IllustrationDURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 75MPH, LEFT REAR TIRE LOST TREAD. INCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 9PM ON WEST-BOUND INTERSTATE 76 IN COLORADO, NEAR THE BRIGHTON EXIT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W29V 1PK TIRESIZE: 265/75X15)
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 reportsDOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTED AND DOOR CLOSED AND DOES NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM SEEING AT NIGHT... NO WAY TO TURN OFF WITHOUT REMOVING THE BULBS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT START WHEN TURNED ON THE DO NOT GO OFF WHEN SWITCHED OFF. HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ON THEN OFF AGAIN. SHIFT KNOB COMES OFF WHEN PULLING SHIFT LEVER FROM 1ST …
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DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTED AND DOOR CLOSED AND DOES NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM SEEING AT NIGHT... NO WAY TO TURN OFF WITHOUT REMOVING THE BULBS. WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT START WHEN TURNED ON THE DO NOT GO OFF WHEN SWITCHED OFF. HAVE TO TURN THE WIPERS ON THEN OFF AGAIN. SHIFT KNOB COMES OFF WHEN PULLING SHIFT LEVER FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 3RD TO 4TH. MAKES SHIFTING DIFFICULT WHILE STARTING UP A HILL AND MERGING ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE THE KNOB SLIPS OFF COMPLETELY AND THE SHIFTER ENDS UP IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION. *AK
THESE WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES AND, AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES, I NOTICED THE TRUCK LURCHED UPON TAKE-OFF FROM EITHER A STOP OR SLOW SPEED, AS WELL AS A WORMING MOTION GOING AROUND CORNERS. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THIS ALL WAS NORMAL. I GOT A FLAT (THE FRONT LEFT) WHILE HUNTING AND, UPON TAKING IT TO LES SCHWAB FOR PROPER …
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THESE WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES AND, AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES, I NOTICED THE TRUCK LURCHED UPON TAKE-OFF FROM EITHER A STOP OR SLOW SPEED, AS WELL AS A WORMING MOTION GOING AROUND CORNERS. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THIS ALL WAS NORMAL. I GOT A FLAT (THE FRONT LEFT) WHILE HUNTING AND, UPON TAKING IT TO LES SCHWAB FOR PROPER REPAIR, WAS TOLD THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. THE PLUG WAS STATED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION. I THEN PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES. SINCE THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON MY TRUCK, THE "NORMAL" LURCH IS GONE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OTHERS THAT TREAD SEPARATION CAN CAUSE A LURCH THE SAME AS WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. THESE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I DO NOT HAVE THE DOT NUMBERS OF THE TIRES, THOUGH I AM SURE THE DEALERSHIP OR FORD WOULD HAVE THEM ON RECORD. I DO NOT KNOW IF LES SCHWAB WOULD STILL HAVE THE TIRES THAT I HAD REPLACED. (TIRESIZE: P265/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )
REAR BRAKES GRABBED CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL ON DAMP ROAD. VEHICAL WAS INSPECTED MAY 2000. GOOD BRAKE LINNING FRONT AND REAR. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AND FLUID TURNS ON BY ITSELF. DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANYTHING, JUST COMES ON FREQUENTLY.*AK
THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR FIRESTONE P225/70 R14 98R TIRES ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (00T-005), HOWEVER CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS
THE BLEND AIR DOOR INSIDE OF THE HEATER/DEF PLENUM BROKE - CASUING EXTREME HEAT IN CAB. DOOR IS NOT SERVICEABLE - REQUIRES TOTAL HEATER REPLACEMENT. SEE FORD TSB 99-8-8. 7-10 HOURS LABOR TO FIX A 2.00 PART. FORD REPLACED THIS ABS PLACTIC BLEND AIR DOOR WITH STONGER NYLON - PLENUM #F87Z-18471-DA. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT YET N…
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THE BLEND AIR DOOR INSIDE OF THE HEATER/DEF PLENUM BROKE - CASUING EXTREME HEAT IN CAB. DOOR IS NOT SERVICEABLE - REQUIRES TOTAL HEATER REPLACEMENT. SEE FORD TSB 99-8-8. 7-10 HOURS LABOR TO FIX A 2.00 PART. FORD REPLACED THIS ABS PLACTIC BLEND AIR DOOR WITH STONGER NYLON - PLENUM #F87Z-18471-DA. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT YET NO ANNOUNCEMENT IS MADE TO OWNERS. THIS COULD COST ME UP TO $1000.00 OR MORE TO FIX ON A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. ALSO THIS INHIBITS THE AC SYSTEM TO WORK.*AK
CONSUMER HAS A 1997 FORD RANGER. PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT TRAVELING AT 60-65MPH. TREAD DIDN'T SEPARATE, BUT THERE WAS HAIRLINE CRACKING ALONG THE SIDEWALL. TIRE BLEW IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE IN LOW 60'S.ORGINAL TIRES SIZE P235/75R15 & DOT# W2HL.*AK ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES EXPERIENCED …
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CONSUMER HAS A 1997 FORD RANGER. PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT TRAVELING AT 60-65MPH. TREAD DIDN'T SEPARATE, BUT THERE WAS HAIRLINE CRACKING ALONG THE SIDEWALL. TIRE BLEW IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE IN LOW 60'S.ORGINAL TIRES SIZE P235/75R15 & DOT# W2HL.*AK ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES EXPERIENCED HAIRLINE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALLS AT THE TREAD LINE. *SLC
ENGINE DIED WHILE APROACHING THE INTERSECTION, DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MALFUNCTIONING AND LETTING AIR GET INTO THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE INTERSECTION BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET.*AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF AS THEY PLEASE. THERE HAVE BEEN 13 PRIOR REPORTS TO YOUR WEBSITE ON THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED YOUR OFFICE AND GOT SOMEONE WHO HAD A "TOUGH LUCK" ATTITUDE. WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO GET WITH FORD AND GET THIS SAFETY PROBLEM RESOLVED?*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