Ford Ranger problems, complaints & recalls by model year
Across 8 model years (2019–2026), NHTSA has logged 713 owner complaints and 41 safety recalls for the Ford Ranger. That averages 18.8 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.47 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize pickups segment it ranks #2 of 5 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 20.0.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Analysis
The trend is improving. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 33% below the 2019 and 2020 models (25 early complaints per model year versus 36).
The 2019 model year has the highest rate (34.7 complaints per year) and the 2023 model year the lowest (4.8). Model years 2019 and 2024 run at least 50% above this model's average of 18.8 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2022 and 2023 run at least 40% below this model's average of 18.8 complaints per year on the road.
Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (33.9% of complaints), followed by Engine (13.5%) and Electrical (12.9%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 2.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 38 complaints (5.3%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 124 injuries and 0 deaths.
In the last 12 months owners filed 238 complaints versus 145 in the previous 12 months — up 64%. The 2024 model year generated the most recent reports (58). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 38 months of the model year's start.
Recalls: 41 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2025 (15), 1 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. 1 NHTSA investigation has covered this model, 1 still open; the latest is “Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance” (recall query, opened 2021-08-03, still open).
Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Nissan Frontier, but fewer than Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Gladiator and Toyota Tacoma.
Model years at a glance
| Year | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Last 12 months | Recalls | Most common issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 ▲50%+ | 270 | 34.7 | 0.86 | 50 | 11 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2020 | 130 | 19.1 | 0.47 | 30 | 7 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2021 | 117 | 20.2 | 0.5 | 40 | 6 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2022 | 37 | 7.7 | 0.19 | 12 | 5 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2023 Fewest complaints | 18 | 4.8 | 0.12 | 4 | 4 ⚠ | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2024 ▲50%+ | 91 | 32.6 | 0.81 | 58 | 13 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
| 2025 Too new to rank | 43 | 24.1 | 0.6 | 37 | 13 | Engine | View › |
| 2026 Too new to rank | 7 | 7.0 | 0.17 | 7 | 8 | Transmission / powertrain | View › |
▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count
Trend · vs. same-year average
Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)
When complaints were filed
Last 12 months: 238 · Previous 12 months: 145 Rising
Problem areas
Transmission / powertrain ›
242 · 33.9% · 2.9 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Engine ›
96 · 13.5% · 0.6 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Electrical ›
92 · 12.9% · 0.82 vs. all vehicles · Within ±30% year on year
Brakes ›
54 · 7.6% · 1.26 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Body & structure ›
52 · 7.3% · 0.8 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Unspecified or other ›
46 · 6.5% · 0.72 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Wheels, tires & suspension
38 · 5.3% · 2.13 vs. all vehicles · Rising
Other
26 · 3.6% · 1.97 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Airbags & seat belts
23 · 3.2% · 0.85 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Lighting
14 · 2.0% · 1.27 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Fuel system
11 · 1.5% · 0.36 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Driver-assist systems
10 · 1.4% · 0.24 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Steering
9 · 1.3% · 0.2 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge
Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 38 months
What owners report
Chrome metal on 3 door handles sticking up. Cut my daughter's fingers and my fingers. Was reported to Ford and local dealer but Ford said I would have to pay out of pocket to replace full handle assemblies. Ford offerred a discount, but it was still expensive.
Chrome metal peeling up on 3 door handles. Started peeling around 39K miles. Cut my fingers and my daughter's fingers. Brought it to local dealer who filed a repair request and Ford said I would have to pay for ful door handle assemblies out of pocket.
While operating my 2019 Ford Ranger under completely normal driving conditions without a heavy payload or trailer, the rear driver-side suspension suffered an instantaneous, catastrophic structural failure.
The vehicle intermittently changes its drive mode on its own, with no input from the driver. This has happened approximately 6 to 12 times. It occurs in two situations.
In the 21 months I have owned this 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat, it has changed driving modes 15-20 times ON ITS OWN. It goes from NORMAL OR ECO all the way to SAND, from 2wd to 4wd lo if I am stopped or 4wd high, (while telling it cannot go to 4lo if I don't…
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · Midsize pickups
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nissan Frontier | 316 | 8.7 | 0.21 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 15 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 2 | Ford Ranger | 713 | 18.8 | 0.47 | Improving | Rising | 41 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 3 | Chevrolet Colorado | 857 | 21.2 | 0.53 | Worsening | Rising | 9 | Transmission / powertrain |
| 4 | Jeep Gladiator | 994 | 25.9 | 0.64 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 18 | Steering |
| 5 | Toyota Tacoma | 965 | 27.2 | 0.67 | Stable | Rising | 15 | Transmission / powertrain |
Recalls by year received
- Campaigns: 41
- Do-not-drive / park-outside: 1
- Over-the-air fix: 0
Safety recalls: 2019 (11) · 2020 (7) · 2021 (6) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (4) · 2024 (13) · 2025 (13) · 2026 (8)
Investigations
- Rearview Camera FMVSS 111 Noncompliance Open
On September 23, 2020, Ford Motor Company (Ford) filed a noncompliance recall report under 49 CFR Part 573 (NHTSA Recall No. 20V-575), recalling 620,246 Model Year (MY) 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles for a noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 111, Rea…