NHTSA Complaint #712795 — 1995 FORD RANGER

SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT THE WARNING CHIMES AND DOME LIGHTING STAYED ON CONTINOUSLY AFTER TURNING THE KEY ON EVEN BEFORE ACTUALLY CRANKING THE VEHICLE..ALSO THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS COME ON AND SOMETIMES GO OFF WITHOUT CONSUMER COMMAND...FORDS SERVICE BULLETIN #2526, BULLETIN SEQUENCE #357, DATE 9804, NHTSA ITEM #SB603550 DISCUSSES THIS PROBLEM...THIS APPARENTLY IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FOR MANY CONSUMERS PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE AS I HAVE RESEARCHED SEVERAL AVAILABLE DATABASES AND HAVE VIEWED MANY CUSTOMER CONCERNS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM...THIS MAKES THE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE TOTALLY UNSAFE AS THE CHIMES DISTRACT THE DRIVER TO THE POINT OF UNSAFE OPERATION AND THE DOME LIGHT STAYING ON CONTINOUSLY CAUSES IMPOSSIBLE VISIBILITY WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. THE USE OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS THAT ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO DEPENDABLE SEEMS TO WARRANT A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE...REPAIR COSTS QUOTED AT ANOTHER DEALER LOCATION WERE $275.00 WHICH DID NOT INCLUDE REPAIRS TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER REPAIR... THE ONLY NON-SHOP FIX IS THE REMOVAL OF THE FUSE THAT CONTROLS THESE SYSTEMS WHICH ALSO CONTROLS THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER OF THE VEHICLE...WHICH DISABLES THE WIPERS AS WELL....TOTALLY UNSAFE CONDITIONS EXISTS AS A RESULT.