IllustrationWINDSHIELD LEAKS & FRAME RUSTING. SUSPENSION BOWED MAIN STRUCTOR ARMS. ENGINE PASSING OIL FROM DAY ONE OF OWNERSHIP. INTERIOR DOOR PLASTIC FRAME CRACKING. DIMMER AND TURN SIGNAL SWITCH SHORTS.
1992 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 22 of 189 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 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports32 fire reports10 injury reports
Suspension complaints
32 reportsTIE RODS ARE BENT. ALSO, VEHICLE IS OUT OF LINE, AND WILL NOT GO STRAIGHT ON ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
HOUSING FOR SHOCK AND COIL SPRING BROKEN ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *AK
ABS COMPUTER FAILED AGAIN AFTER FORD DEALER REPLACED ORIGINAL. UPPER SHOCK/SPRING MOUNT COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING AND SUSPENSION. LOCAL DEALER REFUSED TO REVIEW FOR POSSIBLE MANUFATURERS DEFECTS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS PARKED AT HIS DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THAT RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE TILTING OUT FROM VEHICLE, THE PART NUMBER IS E3TZ*5A306*B, CONSUMER STATES THIS PART WAS ALMOST TOTALLY BROKEN AND THE SHOCK WAS OPEN 3-4 INCHES. *SLC
SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE MAKING NOISE. CONSUMER CHECKED UNDERNEATH VEHICLE AND FOUND RIGHT UPPER SPRING MOUNT HAD RUSTED *AK CONSUMER STATES THEY STARTED TO BEND AWAY FROM THE SPRING, THE SHOCK HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY FREE. *SLC
I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK WAS BEGINNING TO LEAD TOWARD THE RIGHT. AFTER CLOSE EXAMINATION , I DISCOVERED THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING HOUSING ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND THE SPRING ITSELF WAS BENDING IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION. IF IT HAD LET GO COMPLETLY, IT COULD HAVE TAKEN BOTH MY FENDER AND BRAK…
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I NOTICED THAT MY TRUCK WAS BEGINNING TO LEAD TOWARD THE RIGHT. AFTER CLOSE EXAMINATION , I DISCOVERED THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING HOUSING ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND THE SPRING ITSELF WAS BENDING IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION. IF IT HAD LET GO COMPLETLY, IT COULD HAVE TAKEN BOTH MY FENDER AND BRAKE LINE. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PART EVER RUSTING AWAY ON ANY CAR OR TRUCK AND NEITHER HAS ANYONE ELSE I HAVE ASKED. THEY DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM SO I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE STEEL ITSELF. IT IS ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND NOT THE LEFT. *AK
RT FRONT UPPER SPRING /SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH CAUSING SUSPENSION COLLAPSE AND SHOCK FAILURE - AT HIGHWAY SPEED - RUST WAS HIDDEN BY COATING ON PLATE - NO RUST ON BALANCE OF TRUCK. RUBBER BUMP STOP DESTROYED-NOT ABLE TO BE REPLACED, NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM FORD
RIGHT UPPER SPRING SUPPORT RUSTED THROUGH ALLOWING SPRING AND SHOCK TO SHIFT INWARD AND WADGE AGAINST FRAME AND INNER FENDER.
FRONT SPRING UPPER SEAT RUSTED UNTIL FAILURE, NO OTHER RUST IN FRAME OR SUSPENSION PARTS. FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DROPPING THE BODY NEARLY TO THE TIRE. LEFT SIDE IDENTICAL PARTS ARE FLAWLESS.
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.
92V006000 · Structure:body:door
Jan 14, 1992
WATER CAN ENTER THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CABLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, THE WATER IN THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CABLE CAN FREEZE AND CAUSE THE LATCH MECHANISM TO MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE MALFUNCTION OF THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CAN RESULT INTHREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS: 1) THE DOOR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE RELATCHED, 2) THEINSIDE DOOR HANDLE CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND 3) THE DOOR COULD APPEAR TO BELATCHED WHEN IT IS NOT, ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY IF IT IS JARRED,AND INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE ADJACENT SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy: REVISED DOOR RELEASE CABLES AND WATER SHIELDS WILL BE INSTALLED.
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
1EA95018 · 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.