1997 FORD RANGER Interior Lighting Problems

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!!

THE RELAY TO THE DOME LIGHT SHORTED OUT. IT'S HAPPENED TWICE. I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO ALSO DRIVE RANGERS , AND HAVE ALL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ONE OF THEM HAS HAD THE SAME FAILURE TWICE. *AK

DOME LIGHTS STAYS ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BULBS, NOW I HAVE NO DOME LIGHT.*AK

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. THIS PROBLEM EXISTED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY THE FIRST TIME. *AK *MR

Mileage: 47,000

A FEW THINGS HERE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT RANDOM. HAD IT CHECKED A FEW TIMES. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. DOME LIGHT/DOOR CHIME WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN DOOR IS SHUT AND/OR CAR IS TURNED ON. LEFT HAND BLINKER WENT NUTS A FEW TIME, BASICLY IT WAS BLINKING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. A FEW SECOND 'POWER LOSS' HAPPEND A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER TO RAIDO, AND LIGHTS. THE REAR END BOUNCES WAY TOO MUCH WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

THE INTERIOR LIGHT IN MY TRUCK DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. *LA

Mileage: 115,000

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON BY THEMSELVES AND THE WASHERS DID NOT WORK. ALSO THE DOME LIGHT STAYED ON AFTER THE DOOR WAS CLOSED FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES OR MORE. *JB THE WIPERS WOULD COME ON WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE USED. THE DOME LIGHT WAS DISTRACTING AT NIGHT. SCC

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL CONTINUOUSLY COME ON AND STAY ON. ALSO, ALARM WILL COME ON FROM TIME TO TIME, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK THE DOOR SWITCHES WILL NOT ALLOW THE INTERIOR LIGHT TO GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS IN FULL MOTION WITH THE CLUTCH LET ALL THE WAY OUT. WHEN BACKING UP IN THE DARK IT IS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW BECAUSE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHT BEING ILLUMINATED. *JG

WON'T GO IN ANY GEAR THIS MORNING SEEMED FINE YESTERDAY.THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME EVEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED, IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE AND IS VERY INCONVENIENT. *AK

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT STAYS ON. ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 1994 FORD RANGER. *AK

WHEN SENSORS IN DOOR ACCUMLATE DIRT IT CAUSES DOME LIGHT TO COME ON. LIGHT WILL NOT GO OUT UNTIL CONSUMER TAKES OUT FUSE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN. *AK

WHEN GETTING INSIDE OF VEHICLE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALL DAY, AND THERE IS A BINGING NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

INTERIOR DOOR LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY REMAINS ILLUMINATED WHEN DOORS ARE SHUT, AND WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THIS PROBLEM BECOMES MORE OF A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *AK *SLC

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT WILL REMAIN ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. REPLACED THE INTERIOR LIGHT RELAY. THIS DID NOT WORK. THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF. THIS CAUSES SERVERE DANGERS AT NIGHT. *AK

THE DOME LIGHT WOULDN'T SHUT OFF AND CAUSED THE PINGING SOUND AS IF THE DOOR WAS AJAR. I CALLED CARRIAGE FORD (WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE). THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE DOME LIGHT BUT IN THE DOOR SWITCHES--THEY'VE HAD TO REPLACE A NUMBER OF THESE ALREADY. MY DAUGHTER, WHO LIVES IN TN, ALSO HAS A RANGER AND SHE'S HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I'VE NOTICED PEOPLE IN OTHER RANGERS DRIVING WITH THEIR DOME LIGHTS STUCK ON, TOO. I REASONED THIS MUST BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND CHECKED TO SEE HOW MUCH THE PARTS WERE TO REPLACE IT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS MINIMAL FOR THE PARTS--BUT THE LABOR WAS $160+. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT FORD TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS WITH THESE PARTS. BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF THE SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES, (DOME LIGHT AS WELL AS REAR HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT) I HOPED THEY'D TAKE CARE OF IT. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HELP ME. CAN YOU? WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE? THANKS, [email protected]. *AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. INTERIOR LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRAINING BATTERY.*AK

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON, AND IS VERY DISTRACTING AT NIGHT. CONSUMER OWNED A 1993, RANGER AND HAD SAME PROBLEM. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURR TO SEE IF THEY WILL PAY FOR IT. *AK

WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN DOME LIGHT AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED A POSSIBLE SHORT IN SWITCH WAS CAUSING PROBLEM. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHT FAILS TO SHUT OFF OCCASIONALLY AFTER DOOR IS CLOSED;PRESENTS PROBLEM FOR NIGHT DRIVING WHEN THIS OCCURS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN OFF AND ON WHENEVER THEY WANT TO. THEY SOMETIMES WILL NOT RUN AT ALL OR THEY WILL STOP RUNNING DURING USE. THE DOME LIGHT ALSO STAYS ON AND WILL NOT TURN OFF CAUSING A GLARE ON THE WINDOW. IT STARTED DOING IT WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR THEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR STARTED THE SAME PROBLEM. I CHECKED WITH A DEALER AND IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM WITH RANGERS FOR MANY YEARS NOW AND STILL TROUBLES MANY OWNERS RIGHT UP TO THE 2001 MODELS. *MR *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS**739942

Mileage: 101,000

INTERIOR LIGHT STAYING ON WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTED AND DOOR CLOSED AND DOES NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM SEEING AT NIGHT... NO WAY TO TURN OFF WITHOUT REMOVING THE BULBS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT START WHEN TURNED ON THE DO NOT GO OFF WHEN SWITCHED OFF. HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ON THEN OFF AGAIN. SHIFT KNOB COMES OFF WHEN PULLING SHIFT LEVER FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 3RD TO 4TH. MAKES SHIFTING DIFFICULT WHILE STARTING UP A HILL AND MERGING ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE THE KNOB SLIPS OFF COMPLETELY AND THE SHIFTER ENDS UP IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION, AND WINDSHEILD WIPER FLUID RELEASED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK DOOR AJAR LIGHT / DOME LIGHT REMAINED ON. *YH

DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER IGNITION TURNED ON. CHIMES WHEN KEY IS INSERTED IN IGNITION SWITCH.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THE DOME LIGHT ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THEY BOTH COME ON AND GO OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH NIGHT DRIVING. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH NIGHT DRIVING. *AK

INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH NIGHT DRIVING. *AK

THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK. OWNER WAS SHOWN HOW TO REMOVE THE FUSE IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT AND IGNITION ALARM WILL NOT STOP/TURN OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE IGNITION ALARM STOPS ONLY WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED, THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON FOR EXTREME EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED ONCE IN 1998 OR 99. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CORRECT THEIR DEFECT (12,000 MILE/12MO PERIOD IS UP) EVEN THOUGH IT IS RECURRING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I CAN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT, BECAUSE I CANNOT SEE OUT OF MY WINDOWS.

INTERIOR DOME LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF SOMETIMES. DEALER FIXED DOME LIGHT YWICE, AND SAME PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

I HAVE A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT SUPERCAB. I PURCHASED THE CAR BRAND NEW IN 1997. THAT YEAR I NOTICED THAT THE DOME LIGHT IN THE CAR BEGAN TO STAY ON. I WOULD BE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE LIGHT OUT IS TO PULL THE FUSE OUT. I THINK THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS TO MYSELF AND OTHERS DRIVING. I HAVE TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO FIX THIS. THIS HAS HAPPENED THE LAST TWO YEARS AROUND THE COLDER MONTHS, BUT NOT IN THE WARMER MONTHS. I THINK THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART FROM FORD. THE REASON WHY IS THAT I HAVE TWO FRIENDS OF MINE WHO HAVE 1997 FORD RANGER, THEY HAVE AND ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE ON THE INTERNET AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I ALSO CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY WERE NO HELP. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED ABOUT THIS. THIS SHOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERED A SAFTY RECALL. THE FACT THAT DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH YOUR DOME LIGHT ON IS ILLEGAL, AND THIS CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS HAZZARD TO DRIVERS AT NIGHT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: ? )

DOME LIGHT COMES ON BY ITSELF AND FAILS TO TURN OFF. *ET

DOME LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN KEY IS TURNED ON OR DOOR(S) SHUT. NO PARTICULAR INDICATION AS TO WHY. *AK

DOME LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF. WHEN IT DOES SHUT OFF, THIER IS A CLICKING SOUND AND THE LIGHT WILL BLINK ON AND OFF. ALSO, ONCE IT GOES OFF IT COMES BACK ON ,AND HEATS THE LIGHT COVER UP. DEALE RHAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER/ THE INTERIOR LAMP, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE VEHICLE. *AK