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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
55,234 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Ford Ranger electrical problems

electrical problem

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1998 Ford Ranger Owner Comments

problem #15

Mar 281918

Ranger

  • 150,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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

- Hillsborough, NJ, USA

problem #14

Aug 152018

Ranger

  • 203,504 miles
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

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #13

Jan 152007

Ranger

  • 50,000 miles
Turn signals failure at times, does not happen all the time.

- Temple City, CA, USA

problem #12

Feb 062012

Ranger 6-cyl

  • 119,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Edgewood, WA, USA

problem #11

Jan 052012

Ranger 6-cyl

  • miles
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.

- Woodland, CA, USA

problem #10

Apr 052011

Ranger

  • 215,708 miles
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.

- Greeneville, TN, USA

problem #9

Apr 031999

Ranger 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 29,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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/Ford 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.

- Hoover, AL, USA

problem #8

Dec 222004

Ranger

  • miles
Door ajar switch malfunctions; causes dome light to stay illuminated; had to replace switch inside door assembly.

- Elmhurst, IL, USA

problem #7

Jun 292004

Ranger 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 31,300 miles
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. 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.

- Jeffersonville, IN, USA

problem #6

Jan 022003

Ranger 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 30,000 miles
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. 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.

- Jeffersonville, IN, USA

problem #5

Sep 082003

Ranger 6-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When trying to start the vehicle anti theft device would activate, causing the vehicle not to start. Driver contacted dealership. A technician disabled the relay.

- Ivins, UT, USA

problem #4

Dec 232002

(reported on)

Ranger

  • miles
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.

- Custer, WA, USA

problem #3

May 082002

(reported on)

Ranger

  • miles
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.

- New Market, AL, USA

problem #2

Sep 131999

(reported on)

Ranger

  • miles
Electrical failure causing door adjar and interior light malfunction. Mjs

- Bandon, OR, USA

problem #1

Aug 041999

Ranger

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
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

- Richwood, OH, USA

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