1998 Ford Ranger Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 16about this part
- Share
- 3%of 576 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 45,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 16 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 1998 Ford Ranger, 3% of the 576 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 45,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The plastic headlight lens are severely cloudy, a lot worse as time time goes on....years ago, when I bought the truck they were clear, now they are very - very opac, cloudy, so bad that you can't even see the headlight bulb ! There are many vehicles that have the same problem! So many, in fact that the part store aftermarket industries have come out with a restoration kit . I am sure that the cloudy, opac lens do severely lessen the amount of light emitted through the lens. …”
NHTSA complaint #10247863, filed 2008-11, 40,000 miles“This is a 98 Ford Ranger xlt with 73,000 miles, my problem is the turning signals from my 98 Ford Ranger, everytime that I turned my truck on it makes a squeaking sound around my steering wheel, then right away my left turning signal light turns on by itself, right away when the left turning signal light turns on by itself the squeaking sound goes away, so now to quit my left turning signal light from keeping lighting on by itself I have to push down the emergency button on top of my steering wheel which turn both turning signal lights on, then right away I have to push it down again to turn…”
NHTSA complaint #10286715, filed 2009-10, 73,000 miles“Upon activating turn signal on a dark morning, the headlights completely failed. Activating the dim/bright lever provided intermittent activation. Upon release of the dim/bright function the headlights would not remain on in either dim or bright mode. Other users of vehicle report complete headlight failure. They too have been able to restore headlight function intermittently after several frantic seconds operating the light switch or the dimming lever while traveling in the dark.”
NHTSA complaint #10446786, filed 2012-02, 119,000 miles“Consumer complained about a turn signal problem. Consumer was driving and noticed a puff of smoke, and a crackling sound behind the dashboard. Consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and dealer determined that multi-function module had an electrical short.”
NHTSA complaint #10067128, filed 2004-04, 21,000 miles“While driving with headlights on at night the headlights go out intermittently. The consumer must turn the headlight switch several times to get the headlights to operate again. When the consumer placed the high beams on, they would fail to go back to dim. The switch on the dash sometimes failed to bring the lights on, would take several minutes before going off. The switches in the doors were faulty and casued the lights to fail to turn off.”
NHTSA complaint #10063013, filed 2004-04, 30,000 milesExterior lighting: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 11% |
| 2022 | 2 | 5% |
| 2021 | 1 | 1% |
| 2020 | 6 | 5% |
| 2019 | 14 | 5% |
| 2011 | 9 | 4% |
| 2010 | 2 | 1% |
| 2008 | 3 | 1% |
| 2007 | 1 | 0% |
| 2005 | 2 | 1% |
| 2004 | 5 | 1% |
| 2003 | 6 | 2% |
| 2002 | 7 | 2% |
| 2001 | 5 | 1% |
| 2000 | 14 | 2% |
| 1999 | 13 | 2% |
| 1998 | 16 | 3% |
| 1997 | 14 | 3% |
| 1996 | 17 | 4% |
| 1995 | 15 | 5% |
| 1994 | 10 | 2% |
| 1993 | 7 | 3% |
| 1992 | 4 | 2% |
| 1990 | 1 | 1% |
| 1988 | 1 | 1% |
| 1987 | 1 | 2% |
Other parts of the 1998 Ford Ranger
136 complaintsVehicle speed control
71 complaintsBrakes
60 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
60 complaintsSuspension
52 complaintsEngine cooling
51 complaintsBody and structure
45 complaintsAir bags
32 complaintsElectrical system
29 complaintsInterior lighting
19 complaintsOther or unknown
19 complaintsSteering
19 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Ford Ranger
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology