2019 Ford Ranger Problems & Owner Complaints
Age-normalised, this year draws ~32.8 complaints per year on the road — ranking 1 of 3 Ford Ranger years we track (1 = most complaints per year).
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What owners report
Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Ford Ranger, cited in 89 of 262 filed complaints (34%).
Electrical System is next (39 complaints, 15%), followed by Engine (26), Service Brakes (20), Suspension (17).
Across all complaints, 13 report a crash, 2 report a fire, 6 report injuries.
The most safety-critical cluster is Seat Belts: 2 crash, 3 injury report(s).
Complaints by vehicle system
Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2019 Ford Ranger, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 262.
Power Train 89 3 crash 1 injury
“LEASED THE RANGER IN OCTOBER OF 2019. FROM THEN UNTIL NOW THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 6 INSTANCES WHERE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER HAS BEEN PLACED IN PARK, BUT THE TRUCK HAS FREELY ROLLED AWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY, WHILE PARKED ON A BUSY STREET, IN A CROWDED PARKING GARAGE IN DENVER, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER PLACES. I'VE BEEN LUCKY EACH TIME IT ROLLED AWAY IN AN AREA CROWDED WITH PEDESTRIANS OR TRAFFIC HEAVY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND JUMP BACK IN AND PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, WITHOUT SOMEONE GETTING RUN OVER. IN THE PARKING GARAGE A FRIEND OF MINE WOULD HAVE BEEN PINNED BET…”
NHTSA complaint #11320829, 2020 · crash · 1 injury(ies)
“Manufacture defected valve cover allows water to gather and leak into coils causing vehicle to shut down at highway speeds ! This is EXTREMELY dangerous and FORD admitted knowing of the issue and even has an active internal fix but demands payment to fix issue. My service advisor said Ford has known of this issue but would only repair if the customer pays for it. Please take this matter under heavy consideration as I nearly lost my life on [XXX] . I have personally read over 7300 online complaints of similar findings from not only Ford Ranger owners , but mechanics from private shops to Ford c…”
NHTSA complaint #11590042, 2024 · crash
“TAKATA RECALL- I WAS RECENTLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT WITH MY 2019 FORD RANGER AND WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE WOULD NOT APPLY SO I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE BRAKE AND WOULD NOT APPLY AS I APPROACHED THE OTHER VEHICLE THE PRECOLLISON ASSIST TURNED ON AND STILL NOTHING AS I HELD THE BRAKES DOWN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT”
NHTSA complaint #11193956, 2019 · crash
Electrical System 39 2 crash 1 fire
“On Jan 04,2022 while flat towing my truck behind my motorhome it caught fire and burned to the ground. It was too badly burned for the insurance to make a determination of the cause. However, it started in the engine compartment. I know it was not a bad tire because all tires were inflated until the fire popped them. I was able to get the truck disconnected from the RV and know that it remain in Neutral with nothing seized up like the transmission or brakes because the truck rolled on its own once it was disconnected and had to be chocked. I had followed all the proper procedures and my key…”
NHTSA complaint #11450843, 2022 · fire
“I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND TRYING TO STOP TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE SYSTEM INDICATED COLLISION DETECTION WAS ENGAGED; HOWEVER, THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP AND THERE WAS A WRECK.”
NHTSA complaint #11193771, 2019 · crash
“TAKATA RECALL- I WAS RECENTLY IN A CAR ACCIDENT WITH MY 2019 FORD RANGER AND WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE WOULD NOT APPLY SO I CONTINUED TO PUMP THE BRAKE AND WOULD NOT APPLY AS I APPROACHED THE OTHER VEHICLE THE PRECOLLISON ASSIST TURNED ON AND STILL NOTHING AS I HELD THE BRAKES DOWN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT”
NHTSA complaint #11193956, 2019 · crash
Unknown Or Other 33 3 crash 1 fire
“On Jan 04,2022 while flat towing my truck behind my motorhome it caught fire and burned to the ground. It was too badly burned for the insurance to make a determination of the cause. However, it started in the engine compartment. I know it was not a bad tire because all tires were inflated until the fire popped them. I was able to get the truck disconnected from the RV and know that it remain in Neutral with nothing seized up like the transmission or brakes because the truck rolled on its own once it was disconnected and had to be chocked. I had followed all the proper procedures and my key…”
NHTSA complaint #11450843, 2022 · fire
“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”
NHTSA complaint #11561429, 2023 · crash
“I was slowly pulling forward, parking my vehicle. I pressed the brakes and they did not engage. I pumped my brakes and my foot was down to the floor with no brake activity and an involuntary acceleration occurred causing me to crash into a brick wall. Fortunately, I was the only person injured in the crash. The police were called and my vehicle was towed to be repaired. It was inspected by my insurance company. I called Ford several times to ask that the vehicle be inspected by a Ford investigator to determine why the brakes failed and the involuntary acceleration occurred. They misdirec…”
NHTSA complaint #11452558, 2022 · crash
Engine 26 1 crash
“Manufacture defected valve cover allows water to gather and leak into coils causing vehicle to shut down at highway speeds ! This is EXTREMELY dangerous and FORD admitted knowing of the issue and even has an active internal fix but demands payment to fix issue. My service advisor said Ford has known of this issue but would only repair if the customer pays for it. Please take this matter under heavy consideration as I nearly lost my life on [XXX] . I have personally read over 7300 online complaints of similar findings from not only Ford Ranger owners , but mechanics from private shops to Ford c…”
NHTSA complaint #11590042, 2024 · crash
“I was driving the vehicle, when I started to fell a " Shuddering " sensation on acceleration. I let off the gas pedal and the Shuddering went away. A few miles down the road the check engine light came on and was flashing. I immediately pulled and shut the vehicle off. After sitting for 10 minutes I restarted the vehicle and the check engine light was no longer on, but the " Shuddering " sensation was still present. I took it to Dupratt Ford in Auburn,Ca. and they diagnosed it as a Cylinder 1 mis-fire. Upon further inspection they found water in the Cylinder 1 spark plug well. After doing some…”
NHTSA complaint #11747696, 2026
“The brakes failed within hours of owning the Certified, WARRANTIED VEHICLE. ALMOST had an accident. Within <5 weeks of owning this warrantied certified vehicle, was stranded on Rine Ridge Indian Reservation and on the highway. Engine jerk so bad feels like I a derby car. Then just stalls. The dont comply with their own 172 point certified inspection. They claim two keys for specified vehicle. They gave me two 1 starts the vehicle the other errors no key in ignition when you insert into ignition. NOW I have to pay bills to get a warrantied certified vehicle repaired plus loaner car because For…”
NHTSA complaint #11735236, 2026
Service Brakes 20 5 crash
“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”
NHTSA complaint #11561429, 2023 · crash
“PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE TO THE FLOOR AND MY FOOT THEN ENGAGED THE GAS PEDAL ALSO. THE RANGER LUNGED FORWARD AND I HIT A STORE SIGN. I HAVE HAD TWO INSTANCES OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHILE BRAKING, ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. ONLY HAVE 950 MILES ON IT. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS A LOT OF TRAVEL BEFORE ENGAGING. FORD NEEDS TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THIS.”
