IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKING ON AND OFF. CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *AK
1988 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Ford Ranger do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 144.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ranger years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 8 of 89 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports23 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
89 reportsCONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE, VEHICLE WAS PULL OUT THE ROAD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO ADD. NLM
ALL FOUR OVERLOAD SPRINGS USED ON TWO DIFFERENT PICKUP TRUCKS USED AS PAINTER'S WORK VEHICLES HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. EACH TIME AN EIGHT INCH CHUNK OF HARDENED STEEL SPRING WEIGHING AT LEAST A COUPLE OF POUNDS HAS BLASTED LOOSE RICOCHETING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. SO FAR NONE OF THESE FAILURES HAVE CAUSED ME AN ACC…
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ALL FOUR OVERLOAD SPRINGS USED ON TWO DIFFERENT PICKUP TRUCKS USED AS PAINTER'S WORK VEHICLES HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. EACH TIME AN EIGHT INCH CHUNK OF HARDENED STEEL SPRING WEIGHING AT LEAST A COUPLE OF POUNDS HAS BLASTED LOOSE RICOCHETING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. SO FAR NONE OF THESE FAILURES HAVE CAUSED ME AN ACCIEDNET, BUT WITH A 100% CATOSTROPHIC PRODUCT FAILURE RATE I WOULD IMAGINE OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN AS FORTUNATE. CAMPWAYS SHRUGGED IT OFF WITHOUT INTEREST. BOTH TRUCKS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN USED WELL WITHIN NORMAL URBAN WORK TRUCK PARAMETERS. IN MY OPINION THESE OVERLOAD SSPRINGS PRESENT A CLEAR, POTENTIALLY FATAL VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD.
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN A 1988, FORD TRUCK, RANGER, A FIRESTONE FR480 TIRE , SIZE: P215/70R14, DOT: W2HYFR5106 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON TIRES, AND IT WAS NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT, FIRESTONE CUSTOMER AFFAIRS CONTACTED DEALER WHO REPLACED H…
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WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN A 1988, FORD TRUCK, RANGER, A FIRESTONE FR480 TIRE , SIZE: P215/70R14, DOT: W2HYFR5106 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES ON TIRES, AND IT WAS NOT ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT, FIRESTONE CUSTOMER AFFAIRS CONTACTED DEALER WHO REPLACED HIS TIRE AT MINIMAL COST. *YD
ENGINE RUNS TOO FAST WILL NOT IDLE -AIR COMPRESSER WILL NOT WORK. *AK
INTERMITTENT SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
REAR BRAKES LOCK UP AFTER VEHICLE HAS SET OVERNIGHT AND ESPECIALLY DURING DAMP WEATHER. *AK
MY HUSBAND WAS EAST BOUND ON HWY 90 BY RITZVILLE, WA WHEN HIS FORD RANGER WENT OFF THE ROAD FOR NO REASON (ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AS HE HAD JUST PASSED A TRUCK) THE TRUCK ROLLED, SEAT-BELT FAILED AND HE WAS THROWN FROM THE TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS RANGER AND OUR BRONCO II STALLING OUT AT ROAD SPEEDS. I BELI…
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MY HUSBAND WAS EAST BOUND ON HWY 90 BY RITZVILLE, WA WHEN HIS FORD RANGER WENT OFF THE ROAD FOR NO REASON (ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AS HE HAD JUST PASSED A TRUCK) THE TRUCK ROLLED, SEAT-BELT FAILED AND HE WAS THROWN FROM THE TRUCK. WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS RANGER AND OUR BRONCO II STALLING OUT AT ROAD SPEEDS. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND. ACCORDING TO THE INVESTIGATING POLICEMAN, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK SUCH AS A BLOWN TIRE, BROKEN TIE-ROD, ETC. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURED ON A STRAIGHT STRECH OF ROAD IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON UNDER GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS. I HAVE A NUMBER OF REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT RECIEPTS RELATED TO THIS STALLING PROBLEM. AS WELL AS A BRONCO II THAT STILL STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS! PLEASE HELP BY INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, KEY WAS NOT IN IGNITION AND IT WAS IN GEAR , IT CAUGHT FIRE AND ROLLED ABOUT 50 FT WHERE IT HIT A BUILDING. $ AMOUNT OF DAMGE NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME. *AK
TRANSMISSION VIBRATES AND MAKES A LOT OF NOISE- GEARS SOUND LOOSE. *AK
Official recalls
187V141000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components
Sep 4, 1987
TRUCKS WERE BUILT WITH INCORRECT REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: A TENDENCY FOR REAR BRAKE LOCKUP WOULD EXIST PARTICULARLY DURING HEAVY BRAKE APPLICAION WITH A LIGHTLY LOADED TRUCK. ALSO, INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD BE REQUIRED IF THE BRAKE MODULATION (PUMPING THE BRAKES) IS USED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE DURING A HARD BRAKE STOP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: REPLACE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLIES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2PE92029 · Whl Separation/torque Loss
Opened Mar 16, 1992 · Closed Aug 31, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
EA90042 · Throttle Sticking
Opened Aug 31, 1990 · Closed Dec 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available