1996 FORD RANGER Electrical System Problems

THE CONTROL CLUSTERS ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAVE BEEN AT A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TEMPERATURE THAT THE PLASTIC COVERING OVER THE MICRO SWITCHES HAS DEFORMED AND ON OCCASION IT WILL STICK TO YOUR FINGERS. THE CENTER BUTTON ON THE LEFT SIDE HAS DISINTEGRATED TO THE POINT THAT THE ACTUAL MICRO BUTTON IS NOW OPERATED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MISSING PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL COVERING. ONE OF THE MICRO BUTTONS ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS IN THE SAME CONDITION AND BOTH CONTROL CLUSTERS HAVE BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. WITH THE PROBLEMS FORD HAS HAD WITH FIRES I THOUGHT THEY WOULD OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THIS DEFECT BUT BOTH THE LOCAL DEALERS I HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE INDICATED NO ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE, I GUESS WE WILL WAIT FOR THE FIRE THAT SPREADS THROUGH THE GARAGE AND TAKES DOWN THE WHOLE HOUSE. DEALERS THAT TURNED ME DOWN ARE BLUE BONNET IN...

TURNS OVER BUT WON'T START. *TR

THE TWO BUTTONS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE HORN, ON THE STEERING WHEEL, THAT CONTROL THE CRUISE CONTROL MELT IN THE HEAT AND EXPOSE THE CIRCUIT BOARDS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A FEW YEARS AND I FINALLY NEED TO REPORT THIS. *TR

OVERNIGHT THE TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED OUTSIDE WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO UNDER THE DASH THROUGHOUT THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AS WELL AS DUCTWORK. IT RE-IGNITED AND BURNED AFTER BEING PUT OUT ONCE THEN AFTER THE BATTERY WAS SUCCESSFULLY DISCONNECTED, DID NOT CATCH FIRE AGAIN. *KB

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.

UPON ENTERING THE VEH TO GO TO WORK WE FOUND THAT ONE SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN HAD MELTED AND A BURNT ODOR WAS DETECTED IN THE VEH. THIS OCCURRED ON THE SIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT THE CRUISE FEATURE IS LOCATED. WE TALKED WITH ANOTHER OWNER OF A RANGER AND HE ADVISED US THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE RANGER TRUCK. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION AS TO THE RECALL AND WE BOUGHT THE VEH NEW IN 1995. IT IS A 1996 MODEL. THIS VEH WAS IN GOOD CONDITION BEFORE THIS HAPPENED AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS CAN BE FIXED AND WHAT STEPS TO TAKE IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. WHILE ACTIVATING THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ELECTRICAL CRACKLING SOUND IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING DAILY FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000. UPDATED 04/08/08. *LJ THE RIGHT TURN SIGNALS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS A PROBLEM AS WELL. UPDATED

DT: ON 7/8/05 AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES , VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN OWNER NOTICED THE TIRE HAD BLOWN OUT, AND A BOOM WAS HEARD. THE OWNER RAN OUTSIDE AND VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES WERE NOTICED UNDER HOOD OF TRUCK. THE FLAMES WENT INTO CAB. THE FIRE LASTED ABOUT 30 OR 35 MINUTES BEFORE IT WAS PUT OUT. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT NEVER GAVE INDICATION OF WHAT CAUSED FIRE. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. NO INDICATION FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THERE IS A RECALL ON 1996 EXTENDED CAB RANGER REGARDING THE PRESSURE BREAK SWITCH. BUT OWNER DOESN'T HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER. WORK TOOLS WERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BURNED. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR WARNINGS OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO OTHER MAJOR...

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE DOME LIGHT TO COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, ETC. COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM CONCERNING VEHICLE SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT RANDOM. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE DEALER PUT MORE MILES ON VEHICLE THEN THE CONSUMER FOR TEST DRIVING. BUT YET THE CONDITION CANNOT BE CORRECTED. ALL COSTS STILL GO TO THE CONSUMER. *AK