NHTSA complaint #11257222, 2019 · crash
“WHEN YOU FULLY DEPRESS THE BREAK PEDAL YOU CAN FULLY ENGAGE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT 2 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE. ON 8/22/19 SHORTLY AFTER NOON I HAD RETURNED FROM SIOUX FALLS TO HOME . AS USUAL I ENTERED THE GARAGE LETTING THE IDLE CARRY ME IN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I CAME TO A STOP BEFORE THE PARKING STOP. I STARTED TO RELEASE THE BRAKE TO MOVE UP TO THE STOP. THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WENT OVER THE STOP AND INTO THE FREEZER AND REFRIGERATOR PUSHING THEN INTO THE WALL BEFORE I COULD STOP. I WAS THE ONLY WITNESS, ALTHOUGH MY WIFE HEARD THE I…”
NHTSA complaint #11254253, 2019 · crash
Suspension 17
“Weak steel from connection point of rear leaf springs failed, leaving the springs unconnected at front eye of connection point”
NHTSA complaint #11752638, 2026
“I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2019 Ford Ranger because I discovered what I believe to be a serious safety defect involving the rear leaf spring mounting system. My vehicle has approximately 55,000 miles and has been used primarily as a commuter vehicle for driving to and from work in the city. The truck is originally from Virginia and has very minimal rust exposure. While replacing my rear brake pads, I noticed that the area where the rear leaf spring connects to the body/frame of the truck had broken away and was no longer properly attached. This was completely unexpected. A c…”
NHTSA complaint #11745640, 2026
“Rear rear leaf spring broken/cracked completely and disconnected from vehicle. The vehicle was unsafe to drive as the axle was not not connected to the vehicle on one side. The defective component was inspected by Firestone Auto and submitted and approved by SilverRock automotive for warranty replacement and is currently at a Ford Dealership completing repairs because Firestone Auto failed to complete the repair properly. There were no warning lamps or messages and it the problem was only noticeable when the vehicle was on a lift or floor jack. The incident is unknown and it the broken par…”
NHTSA complaint #11733822, 2026
Visibility 16
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the temperature failed to adjust as needed. The contact stated that the damper was stuck. The heater was continuously blowing out hot air on the driver's side. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V726000 (Visibility). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 25,152.”
NHTSA complaint #11645473, 2025
“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11574078, 2024
“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…”
NHTSA complaint #11552889, 2023
Exterior Lighting 14
“My complaint isn't about my vehicle. My complaint pertains to pickup truck and SUV lighting. The lighting on these vehicles have become so bright that they blind oncoming drivers. In addition, I was recently blinded by the lights on a lifted pickup truck, that was following behind me. The lights on these vehicles have become so bright that they present a hazard to other drivers. This hazard is made worse when the vehicles are lifted (body or big wheels). Please consider taking action to address this problem.”
NHTSA complaint #11701278, 2025
“My tail lights just stopped working. I didn't know that they were out until someone behind me told me that they were out. I didn't have any collision, nothing like that. I called the Ford Dealership and they told me to bring it in so that they can see what the problem is. They have been having issues with tail lights just going out.”
NHTSA complaint #11666884, 2025
“I took this vehicle in on 5-19-2020 for recall (19543/NSTSA Recall 19V-839). Local dealership removed skid plate, inspection/pass. Over the next 3 yrs. the p/u was taken in because of battery drainage & then battery replacement. May 2024 it was taken in as all the rear lights stopped working (exactly what was stated in the recall letter would happen). Was told at the time that the topper, which a very reputable dealer put on, did the wiring wrong so I was charged over $1300 for repairing the wiring. The topper was put on in 2019, recall was 2020, and nothing was found then. An inspection was d…”
NHTSA complaint #11621949, 2024
Vehicle Speed Control 12 1 crash
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in the driveway and depressing the brake pedal to make a turn, the vehicle lunged forward and accelerated unintendedly. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal until the vehicle responded as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The contact stated while her husband was in the process of parking the…”
NHTSA complaint #11648177, 2024 · crash
“Truck looses gear when pulling into traffic. It will shift out of gear and only allow coasting. At speeds of 40 MPH and higher it will down shift causing dramatic reduced speed with no brake warning to other drivers behind. It will also randomly loose power. It will have delayed shifts squealing tires upon shifting and excessive jerking that is uncontrollable.”
NHTSA complaint #11704234, 2025
“The ten-speed transmission "10R80" has Rough and harsh shifting, "upshifts and downshifts," which sometimes causes the vehicle to lunge forward unexpectedly. The dealer has reprogrammed the transmission twice with no change.”
