WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARCH 1997, AND DEALER REPLACED SENSORS. IN MAY 2000, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND WON'T STALL AFTER FIRST INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1991 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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 132 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 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
132 reportsTHE EXTERIOR MIRRORS FAILED. NLM
BOTH SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS ARE USELESS, THEY FLOP AGAINST THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS OF 55MPH AND SOMETIMES EVEN LESS, THEY WILL NOT STAY ADJUSTED AND THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE FROM THE DEALER.
THE SIDE MIRRORS ON THE TRUCK WILL FOLD IN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER I HAD THE TRUCK A YEAR OR SO AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF RANGERS WITH THIS STYLE OF MIRROR, AND THEY ALL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD FOR A REPLACEMENT MIRROR AND THEY COULD ONLY OFFER T…
Read full complaint
THE SIDE MIRRORS ON THE TRUCK WILL FOLD IN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER I HAD THE TRUCK A YEAR OR SO AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF RANGERS WITH THIS STYLE OF MIRROR, AND THEY ALL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD FOR A REPLACEMENT MIRROR AND THEY COULD ONLY OFFER THE SAME TYPE MIRROR. I SEE THIS AS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE MIRRORS WILL NOT STAY IN ADJUSTMENT. I THINK THE MIRROR STYLE CHANGED IN 1992, BUT WAS USED FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR. *AK
CLUTCH WAS BAD DUE TO CRACK IN FIREWALL NOT ALLOWING FULL TRAVEL OF MASTER CYLINDER AND PROBLEMS SHIFTING. TRANSMISSION BEARINGS AND GEARS WORN OUT BEYOND REASONABLE REPAIR.
WHEN PURCHASED VEHICLE ABS LIGHTS WERE ON AND STAYED ON. ALSO, CLUTCH BECAME INOPERABLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FIREWALL WAS CRACKED BROKEN, AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. *AK
RIGHT FRONT UPPER SPRING MOUNT PREMATURELY RUSTED OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DROP. CAUSED BY COATING ON PART TRAPPING MOISTURE. OTHER PARTS MAY ALSO FAIL. *AK
CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD CAUSING ENGINE LEAKAGE. MJS
THE FRAME MOUNTS THAT HOLD THE CAB TO THE TRUCK, RUSTED. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
NO SUMMARY
Official recalls
296V024001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic
Feb 5, 1996
THE STUDS WHICH ATTACH THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY CAN DEVELOP STRESS CORROSION CRACKING AFTER BEING OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A CRACK OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH STUDS FRACTURING. THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD THEN SEPARATE FROM THE VACUUM BOOSTER, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, PREVENTING THE SERVICE BRAKES FROM ACTIVATING INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
91V189000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 4, 1991
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARK PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ABUT OR ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER MAY BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARKWHEN THE GEAR IS NOT TRULY ENGAGED. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OFGEAR UNINTENTIONALLY, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHEN PARKED ON A SLOPED SURFACE, ANDINADVERTENT MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW PARK PAWL.
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
4RQ97015 · Parking Pawl
Opened Oct 29, 1997 · Closed Apr 1, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARKING PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OF GEAR UNINTENTIONALLY AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO START ROLLING INADVERTENTLY
EA95018 · Separation Of Master Cylinder
Opened Jun 19, 1995 · Closed Apr 2, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.
PE92084 · Front Seat Track Failure
Opened Oct 23, 1992 · Closed Feb 26, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
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
Illustration