IllustrationAT THE SPEED OF 25MPH SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE AND LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. MANAGED TO MERGE SUDDENLY TO RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD. BATTERY, ENGINE, AND POWER STEERING LIGHT WENT ON. WHILE LOOKING AT VEHICLE NOTICED THAT BELT BROKE AND DOLLEY FELL OFF. *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
What owners actually said
411 reportsWHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL START TO SHAKE AND MAKE NOISE, HAS HAD ROTORS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE TIRE CASING SEPARATED FROM THE INSIDE OF THE TREAD BACKING AND THERE WAS DRY ROT NOTICED BETWEEN THE TREAD LINES, THE OTHER 3 TIRE SHOWED SIGNS OF DRY ROT BETWEEN THE TREAD LINES AS WELL (MARSHAL 791 TOURING A/S, P205/75R14, 95S M&S). NLM
BLOWOUT-FEEL FORTUNATE / FIRESTONE SAID IT WASN'T THEIR TIRE, BUT I LOOKED IT UP ON THE WEB AND THERE IS A STORY ABOUT THIS TIRE BEING SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION. THEY ONLY AUTHORIZED AN INSPECTION. I WILL NOT LET THEM HAVE THE TIRE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: HYHYT71187 TIRESIZE: P215/75R15)
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NLM *YH
HOOD LATCH AND SAFTEY LATCH FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN HOOD FLYING UP WHILE DRIVING.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE PEDAL COMPLETELY FELL OFF WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. NLMCONSUMERS PASSENGER WAS INJURED RESULTING IN SURGERY TO THE KNEE. *JG
FUEL IS LEAKING FROM TOP OF GAS TANK, REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL PUMP ELECTRIC (IN TANK) AND ASY FUEL TANK.
WHILE DRIVING 55 TO 60MPH HOOD BLEW OPEN, BENDING THE HOOD ON VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK *YH
SEATBELT LATCH WILL NOT HOLD SECURELY ON DRIVERS SIDE. CALLED ELYRIA FORD AND FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, BUT WAS ADVISED THEY WOULD DO NOTHING UNLESS THEIR WAS A RECALL. UPON CHECKSING I SEE THAT OTHER FORD VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SEATBELT DEFECTS.*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