NHTSA complaint #11644508, 2025
Fuel/Propulsion System 9 1 crash
“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”
NHTSA complaint #11561429, 2023 · crash
“My 2019 Ford Ranger 4x4 was bought new in April of 2019 and has approxiamatly 73,400 miles. Over time a slight glitch in the transission got to be more frequent. When first starting out within the first mile of operation, the vehicle would hang between gears and act like it ran out of fuel for a few seconds at low speed, as in pulling out from a stop sign or accelerating from a dead stop. My guess is inbetween first and second or second and third gear. It just wouldn'd go. Fortunatley I was not involved in any accidents. I can see where this could easily cause a mjor accident. There ar…”
NHTSA complaint #11693113, 2025
“When turning on to another road and accelerating, engine will suddenly loose all power. releasing accelerator will regain some power until vehicle speed increases. Throttle control is often erratic and transmission shifting is inconsistent resulting in hard clunks during shift. Pulling into traffic with a sudden loss of power leaves me vulnerable to a collision.”
NHTSA complaint #11636744, 2024
Seats 9 1 fire 2 injury
“As I was driving down the road I began I started to smell something unusual - in a way it smelled like burning plastic and/or anti-freeze. I then began to feel quite a bit more heat than usual on my lower back, so much I knew something was wrong. I pulled my truck over, got out and as soon as I got out my heated seat started producing smoke where I believe the main heated seat coil is. Within seconds a flame burst out from the seat. I luckily had a drink in my cup holder that I reached over to grab & pour out on the flame. It kept smoking after I dumped the liquid on it. I then grabbed a water…”
NHTSA complaint #11484582, 2022 · fire · 1 injury(ies)
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the heated seat overheated to the point where the contact received severe burns along the back down to the back of the legs. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11492858, 2022 · 1 injury(ies)
“I HAD NOTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT THE BACK OS THE BACK SEAT WOULD NOT LATCH LEAVING IT TO SWING FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND SLAMMING BACK WHEN ACCELERATING. WHEN I CHECKED THE LATCH I COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MY TRUCK INTO CAPITAL FORD IN CARSON CITY FOR SOME OTHER PROBLEM AND ASKED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEAT PROBLEM. AFTER OTHER REPAIRS WERE DONE, MY SERVICE ADVISOR, JOSEPH CONROY ADVISED ME THAT THE REPAIR OF THE SEAT WOULD COST APPROX. $400-$500. CONROY ALSO RELATED THAT THE LATCH PART WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PART TO FAIL AN…”
NHTSA complaint #11664884, 2024
Back Over Prevention 8 1 crash
“While backing up out of a parking space, my BLIS system did not give me a warning letting me know there was a pole to my left side...finally, it beeped just once as I backed into the pole...no other warning. Estimate of repair is $4900. My neighbor was with me and can confirm everything”
NHTSA complaint #11689959, 2025 · crash
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the backup camera initially projected three lines at the bottom of the screen, distorting the driver’s vision. The contact stated that over time, the camera displayed a blank or distorted image, and the message "Camera Not Accessible" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the backup camera was reset. The reset initially repaired the failure; however, the failure returned soon after the reset. The contact made two attempts to reach the manufacturer, but the call was disconnected each time. The vehi…”
NHTSA complaint #11697140, 2025
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V442000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION); however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a black screen while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure had obstructed the driver's visibility, which prevented the driver from safely operating the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made…”
NHTSA complaint #11687940, 2025
Visibility/Wiper 8
“Known issue with 2019 Ford Rangers where they've issued a safety recall on SOME, but not ALL Rangers in that year. Related to SSM [XXX]: 2019-2020 Ranger - Climate Control Temperature Will Not Adjust With Clicking/Snapping Noise From The Dash - Built On Or Before 30-Jul-2020. Related to recall 19S34. There is an online thread with over 20 pages on [XXX] [XXX] ) where numerous people have reported this issue where one side no longer has A/C. This is dangerous as A/C is required in the winter to help dehumidify the air before it goes across the heater core to defrost the windshield. Ford do…”
NHTSA complaint #11571946, 2024
“The climate control system on my 2019 Ford Ranger has a recurring failure that prevents the vehicle from properly adjusting temperature or directing air through the vents. The failure causes a constant clicking/snapping noise behind the dashboard, and the blend door does not move when the temperature is changed. This malfunction matches Ford’s published SSM 49264, which identifies a known defect in 2019–2020 Rangers built on or before 7/30/2020 and states that the entire HVAC housing assembly must be replaced. This issue creates a safety hazard because the truck cannot reliably defrost the wi…”
NHTSA complaint #11704505, 2023
