Problems · by component
1996 Ford Ranger visibility problems
49 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Ranger cite visibility, 11% of all 430 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
49
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING OBSTRUCTING HIS VIEW. ALSO, THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT DOOR AJAR ALARM WOULD CONTINUE TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE DOOR WAS BEEN CLOSED INTERMITTENTLY. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRONIC OVERDRIVE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. ALL THREE ELECTRICAL FAILURES BEGAN SEPTEMBER 2010. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
“BLEND AIR DOOR FAILED AND WILL NOT OPERATE ON 1996 FORD RANGER RESULTING IN INOPERATIVE DEFROSTERS. FORD WANTS $700 TO REPAIR PROBLEM. NUMBEROUS WEB SITE FORUMS REPORT THIS TO BE A CHRONIC AND FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH 93-96 FORD RANGER/EXPLORER AND MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES.*AK”
“WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH WENT OUT. CONSUMER FOUND SOOT EVERYWHERE. CONSUMERS HUSBAND CHECKED TO SEE IF A FUSE HAD BLOWN. THEY NOTICED THAT IN THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX THE FUSES USED WERE HIGHER THAN WHAT THE MANUAL STATED. THESE HAD 50 AMP FUSES. THE MANUAL CALLS FOR 30 AMPS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS OVERAGE IN POWER COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE TO THE VEHICLE AND THAT THIS MAY BE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *JG”
“WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPER AND WASHER COMES ON BY THEMSELVES. HAS TO PLAY WITH SWITCH TO TURN OFF. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK”
“THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 2 YEARS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH ON THE END OF THE TURN SIGNAL ARM HAS FAILED. WASHER SWITCH ON ARM STILL WORKS, BUT WIPERS DO NOT WORK IN ANY MODE. I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY WILL ONLY OFFER TO REPLACE AGAIN FOR AROUND $300.00”
“WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ACTIVATE WITHOUT ANY WARNING,SOMETIMES WASHERS ACTIATE AT SAME TIME.I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE NEW. ORIGINALY IT WAS ONLY ONCE EVERY 6 MONTHS OR SO BUT NOW IT IS NEARLY DAILY AND MANY TIMES DURING THE DAY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO NUMERO. *AK”
Showing 6 of 49 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.