While many Ford vehicles are acclaimed for their affordability, performance and reliability, several of Ford's models have become recognized for having electrical problems. The Ford Explorer, Focus and Ranger have a history of electrical system issues.
Auto-Facts.org explains that the 1994 through 1996 Explorers have experienced electrical issues that cause the keyless entry system to malfunction. The problem was due to improper electrical grounding that resulted in a faulty connection. Other common Explorer electrical problems include issues with interior lighting, automatic headlights and the malfunction of powered windows.
On November 6, 2002, Ford Motor Company recalled 291,854 2001 Focus models in response to misrouted electrical connections between the battery and the engine. According to Automotive.com, the potential danger of this defect was that the battery cables might short, which could cause heat-related damage to the cables, making them nonfunctional. The vehicle could then smoke, fail to start or catch fire.
According to CarComplaints.com, the 1988 Ford Ranger started off the model series with electrical problems related to the cruise control surging while the vehicle was stalled. Ford Rangers continued to have issues with electrical systems in later models, including the 2007 model for computer problems with the check engine light.