“Climate control temperature system failed and would not adjust. A clicking/snapping noise was present under the dash when attempting to control climate and defrost. Ford verified the failure of the climate control system and stated that I the original owner, [XXX], must personally pay for labor and parts to replace the climate control housing assembly to resolve the failed climate control system and achieve functional defrost. The vehicle went in for inspection at Jim Click Ford (6244 E 22nd St; Tucson AZ 85711; +1-520-570-7301) on the March 29th, 2023 and the repair was completed on Apri…”
NHTSA complaint #11515754, 2023
Seat Belts 7 2 crash 3 injury
“Airbags: passenger rear and front side airbags did not deploy after being struck on the passenger side by another vehicle. Seatbelts: were ineffective Vehicle was sold due to system failures and equipment issues. Safety: Head and body trauma due to non deployment. Inspection: Unknown No system messages before collision”
NHTSA complaint #11723752, 2024 · crash · 3 injury(ies)
“Possible Drivers side seat belt problem on 2019 Ford Ranger. Incident occurred on Monday 12/20/202, ABOUT 9:20 AM. After rounding a corner at low speed I hit a patch of ice and, spinning about 90 degrees, ran head on into a very tall power pole, anchored to its concrete base with many very large bolts. This stopped me. No damage to the post. Air bags did not deploy, but I was thrust forward, hitting the steering wheel hard. I bruised my chest, not visibly, in the sternum area. I think my seat belt must have failed. The force on the belt ripped the plastic paneling covering it from the sidew…”
NHTSA complaint #11444639, 2021 · crash
“My seat belt buckle stopped working (part number KB3Z-2161203-AB) and despite the fact that my truck is less than 5 years old and has less than 60K miles on it Ford's service system says this part is not covered under the 5 year 60K mile Safety Restraint System nor the Premium Care extended warranties I have on the truck. Documentation for the warranties suggests it does but the system the Ford service techs use says no. When I've escalated to Customer Care, they claim "there is nothing they can do." Ford Protect (warranty department) says the same thing. A helpful Ford tech on the in…”
NHTSA complaint #11564753, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling 5
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the check engine warning light started flashing off and on, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that there was water inside the cylinders, causing a misfire. The contact was advised that the spark plugs, and coil packs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was advised to have an engine cover installed to prevent the water intrusion from reoccurring. The conta…”
NHTSA complaint #11657875, 2025
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, there was smoke was coming from the rear of the vehicle. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with coolant intrusion into the cylinder, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The repair was pending. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11653466, 2025
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that there was a misfire in the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that there was water build up in the spark plug wells, and there were signs of corrosion on electrical component. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact about Technical Service Bulletin Number: 23-2011 and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11615587, 2024
Steering 5
“The steering wheel is loose. I tried to get my truck aligned and was told they weren’t able to do it because of the steering wheel being loose”
NHTSA complaint #11569699, 2023
“Owner, who had bought the truck new approx. 3 1/2 years earlier, had driven about three miles on dry, paved, residential, hilly, roads and was returning to where he was staying when he came upon a waiting line of cars. He turned around to go a different way. Coming to a slight curve the power steering (EPAS) went out. Struggling to make the curve, the power assist kicked in and jolted him off the right side of the road. Had the curve been to the left, the truck may have been thrust into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Owner then slowly soldiered on, with the truck making an intermittent noise…”
NHTSA complaint #11533082, 2023
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist failed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The contact called an independent mechanic and was also given an estimate for the repair. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion steering assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the fa…”
NHTSA complaint #11507027, 2023
Air Bags 4 2 crash 3 injury
“Airbags: passenger rear and front side airbags did not deploy after being struck on the passenger side by another vehicle. Seatbelts: were ineffective Vehicle was sold due to system failures and equipment issues. Safety: Head and body trauma due to non deployment. Inspection: Unknown No system messages before collision”
NHTSA complaint #11723752, 2024 · crash · 3 injury(ies)
“The contact owned a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a cow. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and severe front-end damage had occurred but no airbags deployed. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 54,000. Vehicle has been totaled State Farm with Claim number [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT…”
NHTSA complaint #11454892, 2022 · crash
“Restraints indicator lamp warning. Air bag warning is on due to a problem with the front passenger side airbag. The front passenger airbag may not function.”
