IllustrationCONSUMER STATES GEAR AND SECTOR SHAFT ARE EXCESSIVELY WORN, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE WHEELS DID NOT TURN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED, INSTEAD WHEN THE PLAY WAS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL THE FRONT WHEELS WOULD THEN TURN.*JB
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 SENSORS IN DOOR ACCUMLATE DIRT IT CAUSES DOME LIGHT TO COME ON. LIGHT WILL NOT GO OUT UNTIL CONSUMER TAKES OUT FUSE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE PROVIDE VIN. *AK
HEADRESTS TO SHORT TO PREVENT HEAD AND NECK INJURY FOR A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION. *AK
THE THROTTLE BODY AIR INTAKE FAILURE CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR TO STICK. *YH
BF GOODRICH REPLACEMENT TIRE ON A 1997, FORD, RANGER WITH 47000 MILES.WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO A SPLIT AROUND SIDEWALL NEAR TREAD. NO ACCIDENT, NO INJURIES. *AK P225/70R14 DOT: BEFCNX71479 *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT OPERATOR TURNING ON WIPER SWITCH. NOTICED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY ON FOR 15 SECONDS, AND THEN TURN OFF, CAUSING DRIVER DISTRACTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER REPLACED PARTS WITHIN SWITCH.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED FOR A FUEL INJECTOR. *AK
WHEN GETTING INSIDE OF VEHICLE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON ALL DAY, AND THERE IS A BINGING NOISE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED, FIRESTONE WOULD NOT COVER THIS TIRE UNDER RECALL. I'VER RETAINED POSSESION OF TIRE AND HAVE PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT THE CONDITION.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY386 TIRESIZE: P23575R15)
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT 35MPH AND SIDE SWIPED A FENCE NEAR AN EMBANKMENT. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE , AND FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER. THIS CAUSED DRIVER TO LURCH SIDEWAYS. *AK THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. *YH
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