19 of the
451 complaints about the 1995 Ford Ranger are about the
seat belts — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
94,000 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1995 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUFFERED A FRACTURED C7 AND T5 VERTEBRAE. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND THEN TO UVA MEDICAL CENTER TO SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE OFFICE OF CHIEF COUNSEL WOULD RESPOND WITHIN 15 DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
NHTSA complaint #11064722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jacksonville, FL
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS DIFFICULT TO LATCH AND INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING CAN DISENGAGE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10229759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Indianapolis, IN
SEAT BELTS
THE CONSUMER DID DOME RESEARCH ON RECALLS REGARDING HIS FORD RANGER AND CAME ACROSS A RECALL REGARDING THE SEAT BELTS BUT WAS NOT SURE IF THE DESCRIPTION MATCHED THE PROBLEM HE WAS HAVING. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE NHTSA WEBSIE DID NOT HIS MODEL VEHICLE LISTED.
NHTSA complaint #785804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 94,000 milesNaples, FL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE MECHANISM FAILED TO THE POINT THAT CONSUMER HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER WAS VERY COOPERATIVE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER POSED A QUESTION, SINCE IT WAS A SAFETY ITEM COULD THE GOVERNMENT FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO EXTEND PARTS WARRANTY? *AK
NHTSA complaint #10071647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 89,000 milesWest Palm Beach, FL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT LATCH WOULD NOT STAY BUCKLED. CONSUMER WOULD BE UNABLE TO WEAR THE SEAT BELT CORRECTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10059590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Birmingham, AL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVERS SEAT BELT WONT UNLATCH. DEALER NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10031237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aiea, HI
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT LATCH FAILURE. BUTTON SPRING BROKEN AND BELT TONGUE WILL NOT DISENGAGE LATCH. DT
NHTSA complaint #769856 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ooltewah, TN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT DIRVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS RELEASE FROM THE BUCKLE INVOLUNTARILY. THE SEAT BELT HAS UNLATCHED AS MUCH AS 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *JB DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BELTS IN THAT YEAR AND MODEL, AND THAT THE BELTS WERE ONLY UNDER WARANTEE FOR FIVE YEARS AND CONSUMER WAS OVER THAT.
NHTSA complaint #8008976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RAY Twp., MI
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #749923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RAY Twp., MI
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #749923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rochelle, IL
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
I HAVE ALWAYS WORN THE DRIVERS SIDE SAFETY BELT WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. LAST WEEK, THE SAFETY BELT STARTED UNLATCHING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I MAKE SURE THAT IT IS LATCHED PROPERLY BEFORE STARTING, BUT AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT WILL UNLATCH. IT FEELS LIKE A SPRING AT THE UNLATCH BUTTON HAS BECOME WEEK.
NHTSA complaint #746641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Easton, MD
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT MATERIAL IS SOFT AND BELT FAILS TO RETRACT AND GETS CAUGHT IN CAR DOOR WITH POSSIBLE BELT FAILURE IN A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #739549 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ithaca, NY
SEAT BELTS
WINDSHIELD WIPERS -- BEGINNING SUMMER 1998 I EXPERIENCED PROBLEM WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPER, DOME LIGHT, AND DOOR CHIME COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY. IN DECEMBER 1998 THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING SO I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MAGUIRE FORD FOR REPAIR. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED (OBVIOUSLY THIS INTERMITTENT ON/OFF CYCLE BURNT IT OUT), AS WAS A SWITCH FOR THE DOOR. THE FEATURES WERE TROUBLE FREE (THOUGH THE DOME LIGHT STILL HAS PROBLEMS) UNTIL 5/10/2000. ON THAT DAY I STARTED THE VEHICLE DURING A RAIN STORM, AND THE WIPERS WOULD NOT WORK. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO MAGUIRE FORD FOR REPAIR. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED, BUT WHEN I STARTED IT THE WIPERS STILL WOULD NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE SHOP AND REQUIRES A PART (COSTING ~$150). THE MECHANICS AT FORD KEPT REFERRING TO "INTERMITTENT WIPER" PROBLEMS ON OTHER FORD'S, PROMPTING ME TO CHECK THE "CAR TALK" WEB SITE, WHICH HAD A LINK TO THE NHTSA SITE. ON THIS SITE I SAW THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN HAVING SIMILAR WIPER/DOOR CHIME/DOME LIGHT PROBLEMS. WHILE ON THIS SITE I NOTICED NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ABS SYSTEMS. ON 11/28/99 WHILE DRIVING ON I-81 JUST NORTH OF BINGHAMTON, NY I HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE WITH MY BRAKES. A CAR CUT CLOSELY IN FRONT OF ME, PROMPTING ME TO APPLY MY BRAKES WITH FORCE, IN ORDER TO PREVENT A COLLISION. THE BRAKE ON THE FRONT RIGHT-HAND SIDE LOCK, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO JERK TO THE RIGHT. I SURPRISINGLY WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE TRUCK, BUT AFTER ANOTHER 30 MILES OF DRIVING I BEGAN NOTICING A GRINDING SOUND IN THE AREA OF THE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MIDAS AND WAS TOLD THE THE CALIPER ON THE FRONT RIGHT BRAKE BROKE AND THAT SOMETHING (THE BRAKE?) HAD SEIZED. I PAID FOR REPAIRS AND DISMISSED THIS INCIDENT UNTIL READING ON THE "CAR TALK - NHTSA" LINK THAT MANY OTHER HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR EVENTS WITH THEIR BRAKES. THE PROBLEM, IT SEEMS, IS WORTHY OF A RECALL. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.
NHTSA complaint #722634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Concord, CA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES THE WIPERS WON'T WORK AT ALL. TURN OFF WITHOUT TURNING OFF ENGINE. ALSO DOME LIGHT REMAINED ON, SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT NOT TURNING OFF FOR SOME TIME UNLESS VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF.
NHTSA complaint #851990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hillsboro, OH
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT BELT CHIME/INDICATOR LIGHT, THEY CONTINUE TO REMAIN ON AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS ON. ALSO THE DOME LIGHT REMAINS ON. DEALER NOTIFIED AND WILL NOT TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPECT OR REPAIR WITH OUT COST TO THE CONSUMER. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #824960 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Slaughter, LACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
IN A COLLISION, SON WAS BUCKLED IN JUMPED IN SEAT AND SEAT BELT RIPPED IN HALF.
NHTSA complaint #986436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Celina, TXCrash1 killed
SEAT BELTS
VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT,AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD,RESULTING IN A FATAL LOSS.
NHTSA complaint #983756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Celina, TXCrash1 killed
SEAT BELTS
VEHICLE ROLLOVER ACCIDENT,AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD,RESULTING IN A FATAL LOSS. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Orange, TXCrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILURE, SEAT BELT UNLATCHED BY ITSELF, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #970051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.