NHTSA complaint #11726607, 2023
Forward Collision Avoidance 4
“The vehicle is experiencing a severe power train failure involving erratic and violent gear selection. The transmission unexpectedly jumps from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gear directly up to 7th or 8th gear, resulting in a total loss of acceleration. This is immediately followed by the transmission "slamming" down into lower gears, usually 1st or 2nd gear without driver input. This behavior is accompanied by a strong burning smell and a dashboard "wrench" warning light. The symptoms match the manufacturing defect documented in Ford TSB 24-2101 (CDF clutch drum). Diagnosis & Manufacturer Response: The i…”
NHTSA complaint #11713793, 2025
“Once the "Maintenace Required" message is displayed on the "multi-information display" (shortly prior to standard maintenance intervals), it is permanently displayed . Once the message is displayed, "meter control switches" no longer function (until reset by dealer maintenance). Enabling any ADAS feature (if not enabled) is impossible as this requires using the "meter control switches." While stopped (or not), resetting the "message indicating maintenance" procedure in the user manual does not work (page 447 in [XXX] ) as it requires functional "meter control switches": ■Resetting the messag…”
NHTSA complaint #11639405, 2025
“This is not the first time, but I will randomly get a collision warning while I am driving my car. The last incident happened on a 2 lane road with no traffic within visible distance in front of me. It was early in the morning with the sun ahead of the vehicle (approx 7am) and the collision warning indicator came on for no reason. This has happened before. Another incident occurred when I was turning right onto an on ramp and there was a car traveling next to me (who would continue straight) and the warning was going off for no reason. These incidents are extremely dangerous as the flash…”
NHTSA complaint #11452789, 2022
Lane Departure 4 1 crash
“While backing up out of a parking space, my BLIS system did not give me a warning letting me know there was a pole to my left side...finally, it beeped just once as I backed into the pole...no other warning. Estimate of repair is $4900. My neighbor was with me and can confirm everything”
NHTSA complaint #11689959, 2025 · crash
“Once the "Maintenace Required" message is displayed on the "multi-information display" (shortly prior to standard maintenance intervals), it is permanently displayed . Once the message is displayed, "meter control switches" no longer function (until reset by dealer maintenance). Enabling any ADAS feature (if not enabled) is impossible as this requires using the "meter control switches." While stopped (or not), resetting the "message indicating maintenance" procedure in the user manual does not work (page 447 in [XXX] ) as it requires functional "meter control switches": ■Resetting the messag…”
NHTSA complaint #11639405, 2025
“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.”
NHTSA complaint #11549414, 2023
Wheels 4
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a tire rotation, the contact was informed that the tires were unable to be rebalanced due to swollen lug nuts. The vehicle was then taken to Goodyear, who was also unable to rotate the tires. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11673996, 2025
“The spare tire is held tight against the under body of the pickup bed with a chain crank. The gear mechanism that raises and lowers the tire slowly released the tire to the point that edge of the tire (presumably due to bumps in the road) contacted the pavement. The tire became almost vertical and at a right angle to the direction of the vehicle. An estimated 4 miles was drive before the driver became aware of the problem when an observant motorcyclist motioned the vehicle over. The tire was very hot where it contacted the pavement but had not yet ignited. The tire was roped to the frame to k…”
NHTSA complaint #11424695, 2021
“2019 FORD RANGER PURCHASED NOV. 2019 HAS 18,00 MILES. TIRES WEARING OUT ON INSIDE FRONT TIRES. BROUGHT TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT, BUT THEY WERE BUSY, TOOK IT TO NEARBY SHOP AND THEY ALIGNED IT, BUT SAID IT WAS NOT THAT OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THEY CHECKED THE TIRES AND STATED THAT ALL 4 TIRES WERE SEPARATED.”
