One problem related to engine shut off without warning has been reported for the 2003 Ford Ranger. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Ford Ranger based on all problems reported for the 2003 Ranger.
Engine stalls and won't re-start due to improper activation of the passive anti-theft system (pats) which is faulty. Engine shuts off, no power assist, lights remain functional, anit-theft dashboard light starts to blink. Vehicle will re-start only after removing and re-installing the #19 fuse to re-set the system. It may require several re-sets of thirty or more seconds each, after which the vehicle may run normally for a short distance or up to several months of normal driving. There are folks who shared their similar experiences on-line alerting me to the re-set procedure. I am told the solution to the problem requires the replacement of the power control module, which the pats is part of, and that it is not possible to otherwise disable the pats anti-theft system.