NHTSA Complaint #724539 — 1995 FORD RANGER

THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AFFECTS THREE AREAS OF OPERATION: THE WINDSHIELD WASHER, THE RADIO, AND THE DOME LIGHT AND CHIME. THE MOST DANGEROUS IS THE WINDSHIELD WASHER. WHILE DRIVING IT WILL TURN ITSELF ON AND BLIND MY VISION FOR 15 SECONDS WHILE IT SPRAYS WASHER FLUID ON THE WINDSHIELD AND THEN WIPES IT OFF. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS ONLY AN ANNOYANCE BUT IF I AM CHANGING LANES OR IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT OR ON CURVES IT BECOMES A POTENTIAL DISASTER. IT STARTED DOING IT THE FIRST MONTH I BOUGHT IT FROM A FRIEND (01/98) AND HAS LASTED TILL THE PRESENT DATE(06/00. THE PREVIOUS OWNER WARNED ME OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM SO IT HAS BEEN AN ON GOING SITUATION. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE ALSO. IT INVOLVES THE FACTORY RADIO/ TAPE DECK. THE RADIO WORKS GREAT BUT THE TAPE DECK WONT WORK AFTER BEING REPACED ONCE AND WORKED ON BY FORD FOUR TIMES. THE LAST ISSUE IS WITH THE DOME LIGHT AND CHIME SOUND. THE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND THE CHIME CONTINUES TO SOUND FOR UP TO TWO MINUTES AFTER THE DOOR IS CLOSED AND ALL THE SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN FASTENED. I DONT KNOW IF THE THREE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE RELATED BUT I DO KNOW THAT THEY ALL THREE ORIGINATE IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING BEHIND THE DASH BOARD. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE WIPER AND WASHER TURNING THEMSELVES ON WHILE I AM DRIVING . IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS CAUSES AN ACCIDENT SINCE IT HAPPENS AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK. MY FRUSTRATION LIES IN THE FACT THAT NEARLY ALL 1995 RANGERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM (ACCORDING TO CONSUMER REPORTS AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL I MEET WHO OWNS THIS SAME YEAR OF TRUCK) AND YET FORD STILL HAS NOT ISSUED A STATEMENT OR A RECALL THAT I AM AWARE OF AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME . TONY FILLEY. (*AK