDS ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN THE SHOP MANY TIMES AND FORD HAS DUPLICATED THE MALFUNCTION. HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM OR COME UP WITH ANY FIX. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 4 MONTH DURING THE LAST YEAR.
FRONT SEAT IS DISTORTED AND SINKING/COLLAPSED, REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTINUES TO COLLAPSE. MJS THE CONSUMER WAS WRITING A COMPLEMENT TO THE DEALERSHIP. *YH
COMPUTER SYSTEM IS POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE DOES NOT IDLE DOWN FROM SPEED UPON RELEASE OF PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
ALTERNATER FAILED. YH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL UNEXPECTEDLY (ALL POWER WILL GO OUT) WHICH ALMOST COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, FUSES ETC. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE FURTHER DETAILS AND VIN #. 8AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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