Equipment Problems of Ford Ranger - part 1

The transmission in my truck has worked excellently with no sign of wear or degredation in performance, that was until the transmission suddenly began hesitating and slamming into gear. This is a common problem with this vehicle and is reported online incredibly frequently, while this may seem like a simple mechanical issue it did cause a completely lost of power when making a left hand turn which nearly caused me to be t-bone'd by oncoming traffic, and the hard shifting makes throttle response incredibly unpredictable. Please help us with this, there are recalls on the transmission in these trucks in multiple other countries with the chance of death as a consequence being openly stated. Me and my loved ones were almost killed because of this transmission which has widespread problems and needs to be recalled before someone does lose their life. Ford has claimed this to be due to the adaptive learning software in the truck, but coincidentally has also redesigned a critical component in the transmission that causes these types issues three times now, but with zero effort to notify the customer of the risk or to openly address the problem.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford Ranger 🔎.

Rearview camera malfunction. Screen on rearview mirror goes from blue color to blank. The vehicle's air conditioning does not blow cold air. Stays at warm temperature. Cannot hear pump kick on for a/c.

See all problems of the 2020 Ford Ranger 🔎.

I started hearing a ticking sound under the dash on the driver's side. Then it would blow hot air on drivers side and cold air on passenger side whether it was on heat or air conditioning. We also smelt plastic once in awhile. I took it in and was told it was it was the actuator. They replaced that and that took care of the noise but not the 2 different air temps. Took it back and now was told the distribution housing needs to be replaced. I have read on a recall for the hvac system it could catch on fire so the melting plastic smell concerns me.

When I use my back up camera it either goes all black or is distorted to the point where I cannot see what is behind my truck. This occurs randomly when I put the truck in reverse.

Rear camera sometimes freezes or blacks out. Have seen recall notices for this issue on 2024 year models of the same vehicle model but not for the 2020 model.

Approximately 32,000 miles. During that. I've had approximately 10 occasions where I've lost throttle power. It's happened while in turns and inclines. You lose all throttle response for 3 to 5 seconds. Been close to very dangerous a few times because of people behind me when I lost throttle and power. Other issue in both 2024 Rangers we own. On curvy roads. The steering wheel starts sticking it will not reset back to center. This is one going into turns to the left and trying to go back to center. You have to use a lot of pressure to get it back to center like it's binding. Again this is happening in both our 2024 Rangers starting around 7,000 mi on both. Only one has experienced the loss of power so far. I'm seeing a lot of complaints from other owners of the exact same lost power on forums.

See all problems of the 2024 Ford Ranger 🔎.

While driving on the highway the tensioner pulley snapped off from the timing cover. Losing the pulley caused my serpentine belt to become tangled in the radiator fan. My engine over heated and I lost power steering. This left me stranded on the side of the highway for hours. I took the truck to Ford, the origional quote was 3900, but they worked with me and got it down to 1765.

Not sure if this is the correct channel, but here goes my concern. The safety incident has not yet occurred, but the manufacturer has stated it could/may occur if a certain fix is not performed, but are unwilling to issue a recall for said fix, or even produce the parts they say are necessary to implement the fix. I own a 2024 Ford Ranger raptor that Ford has demonstrated has a design flaw in their bed (for vehicles produced before mid sept, 2024) in that it cannot carry more than 88 lbs on the bed rails without the potential for failure. I need to install a topper to protect and secure cargo in the bed which will exceed the 88 lb failure number they state. The fix they say must be implemented is to install 2 Ford supplied load box reinforcement brackets (called j-braces), yet I've been trying to order/obtain said braces for almost 5 months now without success. Ford seems to have given up on producing them as they've been "out of stock" since I purchased my vehicle, and Ford has cancelled my order for them twice now, when I try to submit an order. If the bed fails due to weight above 88 lbs put on the rails while driving, depending on what a failure looks like, it could cause collisions with the affected vehicle, or with other traffic in the vicinity. Ford has been completely unresponsive in issuing a recall so far regarding this known design flaw, yet they redesigned the suspect area mid year to fix the issue on vehicles produced after mid-sept and going forward. Yet they are leaving purchasers of vehicles prior to this time, in a precarious position as they have potential safety concerns that Ford is unwilling to address, or even provide a solution for.

