1996 Ford Ranger complaints

PASSENGER'S FRONT WHEEL LOCKS UP WHICH CAUSES BRAKE LOCK UP, AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. FIRST TIME IT WAS THE REAR BRAKES. CURRENTLY, DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED DIMMER LIGHTS COME ON. ALSO WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THE DOOR WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THE COMPUTER CHIP HAS GONE BAD. *AK *ML

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER OPERATE UNPREDICTABLY WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. THIS IS VERY DANGEOUS SINCE THE WINDSHIELD GETS SMEARED WHEN DIRTY, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS IN SWITCH. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PROBLEM ACCOSS THE FORD LINE UP, SINCE MY SON HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 1997 F-150 AND THE PROBLEM WAS PRESENT ON A RENTED 1999 WINDSTAR. IN ADDITION THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. I THINK IT IS RECALL TIME. *AK

EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING DURING OPERATION OR ARE NOT OPERATING AT ALL. ALSO, DOME LIGHTS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON WHILE DRIVING WITH SWITCH IN THE OFF MODE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AT HIGH SPEED WITHOUT EVER BEING TURNED ON BY THE SWITCH. SOMETIMES WIPERS FAIL TO COME ON WHEN SWITCH IS TURNED ON. DOME LIGHT COMES ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON BY THE SWITCH. *AK

TRANSFER CASE WOULD NOT ENGAGE 4WD IN SNOWY CONDITIONS

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SUDDEN / UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION; WHENEVER GAS PEDAL IS APPLIED IN A SPEEDY WAY, IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OPEN UP AND TAKE OFF. THIS OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND EACH TIME DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUNED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. AFTER PUTTING THE HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. CONSUMER HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH & WAS ENTERING INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN THE RED LIGHT. RANGER "T" BONED THE VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC VEHICLE DID NOT HIT THE RIGHT AREA. MECHANIC WOULD CHECK THE AIR BAG SENSORS. *AK

HEATER TAKES 20 MINS. TO WARM UP/SOMETIMES VOLTAGE DROPS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WASHER AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES OR DO NOT WORK AT ALL. OTHERS WITH THE SAME TRUCK ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT FORD WILL NOT FIX.

INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPEREATE ERRATICALLY. THEY ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY, AND WHEN THEY ARE ACTIVATED IT'S HARD TO SHUT THEM DOWN. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

DUE TO DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULATOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. *AK

DUE TO DEFECTIVE STEERING GEAR BOX, STEERING BECAME INOPERATIVE, ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. *AK

STEERING COLUMN WIRING SHORTED OUT RESULTING IN BURNING. MJS

WIPERS TURN ON WITHOUT MANUALLY BEING SWITCHED ON, RUN CONTINUOUSLY, VERY RAPIDLY, AND THEN TURN OFF AFTER A FEW MOMENTS.

TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE HAS FALLEN ON TOP OF CROSSOVER PIPE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST PIPE ,BURNING THROUGH CABLE. THE 1998 MODEL WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ADDED HEAT SHIELD TO PREVENT BURNING. BRAKE PADS, SHOES AND CALIPERS REPLACED ON (7-22-99). *AK

TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE HAS FALLEN ON TOP OF CROSSOVER PIPE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST PIPE ,BURNING THROUGH CABLE. *AK

ACCELERATOR STICKS DUE TO FAILURE. *YC

WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP OR AT ANY TIME, WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. *AK

THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN A REAR END CRASH THAT PUSHED MY VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED SOMETHING WAS APARENTLY WAS EJECTED FROM THE BAG ASSEMBLY THAT STRUCK THE INTERIOR ROOF OF TRUCK DOING NOTICABLE DAMAGE TO THE HEADLINE AND ROOF. THE SERVICING DEALER, BERGE FORD IN MESA AZ IS NOT WILLING TO ADMIT THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIRBAG. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT APPLICATION WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR HARD AND THE ACCELERATOR CABLE STUCK,CAUSING VEHICLE TO RACE UP TO 55 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP . THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT IDLE AS IT SHOULD UPON STARTING UP DUE TO A BAD IDLE AIR VAVLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OPERATE WHILE SWITCH IS IN A OFF POSITION. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NO CORRECTION CAN BE MADE AT THIS TIME. CAN NHTSA HELP IN MATTER. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER TURNS ON INTERMITTENLY WHILE DRIVING.

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS INADVERTENTLY COME ON, AND SOMETIMES DON'T COME ON AT ALL. *AK

ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND THE ABS BRAKES ARE LOCKING UP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT ANY SPEED. *AK

WHILE TURNING THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS OFF WIPERS CONTINUE TO TRAVEL, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO TURN THE WIPERS ON/OFF TO STOP THE TRAVELING . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BRAKES GRAB IN DAMP AND HUMID WEATHER.

FAULTY COILS SPRINGS PREVENTED THE FRONT END FROM BEING PROPERLY ALIGNED AND CAUSED THE INSIDE TIRE TREAD TO BECOME WORN. NLM

WAS TOLD BY REPAIR CENTER EVAPORATOR IS COMMON ON FORD RANGER. COST OVER $600 TO REPAIR/REPLACE. BUILT FORD TUFF?

