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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

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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 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2000
Electrical System

THIS PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPING FIRST OCCURRED DURING THE SUMMER OF 1990. I WAS ON INTERSTATE 70 DRIVING TO IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ENGINE SHUTDOWNS THAT HAVE OCCURREDS CONTINUALLY SINCE THAT FIRST INCIDENT. THE SHUTDOWNS HAVE OCCURRED AT SPEEDS RANGING…

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THIS PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPING FIRST OCCURRED DURING THE SUMMER OF 1990. I WAS ON INTERSTATE 70 DRIVING TO IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THIS WAS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ENGINE SHUTDOWNS THAT HAVE OCCURREDS CONTINUALLY SINCE THAT FIRST INCIDENT. THE SHUTDOWNS HAVE OCCURRED AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 25 MPH TO 75 MPH. THE USUALLY HAVE OCCURRED AT THE HIGHER SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY DURING WARMER WEATHER, BUT THEY HAVE ALSO OCCURRED AT LOWER SPEEDS IN THE CITY---ALTHOUGH LESS FREQUENTLY. WHEN I FIRST CHECKED WITH A MECHANIC ABOUT THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE FUEL FILTER. REPLACING THESE DID NOT SOLVE IT. I ALSO HAD THE VEHICLE TUNED HOPING THAT WOULD SOLVE IT. SEVERAL TUNE UPS HAVE NOT HELPED. FINALLY, IN 1996 I WAS TOLD BY A FORD TRRAINED TECHICIAN WHOM I MET WHILE ON VACATION THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE TFI MODULE. JUST THIS SEPTEMBER I DECIDED TO HAVE THE UNIT REPLACE ( I HAD FOUND A GOOD FORD TRAINED MECHANIC WHOM I HAD BEEN TAKING THE VEHICLE TO FOR SERVICING AND A MINOR REPAIR THE PAST YEAR). HE REPLACED THE ORGINAL TFI MODULE AND THE STATOR ASSEMBLY WITH FORD FACTORY PARTS---TFI MODULE E6SZ-12A297-A AND THE STATOR ASSEMBLY E8PZ-12A112-A). TWO DAYS AFTER REPLACING THESE PARTS THE ENGINE QUITE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH IN DOWNTOWN BOULDER, CO. I DID NOT LEARN THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN WAS THE RESULT OF THE TFI MODULE GETTING TOO HOT UNTIL I READ ABOUT THE PROBLEM IN THE NEWSPAPER. THE APPARENT CAUSE OF THE SHUTDOWNS IS THAT THE TFI MODULE IS MOUNTED TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THAT AFTER 1995 FORD MOVED THE UNIT TO UNDERNEATH THE FENDER AWAY FROM ENGINE. I READ ABOUT THE JUDGE IN CALIFORNIA WHO ORDER A RECALL OF ALL FORD VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM (AUG 8, 2000) I WROTE FORD AND ASKED FOR A REFUND OF THE MONEY I SPENT REPLACING THE UNIT. I ALSO REQUESTED THAT IF REPLACING THE UNIT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT FORD SHOULD MAKE THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS TO FIX IT

NHTSA ODI #734940

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2000
Visibility

BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRRORS FAILED AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TENSION ADJUSTMENT TO PREVENT THE MIRRORS FROM BEING BLOWN BACK TO A USELESS POSITION. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT JUST TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD EVERY 1988-1989 FORD RANGER OUTFITTED WITH…

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BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE MIRRORS FAILED AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE REPLACED THEM TWICE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TENSION ADJUSTMENT TO PREVENT THE MIRRORS FROM BEING BLOWN BACK TO A USELESS POSITION. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. BUT JUST TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD EVERY 1988-1989 FORD RANGER OUTFITTED WITH THE BLACK ABS PLASTIC "FLAG" STYLE MIRROR HAS THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721376

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2000
Visibility

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN THE REARVIEW MIRROR LOST TENSION AND FELL OFF. CONTACTED DEALER WHO KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. MIRROR WAS ATTACHED WITH TWO SCREWS. HAS BEEN REPLACED 9 TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856169

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 1999
Electrical System

IGNITION SWITCH IS VERY WARM TO THE TOUCH AFTER OPERATION. I UNDERSTAND SOME FORDS WITH THIS SWITCH HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT MINE. WHY? *AK

NHTSA ODI #716281

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 1999
Seat Belts

THE SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT RETRACT AFTER YOU LEAN FORWARD,LEAVING IT LOOSE AND USELESS AS A RESTRAINT .

NHTSA ODI #709792

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NOTICE (98E01000) FOR REPAIRS FOR BRAKE ROTOR FAILURE. HOWEVER, TWO RECALLS WERE DONE AND IT DOES NOT SHOW THAT IT HAS BEEN DONE. *YC

NHTSA ODI #547206

Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE VALVE LIFTER IS MAKING A LOUD TAPPING NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #839498

Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE LINES BURST TWICE IN A 2-YEAR PERIOD.BOTH COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS.THE PROBLEM OCCERS WHEN BRAKING HARD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #702868

Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 1998
Service Brakes, HydraulicVisibilityFire

DRV DOOR PWR WINDOW WON'T STAY UP\PASS SIDE PWR WINDOW WON'T GO DOWN . REAR DRV SIDE BRAKE SHOES WORN OFF {STUCK IN THE STOP POS ?} CAUSING SMOKE

NHTSA ODI #700270

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

SILICONE GASKET MATERIAL DETERIORATES AND CLOGS OIL PUMP PICKUP.

NHTSA ODI #781212

Official recalls

1

87V141000 · 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

2

PE92029 · 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