Ford Ranger

Where it stands out against its peers

• Visibility: more complaints than 97% of 2019 cars — 6% of its 264 complaints, where an ordinary 2019 car has 1%.
• Seats: more complaints than 92% of 2019 cars — 3% of its 264 complaints, where an ordinary 2019 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• POWER TRAIN — 74 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 16 owners reported this
• SUSPENSION — 16 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 11 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• ENGINE — 10 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 10 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY — 10 owners reported this
• SEATS — 6 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — 6 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• BACK OVER PREVENTION — 5 owners reported this
• SEAT BELTS — 4 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 4 owners reported this
• WHEELS — 4 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

27% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 19V071000

  If the vehicle can be shifted out of Park without the brake applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move. Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of injury or crash.

  Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the transmission floor shift selector interlock assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C02.

• 19V366000

  If the gear shift lever position does not match the actual transmission gear, the vehicle may move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of crash or injury.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the transmission shift cable bracket fasteners as necessary, and verify the proper transmission shift operation, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S15.

• 19V518000

  Improperly assembled seat belts may not adequately restrain occupants in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the right front seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S23.

• 19V726000

  An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HVAC blower motor production date, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S34.

• 19V839000

  Intermittent or inoperative tail lamps can result in loss of stop, turn, rear position, and reverse lamp functions, which reduces the vehicle's visibility and may not fully alert other drivers that the vehicle is braking, turning, or reversing, increasing the risk of crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inline connector for loose terminals and replace the connectors, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 5, 2020. A renotification was sent on July 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S43.

• 20V137000

  A resistive electrical short increases the risk of a fire.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the HVAC blower motor, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S12.

• 20V197000

  If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.

• 20V575000

  Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

  Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.

9 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance

  Recall query, opened August 2021, still open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2015, still open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened June 2014, closed March 2015.

• Tire valve cracking

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2008, closed April 2009.

• Brake lights inoperative

  Preliminary evaluation, opened December 2005, closed March 2006.

• Front seat belt buckle assembly

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2005, closed July 2005.

• Front seat belt buckle assembly

  Recall query, opened October 2004, closed February 2005.

• Front seat belt

  Defect petition, opened October 2000, closed May 2001.

• Steering knuckle separations

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 1999, closed October 1999.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Ford filed 16 bulletins about the 2026 Ranger.

• Electrical system: 10
• Fuel/propulsion system: 2
• Power train: 2
• Lane departure: 1
• Service brakes: 1

• Some 2021-2026 Ford/Lincoln vehicles may exhibit various symptoms including but not limited to the auto start/stop system not operating as intended with a "Check Charging System" message in the… · July 2026
• Some 2025-2026 Bronco/Ranger vehicles may exhibit an illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2122, P2123, P2127, P2128, and/or P2138 stored in the… · July 2026
• Some 2025-2026 Bronco/Bronco Sport/Corsair/F-150/F-Super Duty/Maverick/Mustang/Mustang Mach-E/Ranger vehicles may exhibit a no audio/sound condition. This may be due to the software in the audio… · July 2026
• Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may require the replacement of the ambient air temperature sensor for various concerns. DTCs P0071, P0072, and/or P0073 may be present in the… · July 2026
• For 20202026 vehicles equipped with the 10R60 transmission, a new Transmission Clutch Circuit Leak Test has been introduced in the Ford Diagnosis and Repair System (FDRS). This test utilizes the… · June 2026
• 2020-2026 Explorer/Escape/Corsair, 2021-2026 Bronco Sport/Bronco, 2022-2026 Maverick, 2024-2026 Mustang/Ranger/Nautilus vehicles equipped with a 2.0L or 2.3L EcoBoost engine may require removal of… · May 2026
• This bulletin supersedes 25-2621. Reason for update: add 2026 model year vehicles and Transit, update the causal part number (15604), update the Service Procedure, update the service labor operations… · May 2026
• Some 2025-2026 Ranger vehicles built on or before 21-Apr-2026 and equipped with a 12-inch instrument panel cluster (IPC) display may exhibit a condition where the IPC backlight and shift indicator… · May 2026

8 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.