The wrap material on the front driver side and passenger inside door handles is separating and is very sharp. I noticed it a couple of days ago when I went to get out of the vehicle and I reached to open the door, and it sliced open my finger. I told my passenger what had happened, and he checked the passenger side inside door handle, and he said that his was the same way.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford Ranger 🔎.

I was in an area that had received snow and cold temperatures. I started my car to warm it up and began cleaning off the snow. The heat from the rear defroster caused my read window to shatter leaving glass mostly on the exterior of the truck bed but also in the back seat. This is a known problem with Ford model trucks and they refuse to repair the issue or replace my window.

Wiring for back up camera failed and short circuited - will attempt to retain the components for inspection needs. Safety concern - when wire short circuited, it burned the wire at the control module in the dash board, causing the control module to also fail - according the the Ford service advisor at my dealership. Issue was diagnosed and inspected by titus will Ford service center at 11503 pacific hwy sw, lakewood, wa 98499 - phone # (253) 753-1253. No warning lamps/messages/symptoms.

I bought this Ford Ranger and got it last week and went to put a topper on it and you cant - the box rails only hold 80 pounds . You have to install new brackets Ford nose about this but makers buyer pay for it . Please make Ford do a recall on this before someone gets hurt . Thank you.

Apparently the heater box in the 2019 Ranger is prone to warping. This leads to malfunctions in the heat/ac in the cabin. They tell me if I don’t get it replaced I could wind up getting ac instead of heat. This would be a real problem in winter weather, as I may not be able to keep the windshield clear without heat. I saw many complaints about this happening to owners of the 2019 Ford Ranger. The fix is to remove the dashboard to install a new box at a cost of 2200. 00, according to the Ford dealership I bought the truck from.

2019 Ford Rangers were shipped without an engine cover to protect the engine from water intrusion.  this, along with the design of the plastic cowl at the base of the windshield being a 2 piece design with a seam directly over the engine bay, allows water to drain into the engine bay during periods of heavy rain. Water will drain from the windshield into the top of the engine, and begin filling the spark plug wells under the ignition coil boots and into the engine head.  this water intrusion can cause engine misfire codes as well as a loss of power while driving, and on multiple instances while merging into traffic, the engine would bog down.  it wasn't until the most recent occurrence that a check engine light came on.  I immediately pulled into a shop and they found the plug wells were rusted, corroded and full of water from this happening since the day it rolled off the lot in 2019.  I have had an independent mechanic assess the damage as well as had the vehicle towed to a local Ford dealer and they found the same condition- with the only solution to replace the engine head as they are unable to remove the plugs due to the damage caused by the water intrusion. An owner should not have to be concerned with parking or driving a vehicle in the rain and whether it will suddenly lose power while driving at highway speeds.  this is a safety issue that Ford should be forced to take care of.  they are aware of the issue and have been as they have issued multiple service bulletins with a solution for misfires to change plugs and install an engine cover.  an engine cover has no bearing on an engine misfire but it shows Ford knows water is getting into engines and causing these problems. Engine/plugs/coils failed, it is available for inspection. Mine and public safety was at risk when driving as it lost power merging into traffic.   problem has been confirmed by dealer and independent mechanic.   last instance (2/9/24) was first time a cel came on while driving.

Heater box went out due to a defective heater door. This caused the front windshield to ice over and not being able to see other traffic. No warm air would come out of the vents . Heater box was replaced by the dealer at the cost to owner.

Vehicle has 51,532 miles and a blend door actuator needs to be replaced - inconsistent air flow coming in. The desired air wanted whether it be hot or cold, is being diverted incorrectly, so we are not getting a consistent temperature out of the a/c system. This item was recalled previously in the 2019 Ford Ranger.

The two rear brake rotors were 75% rusted through, this truck only had 5,642 miles on it at the time. Brake pedal was soft, went to the floor to stop. Asked local Ford dealer to look at and they wanted to charge me for two rear rotors and brake shoes. I informed them that I thought this would be a factory defect, they determined it wasn’t. This was unexceptable to me. So I took it to dealership where I purchased truck and they agreed that this was a factory defect and replaced. The only reason I’m writing you is due to all the complaints listed on your site for this truck, not one issue about rusted (badly) rotors. Unless this is an issue but just not being found. ? I did read quite a few complaints about soft brake pedals though.

