IllustrationWITHIN 36,000 MILES THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CRACKED, LESS THAN 3,000 MILES LATER THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CRACKED. THE FIRST ROTOR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND ONE WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
1997 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
60–25K
525–50K
2250–75K
2075–100K
36100–150K
21150K+
110 reports with mileage · 301 unknown
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.
- Tires. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
40 crash reports8 fire reports30 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
36 reportsWHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED & LEFT IN SUN FOR A LENGTH OF TIME & THEN START UP, ABS LIGHT COMES ON & STAYS ON. ABS BRAKES WOULD SHUT DOWN. NEED TO TURN VEHICLE OFF & RESTARTED TO ACTIVATE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK. *AK
BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN VEHICLE "FROZE" AND RAN OVER CENTERLINE NEARLY MISSING ONCOMING VEHICLE
FRONT, LEFT ROTORS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. NEVER BEEN TURNED BEFORE. STILL IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE PER FIRESTONE REPAIR. SENT LETTER TO FORD. NO RESPONSE. ALSO HAD TO PAYED FOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ROTORS EVER THOUGH NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT WAS BUILT. OUT OF WARRANTY BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT COULD …
Read full complaint
FRONT, LEFT ROTORS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. NEVER BEEN TURNED BEFORE. STILL IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE PER FIRESTONE REPAIR. SENT LETTER TO FORD. NO RESPONSE. ALSO HAD TO PAYED FOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ROTORS EVER THOUGH NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT WAS BUILT. OUT OF WARRANTY BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT COULD HAS CAUSED ACCIDENT. FIRESTONE QUOTED THAT THEY NEVER SAW THIS HAPPEN. *AK
WHEN IT RAINS BRAKING SYSTEM LOCKS UP WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO, DEALER CLEANED THE DRUMS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH FRONT WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING COMPLETE FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKES.. OWNER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TRUCK HOME SAFELY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SELLING DEALER NOTIFIED EACH TIME, SOME REPAIRS MADE, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED. *AK
PULLEY TO FAN BELT BROKE WHEN TURNING ONTO HIGHWAY. YH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES VIBRATION/PULSATION COMING FROM THE BRAKES DUE TO ROTORS CONSISTENTLY WARPING. DEALER CONTACTED TWICE, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHICH STILL OCCURS. *AK
WHEN CONSUMMER STEPS ON THE BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE HE CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ON ENTIRE VEHICLE. DEALER HAD EXPLAINED TO CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS. CONSUMER SAID THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AT 15000 MILES, AND THE SECOND TIME AT 24000. *AK
Official recalls
109V399000 · 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.
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
2DP00005 · Front Seat Belt
Opened Oct 2, 2000 · Closed May 15, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE99045 · Steering Knuckle Separations
Opened Jul 6, 1999 · Closed Oct 29, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available