IN MAY OF 1996 I PURCHASED A NEW 1996 FORD RANGER 4 WHEEL DRIVE XLT MODEL. IN THE SPRING OF 1997 (APPROX. MAY) I CHANGED THE MUD FLAPS AND DISCCOVERED THAT I HAD 2 EACH CRACKED ROTORS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO PORT CITY FORD--ROUTE 104 EAST, OSWEGO N.Y. 13126--WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. IN 1998 THIS DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED SO I TOOK MY BUSINESS TO FRED RAYNOR FORD IN FULTON N.Y. PORT CITY FORD REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS IN MAY 1997 UNDER WARANTEE. IN JAN. 1998 TOOK VEHICLE TO PORT CITY FORD FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE AGAIN CRACKED. PORT CITY FORD AGAIN REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS UNDER WARANTEE. APPROX. MILEAGE WAS 33,000 MILES. IN MARCH OF 1999 I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT ROTOR WAS CRACKED. PORT CITY FORD HAD GONE OUT OF BUSINESS SO I TOOK MY TRUCK TO FRED RAYNOR FORD IN FULTON,NY. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T RETRIEVE MY RECORDS FROM PORT CITY FORD AND THAT MY 12000MILE/12 MONTH WARANTEE ON FORD PARTS HAD EXPIRED. I PAID THEM FOR A NEW RIGHT ROTOR, TURNED DOWN RIGHT ROTOR, NEW BRAKE PADS AND BACK BRAKE INSPECTION. IN JUNE, 1999, I REPLACED MY REAR BRAKE SHOES MYSELF AND HAD THE TRUCK INSPECTED. THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY IL NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDDAL PULSATING AND DISCOVERED THAT MY LEFT FRONT ROTOR HAD CRACKED. I WENT TO FRED RAYNOR FORD AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER--BRAD STEVENS-- AND SET UP AN APPT. FOR TODAY-7/23/99- AT 8AM. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SO THEY CALLED THE FORD TECH HOT LINE AND TALKED TO SOMEONE WHO SPECIAL

AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN DATABASE I FOUND 2 LIKE PROBLEMS RELATING TO MINE. COMPRESSOR FAILURE. # 96-20-6 AND # 96-22-6 THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY ON ITS SECOND SUMMER OF USE. AN AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR SHOULD NOT SELF DESTRUCT CAUSING EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT FORD IS AWARE OF AND THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT IN MY BUDGET TO HAND OUT $1200 (FORDS ESTIMATE) FOR A PIECE OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT WHICH FAILED DUE TO AN ERROR AT THE FACTORY. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, AND CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN IF THIS IS HOW FORD TREATS THEIR CUSTOMERS. PLEASE HELP. SINCERELY, MARK LACHAPPELL

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW JUST EXPLODED OUTWARD, AND HIT VEHICLE IN THE NEXT LANE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 45 MPH VEHICLE ANOTHER STRUCK VEHICLE HEAD-ON FIRST, BUT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APRROXIMATELY 15 MPH VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS GOING 50MPH . UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A GRINDING / DRAGGING NOISE, DUE TO FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURE. HOWEVER THE FRONT SHOCKS WERE REPLACED, DUE TO LEAKING. ALSO THE SWAY BAR EXPERIENCED FAILURE, WHICH WAS REPLACED. *YC

NO SUMMARY

DESIGN OF THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE CHAFES AGAINST A SUSPENSION PART ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND SHOCK ABSORBER ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE CAUSING DAMAGE, DISCOVERED BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE. MJS

TRANSMISSION LOOSE AND HAS PLAY IN IT. *AK

DOOR PROBLEM; IT IS HARD TO GET INTO VEHICLE ALSO, BELT WARNING SYSTEM B UZZER KEEPS RINGING/ LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHEN IT'S WARM OUTSIDE. WHEN THE BELL RINGS ALOT, IT KILLS THE BATTERY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED, RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, HOWEVER THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEAR FATALITY. *AK

AT LEAST 12 SETS OF BRAKES PUT ON VEHICLE"4 IN UDER 9000 MILES, RESULTING IN 2 ACCIDENTS" 3 TIMES AT TURNING ROTORS/ENGINE REBUILT AT 52000 MILES STILL WITH LOSS OF PORWER. 2 EGR VALVES/2 WIPER SWITCHES/SYNCRONIZERS/2 SLAVE CYLINDERS ON TRANSMISSION AND OIL LEAK. ALL PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. ENGINE IDLES HIGH ENOUGH THAT THE USE OF THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT NEEDED FOR INTOWN DRIVING. SPEEDS OF 45MPH CAN BE OBTAINED BEFORE HITTING PEDAL.

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE INSIDE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

HAD NOTICED SMOKE FILLING GAUGES & THEN TURNED BLACK. HAD STOPPED VEHICLE & SMELLED SMOKE. CHECKED VEHICLE & DASHBOARD TWICE BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE OCCURRED FROM UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL/DASHBOARD AREA. *AK

THE TRUCK COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AND COST A LIFE,THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AND A RECALL DONE IF IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE AND YR OF TRUCK

PART REPLACED WITH USED PARTS. TOTAL COST $379.18, TOOK 10 DAYS TO GET REPAIRED AT BAY FORD, PORT ORCHARD, WA, 98366. THIS FAILURE CAUSED A SMALL FIRE WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN AND FILLED THE CAB WITH SMOKE. THIS INCIDENT ENDANGERED THE LIFE OF MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER. NEITHER BAY FORD (REPAIR FACILITY ) NOR FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WOULD HANDLE THIS UNDER WARRANTY. *AK