Unintended aceleration veheicle experienced normal stop with no anomaly. Upon release of brakes, experienced reported wide open throttle" brakes were ineffective. Vehicle accelerate thru intersection striking guardrail with significant damage. Wot stopped by shutting of engine. Vehicle currently in repair. Reported event to local dealer service dept, insurance rep and Ford referencing 2010 class action lawsuit for similar events, all claim no knowledge of such an event. Vehicle had no previous reports of similar events.

I was driving over a bridge at 65 mph on a foggy morning a couple weeks ago and my windshield fogged over. I turned on the defroster and it only blew cold air. I could not see and I couldn't clear it. I had to slow down and find a safe spot to pull over. I had to try to wipe down the windshield and then start driving. It did it again and I had to pull over again and wipe and wait for it to clear to be able to drive. It was foggy the next morning and I had to do the same thing all over again. I stopped by a Ford dealer and spoke to someone. He told me, OH yeah we know all about it and so does Ford. The ac heater chamber in the dash breaks. Costs about 2 grand to fix. All the new Rangers do it. This is a safety defect and needs to be recalled by Ford. Thank you.

Ticking sound when I turn off vehicle. Usually did it for about 5 seconds, now it just keeps on ticking and sounds like it is coming from behind glove box area passenger side. Found a lot of same complaints for this year Ranger and they mention the "blend door". If so many complaints shouldn't it be a recall?.

Vehicle presented a blind spot system fault warning and a cross traffic system fault. Immediately after this warning appears the vehicle ac/ heater shutdown, passengers seat belts light came up and radio got frozen. None of the ac/ heater controls worked. Blinkers appears to be advising that the were not working properly. Vehicle rums but everything else regarding DE console stopped working.

On the right of the gas pedal there is plastic molding, the molding protrudes and causes your foot to catch when attempting to take your foot off the gas pedal, this can cause accidents or crashes that could be deadly, by not allowing your foot to reach the brake in a safe manner.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford Ranger 🔎.

The vehicle is shifting rough between 2nd and 3rd gear. It has trouble getting up to speed through intersections.

See related steering problem report. After electronic power steering assist went out on vehicle without warning of any kind to owner, dealer's service department diagnostics as best as I can determine did not indicate a problem with the parts that were replaced. The parts replaced were: 1. Steering gear/rack and pinion/epas (which seems to go by various names), and, when installing this new, expensive, and long-in-coming part didn't get the power steering to work, 2. The battery. The scenario suggests that the root problem was the battery, not the steering gear. A representative of another dealer has advised that the first thing they check in cases involving electronic components is the battery. He also advised that Ford does not have a standard operating procedure or service bulletin that says this is something that is to be done. Can this be? apparently, at least for this vehicle, there was/is no system to check for adequate battery voltage or to warn that electronic components like the power steering may fail if the battery is not replaced. If my research results are correct, the diagnostic trouble codes the Ford dealer repair tech found went to a steering angle sensor in the steering column, and things having to do with the anti-lock brake system. They weren't fixed, but the codes disappeared after the new battery was installed. The diagnostic tools seem to give more misdirection than direction. With so many critical electrical components in today's vehicles, the warning and diagnostic systems seem woefully inadequate. I have read about Fords limiting battery recharging to about 75% and have noted that one of the dtcs involved here, u3003, sets on-demand if the voltage supplies to the abs module falls below 10 volts. I'm a layman, but these things suggest to me that some of the electronic components require substantial minimum operating voltage which an older battery would not supply, and the recharging cap could exacerbate the problem.

Airbag warning light always on.

See all problems of the 2003 Ford Ranger 🔎.

Car has a terrible mold and musky smell in the cabin. Cleaned carpet several times and checked for water in truck smell didn't dissipate. Took to Ford where the linked it to the air condition dripping or gathering. The cleared line and emptied. Smell was milder for short time. After running the air a few days it was getting stronger. Local Ford dealers couldn't see us for some time so we took to outside ac car repair and they found the following issue related to ssm 50603 an improperly wrapped evaporator coil or small leak. Can't run air condition as we were advised smell would increase and possibly ruin carpet. Smell also is difficult to get out of upholstery and anything left in car. Ford dealers won't repair and require us to pay. Told by Ford corporate through chat that dealers are independently owned and it is their choice. This is an issue Ford is aware of but won't repair. No help at the corporate level. This could become larger issue as we don't know what buildup, leak or incorrect wrapped coils could lead to.