NHTSA complaint #11348622, 2020
Structure 3
“Hood/cowling along the windshield allows water to leak under the hood of the vehicle and wets the coils and plugs causing the engine to mis fire and shutter violently. This engine mis fire and sudden lack of power can cause the vehicle to obstruct the flow of traffic resulting in an accident. Problem was reproduced by the dealer and they replace coils, plugs, and installed an accessory engine cover to prevent the issue in the future. All at my cost. The problem remains that there are many Ford Rangers on the road unaware of this problem. This problem is documented in a Ford TSB but a more…”
NHTSA complaint #11702847, 2025
“CORROSION PROBLEMS ON THE CHASSIS WILL BE CORRECTED BY DELAER. IT IS NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE OF THIS MODEL THAT I SEE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE MORE PHOTOS.”
NHTSA complaint #11339852, 2020
“CHASSIS CORROSION PROBLEMS. DEALER TRADED THE UNIT FOR ANOTHER. NOTE SEVERAL WITH THE SAME CORROSION PROBLEM.”
NHTSA complaint #11339851, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 2
“SOMETIMES TRUCK STAYS IN GEAR AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK. HAS ROLLED FORWARD AFTER I EXITED THE VEHICLE. LANE KEEP ASSIST HAS MISJUDGED LANE & TURNED THE WHEELS SHARPLY CAUSING UNWANTED LANE CHANGE. PRE COLLISION WARNING OFTEN SOUNDS ALARMS & SHOWS VISUAL WARNINGS WITH NO TRAFFIC NEARBY, THE SYSTEM HAS EMERGENCY BRAKING & I'M AFRAID OF IT APPLYING BRAKES WHEN I'M ON THE INTERSTATE. CRASH DETECTED AUDIBLE & VISUAL WARNINGS OFTEN APPEAR WHEN THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A CRASH. DRIVER'S DOOR MIRROR IS NOT SECURE, VIBRATES/RATTLES WHEN TRUCK IS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. FRONT & REAR DIFFERENTIALS MAKE GRINDING N…”
NHTSA complaint #11298310, 2019
“THE TRUCK WILL DISPLAY A WARNING ON THE DASH AS WELL AS MAKE AUDIBLE WARNINGS SAYING THAT A CAMERA IN THE GRILLE IS BLOCKED OR MALFUNCTIONING. ANOTHER WARNING THAT ALSO HAPPENS A LOT IS SOMETHING SAYING THAT A CRASH HAS BEEN DETECTED, IT HAS LOUD CHIMES THAT GO OFF AS WELL AS A FLASHING RED DISPLAY ON DASH. THE PRE COLLISION WARNING ALSO FREQUENTLY ALERTS WITH VISUAL AND AUDIBLE WARNINGS. ALL OF THESE WILL HAPPEN AT ANY RANDOM TIME, AND OF ALL THE COUPLE DOZEN TIMES THESE WARNINGS HAVE HAPPENED THERE HASN'T BEEN A SINGLE TIME THAT THERE WAS ANY TRAFFIC NEARBY, NOR WAS THERE ANYTHING BLOCKING A…”
NHTSA complaint #11289089, 2019
Tires 2
“The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger equipped with Dunlop Tires. Tire Line: AT2O, Tire Size : 265/65R17 110HI, DOT number DAAH D31R. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the passenger-side rear tire blew out. The thread separated and was on the roadway. The contact was able to continue to drive. The contact called a tire center, but they failed to respond. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The tire mileage was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11738570, 2026
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 FORD RANGER EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE TIRES, TIRE LINE: DESERT DUELER II, TIRE SIZE: 255/65/17, DOT NUMBER: (UNAVAILABLE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES, HE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL AND TREAD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. MYERS FORD CO INC LOCATED AT 13959 SPOTSWOOD TRAIL, ELKTON, VA 22827, (540) 298-1271) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED TO REPL…”
NHTSA complaint #11366997, 2020
How we read this (methodology)
How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2019 Ford Ranger draws about 32.8 complaints per year on the road, ranking 1 of 3 among the Ford Ranger model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).
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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.