1996 Ford Ranger Visibility
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES OR WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. HOW DO YOU DRIVE SAFELY IN THE RAIN? *LA
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
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES. *NLM
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
WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON, THIS FAILURE HAPPENS AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. *SLC
WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO OFF WITHOUT TOUCHING THE SWITCH. *AK
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
WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER OPERATE UNPREDICTABLY WHILE THE SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION. THIS IS VERY DANGEOUS SINCE THE WINDSHIELD GETS SMEARED WHEN DIRTY, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY. DEALER SAYS PROBLEM IS IN SWITCH. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A PROBLEM ACCOSS THE FORD LINE UP, SINCE MY SON HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 1997 F-150 AND THE PROBLEM WAS PRESENT ON A RENTED 1999 WINDSTAR. IN ADDITION THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE. I THINK IT IS RECALL TIME. *AK
VERY RANDOMLY AND INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL KICK ON TO FULL SPEED WITHOUT APPLICATION. DRIVER HAS TO TURN THE WIPER SWITCH ON AND OFF TO GET THE WIPERS TO GO OFF. THE DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
HEATER TAKES 20 MINS. TO WARM UP/SOMETIMES VOLTAGE DROPS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY.PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS OPEREATE ERRATICALLY. THEY ACTIVATE AUTOMATICALLY, AND WHEN THEY ARE ACTIVATED IT'S HARD TO SHUT THEM DOWN. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
DUE TO DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULATOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. *AK
WIPERS TURN ON WITHOUT MANUALLY BEING SWITCHED ON, RUN CONTINUOUSLY, VERY RAPIDLY, AND THEN TURN OFF AFTER A FEW MOMENTS.
WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP OR AT ANY TIME, WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT APPLICATION WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE TURNING THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS OFF WIPERS CONTINUE TO TRAVEL, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO TURN THE WIPERS ON/OFF TO STOP THE TRAVELING . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OPERATE WHILE SWITCH IS IN A OFF POSITION. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NO CORRECTION CAN BE MADE AT THIS TIME. CAN NHTSA HELP IN MATTER. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER TURNS ON INTERMITTENLY WHILE DRIVING.
WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW JUST EXPLODED OUTWARD, AND HIT VEHICLE IN THE NEXT LANE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS INADVERTENTLY COME ON, AND SOMETIMES DON'T COME ON AT ALL. *AK
WASHER AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES OR DO NOT WORK AT ALL. OTHERS WITH THE SAME TRUCK ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT FORD WILL NOT FIX.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS FAILED TO OPERATE, SOMETIMES OPERATED INVOLUNTARILY. FORD DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED GEM AND WIPER/WASHER SWITCH; PROBLEM IS RECURRING. NOW INVOLVES DOME LIGHT AND WARNING CHIME AS WELL.
FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS BUBBLES IN THE INNER LAMINATE THAT CAUSES OBSCURED VISION WHEN THE SUN STRIKES THE WINDOW AT A LOW ANGLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE GLASS IS SOFT AND HAS STAINED FROM THE FOG IN THE COSTAL AREA. WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES.
HEATER SWITCH FAILED.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1996 Ford Ranger has 32 Visibility complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.