42 of the 231 complaints about the 1992 Ford Ranger are about the electrical system — 18% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 74,000 miles.
42
Complaints
0
Crashes
30
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM MY COAST GUARD DUTY MY TRUCK STARTED TO FILL WITH SMOKE. I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED IN MY DASH AGAINST THE STEERING COLUMN AND SAW FLAMES COMING OUT. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS ENGULFING MY TRUCK IN FLAMES.
NHTSA complaint #10256432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH THROUGH AN ALLEYWAY, A FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE LEFT FRONT DRIVER SIDE DASH PANEL AREA WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED, AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MODERATE FIRE DAMAGE; AN INSURANCE ADJUSTOR DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE POLICE WERE ALERTED, AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
NHTSA complaint #10173978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
MY 1992 FORD RANGER SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 6, 2006. THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AND WOULDN'T START. I LEFT IT OVERNIGHT AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE POLICE AT 5 A.M IN THE MORNING SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. APPARENTLY IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE (WHILE IT WAS OFF) AND COMPLETELY TOTALED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, LEAVING ME AT A COMPLETE LOSS (INSURANCE DID NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF CLAIM). BEING A 19 YEAR OLD IN COLLEGE THIS CAME AS A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE FINANCIALLY. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WILL NEVER DRIVE A FORD AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY JUNKYARD, WHERE THE BRAND NEW 1,000 CLUTCH AND NEW TIRES WERE REMOVED AND SOLD FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S PROFIT. I GOT NOTHING.
NHTSA complaint #10164036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:SOLENOID
THE STARTER SOLENOID CLIP CONNECTOR FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START UP AGAIN UNTIL PART IS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10097064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
1992 FORD RANGER HAD FIRE IN IGNITION WIRING HARNESS, BELOW DASH AND MOUNTED TO STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #10041575 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING AND/OR IDLING SMOKE COMES FROM BOTH THE STEERING COLUMN AND UNDER THE HOOD. NO FIRES AS OF YET BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED BEFORE THE TRUCK BURNS DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10037100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10025986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #766807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
A FIRE STARTED ON RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIRSSHOP FOR REPAIRS. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8015608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING, THE IGNITION SWITCH WIRES LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT FIRE. THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE, BUT I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. AFTER 3 OR 4 MINUTES, THE SMOKE CLEARED. IGNITION AT THIS POINT WAS "FROZEN" AND THE KEY COULD NOT BE MOVED. WHEN TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS, THEY INDICATED THIS SHOULD BE UNDER A RECALL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INDICATED IT WAS NOT, BUT THAT 12 OTHER FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY MODELS WERE UNDER RECALL FOR THIS EXACT SAME THING (CAMPAIGN NO 96V071000). MY VEHICLE FALLS WITHIN THE SAME YEARS. WHY IS MY RANGER NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL? THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #762384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED SAW SMOKE COMING FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER DASH. SOUND LIKE THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS RUNNING. VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED ON INSIDE. PLEASE ADD VIN.
NHTSA complaint #8008994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF DASHBOARD . CONSUMER TURNED AROUND AND DROVE ABOUT A BLOCK, PARKED CAR AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #882939 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #880305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
AFTER TURNING HEAT ON 30 SECONDS LATER SMOKE AND FLAMES CAME FROM UNDER DASH AREA, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #880306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AT IGNITION WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WANTS $125 BEFORE LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FOUND THAT CONNECTOR ON TOP OF STEERING COLUMN IS COMPLETELY MELTED & IS BARE.
NHTSA complaint #874913 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING, OTHER TIMES WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT. SOMETIMES IT CAN BE RESTARTED RIGHT AWAY, OTHER TIMES NOT. I'VE HEARD RUMORS THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM IN THE WORKS. I CHECKED THE FORD WEB AND FOUND NO RECALLS OF ANY SORT.
NHTSA complaint #735237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TRUCK WHILE PARKED IN DRIVE WAY CAUGHT ON FIRE IN IGNITION SWITCH AREA, BURNING STEERING COLUM, MELTED INSTRUMENT PANEL AND DASH PANEL INTO THE FLOOR, MELTED DRIVER DOOR PANEL AND HEAD LINER, ALSO BORKE WINDSHIELD DO TO HEAT.
NHTSA complaint #731254 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND GOING SHORT DISTANCE, SMOKE UNDER DASH, CAUGHT ON FIRE, MELTING DASH AND COMPONENTS.
NHTSA complaint #704726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
READ BRAKE DRUMS HAVE WARPED 3 OR 4 TIMES EACH SIDE, MAKES BRAKE PEDAL PULSATE. TURNED BY DEALER ONCE AND POSSIBLY REPLACED ONCE, CONSTANT PROBLEM. HAVE SMELLED MELTING WIRE INSULATION SEVERAL TIMES. OUTSIDE MIRRORS FOLD BACK OVER 55 MPH. REPLACED ONCE, STILL PROBLEM. GAS TANK DRIPS GAS, PLASTIC TANK IN CONTACT WITH METAL CROSSBAR. APPEARS TO BE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION PROBLEM. NEED WARRANTY FIX ON THIS.
NHTSA complaint #704102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE, SMOKE UNDER DASH, TURNED TO FLAMES, MELTED DASH AND COMPONETS
NHTSA complaint #703570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHEN TURNING THE KEY TO START VEHICLE WHEN IT RELEASES KEY, STARTER CONTINUES TO TURN. IGNITION SWITCH OFF/ON SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO RELEASE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, NO RECALLS, NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE REMEDIED. PROBLEM SEEMS WORSE AT NIGHT OR COLD TEMPERATURE. WHEN ENGINE IS WARM THERE IS NO PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #823413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
AS OWNER STARTED THE TRUCK IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE DASH AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS. MECHANIC STATED THAT FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FIRE WAS PUT ON BY OWNER. THE TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED.
NHTSA complaint #826500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER PARKING TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTED FIRE TO BE ELECTRICAL. THE TRUCK WAS TOTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #833974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
OWNER STATES INSIDE OF VEHICLE CABIN CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTES OF RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #821699 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
WHILE PARKED FOR 3 HOURS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CAUSING DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #817121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN, INCLUDING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #516433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THERE WAS A FIRE WHICH ORIGINATED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ONCE THE FIRE STARTED, IT MELTED THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #812378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION THE SMELL OF BURNING WIRES AND SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AREA, INDICATING A VEHICLE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #806126 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS STARTED, SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, DROVE DOWN BLOCK AND NOTICED SMOKE, PULLED VEHICLE OVER, LIFTED HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES NEAR IGNITION AREA, WENT TO NEIGHBOR AND GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT DID NOT HELP, CONSUMER DISCONNECTED BATTERY CABLE.*AK
NHTSA complaint #804950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
WHILE TRYING TO START UP THE VEHICLE THE STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OFF AND THE STARTER STUCK UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #804689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.