This is the second time I'm hearing the climate control system click before I can adjust the temperature gauge. It was replaced less than 1,000 miles ago and it already broke again. You already put notice on the issue, ssm 49264, but it needs to be recalled with better parts. Im afraid ill be having to pay out of pocket if it keeps breaking. Please recall this.

Very simple I believe this car fall into the recall discovered under motor company is issuing a safety recall for select 2019 Ford Ranger vehicles. Affected vehicles had the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or hvac, blower motor replaced from oct. 9 to Nov. 22, 2019, per recall 19534. My car has only 27k miles and ac it’s blowing hot !!! dealer would not repair it because VIN did not “have” a recall but it’s the same exact issue above.

The actuator motor is not working. This is a common complaint of the 2019 Ford Ranger and is noted in Ford's ssm 49264. Certainly a service bulletin identifying a need to replace the entire climate control housing assembly is worthy of a recall. This truck has 23, 000 miles on it and is just out of warranty.

My vehicle's heater stopped working mid-drive. I heard a loud pop sound and then the air that came out of the vent was room temperature. I pulled over and stopped the vehicle. Waited a minute and restarted it. The temperature did not change. I was driving on highway 80 over donner pass in the sierra mountains. The temperature was very cold and my window began fogging up. I then had to continue my drive by wiping my windshield from the inside with a rag every 15 seconds or so to maintain visibility enough to drive. As the snow was coming down and it was getting dark, I needed to keep going as it would have been too cold to stay in the vehicle and wait out the storm. Now, driving the vehicle is hazardous because I do not have proper defrosting capability. I took it to a dealership and they estimated roughly $4000 in repairs to fix the issue. The car is barely 3 years old.

Heading back from picking up meal at pizza hut when "pop" sound from front of truck and then cabin filled with smoke. Within 20-30 seconds of exiting the car it was in flames (see attached photos) recall notification was never sent to current owner and current owner didnt own in 2009 when it was first recalled. Ford customer service informed that auto insurnace would be required to handle loss of vehicle, but current owner doesnt have comprehensive coverage so insurance company is unable to payout for loss due to fire. This recall should have been communicated to titled owner after purchase.

See all problems of the 1996 Ford Ranger 🔎.

The spare tire fell off the vehicle, including the hoist, while driving down the road. The frame crossmember holding the hoist is rotted through, with virtually no other rust anywhere else on the body and frame. Yes, you can come see it at any time. I have not bothered taking it to a dealership. Since no property damage occured, I did not call the police. Unable to find a replacement crossmember- this vehicle is now out of service, as only the bumper and bed mounts are holding the rear frame together.

See all problems of the 2011 Ford Ranger 🔎.

At 200k miles I got an air bag light on my guage cluster. The blinking code corresponded to a bad connection at the clockspring. I also noticed my cruise control and horn were also inoperable, also an indicator of a bad clockspring. Ford part number 1l5z-14a664-ab is the replacement part and is currently unavailable, for the last 6 months. This part covers a few different models and has been exhausted by the dealers when correcting the airbag recall. The dealer can not give me a date on a replacement part.

See all problems of the 2005 Ford Ranger 🔎.

There is a known issue with 2019 and some 2020 model year Ford Rangers. The Ford ssm is #50629. I have been waiting for a Ford service center to fix this issue for 3 months. This issue does not allow for the heater to work properly. Because of that, the defroster and defog doesn't work. This allows for limited or zero visibility through the windshield and side windows in winter conditions that require defrost or defog. I have to had to pull over and scrape ice off my windshield on short trips. Also, this winter has had some of the coldest days on record. Reaching in the -20f range. Having no heat at a time like this could possibly result in frostbite or hypothermia. I use my vehicle as sparingly as possible this winter, but there are times I absolutely need to drive around.

Frame front and rear are rusted to the point the vehicle is no longer roadworthy. The truck only has 68,410 miles on it.

See all problems of the 2006 Ford Ranger 🔎.