IllustrationFIRESTONE, P225/70 R14. 60,000 MILES. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MOUNTED ON A FORD, RANGER 1996. WHILE TRAVLING AT ABOUT 50 MPH LEFT FRONT TIRE SHREDDED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENTS.*AK YH
1996 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Ranger are substantially higher than 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: 80 of 413 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
41 crash reports18 fire reports30 injury reports
Tires complaints
41 reportsPE 00 020/TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE PARKED NOTICED LEFT REAR TIRE SHOW SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION ON A 1996, FORD, RANGER; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT, INSTALLED AT 25,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P225/70R14, DOT# W2FC1PR038. FIRESTONE WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER REPORTED PROBLEM TO FIRESTONE ON 5-29-2001 THEY ADVISED CONSUMER …
Read full complaint
PE 00 020/TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE PARKED NOTICED LEFT REAR TIRE SHOW SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION ON A 1996, FORD, RANGER; AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT, INSTALLED AT 25,000 MILES, TIRE SIZE P225/70R14, DOT# W2FC1PR038. FIRESTONE WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK CONSUMER REPORTED PROBLEM TO FIRESTONE ON 5-29-2001 THEY ADVISED CONSUMER TO CONTACT FORD, AND FORD TOLD CONSUMER TO CONTACT FIRESTONE, CONSUMER REPLACED TIRES.*JB
I WAS RETURNING FROM THE STATE FAIR IN MILWAUKEE WI WITH MY SON. WHILE TRAVELING NORTH THUR FOND DU LAC, WI THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. ONLY THE SIDE WALLS OF THE TIRE REMAINED. I HAD CHECKED ALL FOUR TIRES BEFORE LEAVING THE CAMP GROUNDS IN THE HALF HOUR BEFORE THE TIRE FAI…
Read full complaint
I WAS RETURNING FROM THE STATE FAIR IN MILWAUKEE WI WITH MY SON. WHILE TRAVELING NORTH THUR FOND DU LAC, WI THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. ONLY THE SIDE WALLS OF THE TIRE REMAINED. I HAD CHECKED ALL FOUR TIRES BEFORE LEAVING THE CAMP GROUNDS IN THE HALF HOUR BEFORE THE TIRE FAILED. AS A OTR TRUCK DRIVER I'VE EXPERNCED SERVERAL TYPE'S OF TIRE FAILURE, RECAPS, HOT/COLD WEATHER, ETC. AFTER VEIWING THE TIRE, I WAS ALARMED BECAUSE THE TREND WAS TOTALY GONE. ALL THAT REMAINED WAS TWO SIDEWALLS AND A DENTED RIM.*AK (DOT NUMBER: DONT HAVE TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)
I EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION AT 70 MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT ON A WARM DAY (90 DEGREES). *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDUTJAB146 TIRESIZE: P255/60R15)
FIRESTONE ATX TIRES (P235 75 R15) WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE FIRST TIME 2" WORE OFF AND THE STEEL BELTS WERE EXPOSED, THE SECOND TIME THERE WAS TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
TIRE SEPARATED AFTER ONLY 3 MONTHS USE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: CHK6 TIRESIZE: 27/8.50R14)
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL (00T-005) NOTIFICATION, CONSUMER WENT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THE TIRES WERE NOT AFFECTED, HOWEVER THE FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND CHANGED THE TIRES, CONSUMER REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL ON ONE OF THE TIRES HAD SPLIT, INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRES REVEALED THE SAME, THE TIRES HAVE LEGAL TREAD BUT SHOW INCREASING SIGNS OF SEPARATION OF THE SIDEWALLS (FIRESTONE P225/70R14 M+S). NLM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE (POSSIBLY DUE TO TIRE FAILURE) RESULTING THE THE TRAILER DETACHING FROM THE VEHICLE AND OVERTURNING ON THE ROAD (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES P195 70 R14 EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND A SLIPPED BELT. *SLC
Official recalls
209V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Oct 13, 2009
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.