1997 Ford Ranger electrical system problems

“FORD RANGER 4X4 XLT 4.0L HAS HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE BEGINNING FRONT TIRES TWO OUT , FOG LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONING, TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINTS , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHEN NEW AND TO THIS DAY GAS MILEAGE NOT AS STATED ON WINDOW STICKER ,ALSO WINDOWS MOTOR AND CONTROLS”

“GUY NEXT DOOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR LATE ONE NIGHT TO TELL ME THAT MY DOME LIGHT WAS ON. I LOOKED & IT WASN'T. HE SAID THAT WAS ODD BECAUSE HE EVEN WALKED BY IT & COULD SEE INSIDE. A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF. FROM THAT POINT ON IT WOULD RANDOMLY TURN ITSELF ON. NATURALLY FORD TOLD ME THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THE ONLY WAY I COULD STOP IT WITHOUT PAYING A TON OF MONEY TO A GARAGE WAS TO PULL THE FUSE & I'VE HAD TO USE A FLASHLIGHT IF I NEED A LIGHT AT NIGHT EVER SINCE. MY TRUCK ALSO HAS A THEFT LIGHT BECAUSE A FACTORY ALARM WAS AN OPTION FOR MY TRUCK. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALARM BUT THE WORD ALARM IS STILL ON THE PANEL. THAT LIGHT WILL RANDOMLY TURN ON & SAY THEFT. I DO NOT HAVE AN ALARM! I TOLD FORD & THAT TOLD ME THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE I DON'T HAVE AN ALARM. I SAID THAT MAYBE A WIRE WAS CROSSED SOMEWHERE BUT FORD TOLD ME," NO! ". TALKING TO OTHER RANGER OWNERS HERE & THERE I'VE FOUND OUT THAT NOT ONLY ARE THERE OTHERS DOING THE EXACT SAME THINGS BUT IT IS ALSO OTHER YEARS BESIDES 1997. I LIKE THE TRUCK JUST TIRED OF FORD & TIRED OF THE BS!!”

“ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: 1. INTERMITTENT WIPERS WILL WIPE 2, 3, 4, 5 TIMES AT RANDOM IN A ROW ALWAYS AND NOT IN THAT ORDER. 2. BACKUP LIGHTS CONTINUE TO BLOW FUSE AFTER REPLACING ALL LIGHTING PARTS 3. HORN WORKS 1% OF THE TIME, UNABLE TO FIND CAUSE. 4. AC BLOWS HOT AIR INTERMITTENTLY EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF BLOWER BLEND DOOR. 5. GAS: WHEN BELOW 1/4 TANK AND MAKING RIGHT TURN TRUCK WILL STALL, EVEN AFTER WORK ON TANK. *TR”

“WITH ALL CONTROLS IN OFF POSITION, VERY HOT AIR STARTS COMING FROM FLOOR VENT (97 FORD RANGER) ALSO WHEN A/C IS TURNED ON,,HOT AIR COMES OUT. REPLACED SWITCH FOR HEAT/AIR CONTROL. *TR”

“DT: CALLER HAD AN ENGINE FIRE. CALLER'S SON WAS DRIVING AND SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE SON SAID VEHICLE MADE A POPPING SOUND AND HE COULD NOT GET AWAY FROM IT FAST ENOUGH BEFORE IT EXPLODED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THERE WAS A REPORT FILED. DEALER SAID SHE DID NOT MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE BUT THE CALLER STATED SHE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID THIS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER TO HAVE IT MAINTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO HELP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID NOT KNOW HOW THE FIRE STARTED.*AK”

“1997 EXPEDITION SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DRIVEWAY 45 MINUTES AFTER IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE CAME AND PUT OUT WHAT WAS ALMOST A CATASTROPHIC HOUSE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING COMPARABLE WE BOUGHT A 99 EXPEDITION. WE WERE OUT $8000 IN THE TRADE. THE OLDER EXPEDITION HAD ONE CAR PAYMENT LEFT ON IT BEFORE THE FIRE. NOW I AM HORRIFIED THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER ON IN THE DRIVEWAY.*AK”