Illustration2000 FORD RANGER WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP TRUCK SUTTERS. DEALERSHIP HAS PUT TWO DRIVESHAFTS IN TRUCK. FIXED PROBLEM FOR A MONTH OR TWO AND THEN PROBLEM COMES BACK. ALSO WHEN IDLING ACROSS PARKING LOT TRUCK WELL SLAM INTO NEXT HIGHER GEAR. *AK
2000 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
180–25K
4725–50K
6250–75K
5175–100K
71100–150K
33150K+
282 reports with mileage · 388 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 139 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
86 crash reports12 fire reports64 injury reports
What owners actually said
670 reportsAT 50,000 MILES, MY FORD RANGER BEGAN EXPERIENCING A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION AND FAILED TO START. THE PROBLEMS WERE DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED GASKET IN THE TRANSMISSION, AND A FAILED VALVE BODY PART IN THE MOTOR (WHICH WAS FIXED WITH AN "UPDATE KIT"). THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BEGINNING TO FAIL, AND A FRONT…
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AT 50,000 MILES, MY FORD RANGER BEGAN EXPERIENCING A SLIPPING TRANSMISSION AND FAILED TO START. THE PROBLEMS WERE DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED GASKET IN THE TRANSMISSION, AND A FAILED VALVE BODY PART IN THE MOTOR (WHICH WAS FIXED WITH AN "UPDATE KIT"). THE DEALER ALSO INDICATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BEGINNING TO FAIL, AND A FRONT PINION SEAL HAD BEGUN TO LEAK. *AK
CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER REMOVED HUB CAP, AND NOTICED THE BRAKE ADJUSTER SPRING WAS BROKEN. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK
FIRESTONE TIRES ON A 2000 FORD RANGER PICKUP, WHICH EXPLODED (BLOW OUT) AND CAUSED OVER $4000 DAMAGE TO MY SONS VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN I TURNED ON MY TURN SIGNAL SMOKE WOULD COME UP OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN THROUGH THE HAZARD SWTICH. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE BALL JOINTS MADE A LOUD NOISE. *NLM DEALER FOUND THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED. *TT *JB
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO HOLD . *AK
WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
MY FORD RANGER HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN I TURN ON MY TURNING SIGNAL SMOKE RISES FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND SOMEDAYS IT WILL NOT (THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE). THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND I TURNED ON MY TURNING SIGNAL AND WHEN I…
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MY FORD RANGER HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN I TURN ON MY TURNING SIGNAL SMOKE RISES FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND SOMEDAYS IT WILL NOT (THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE). THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND I TURNED ON MY TURNING SIGNAL AND WHEN I DID MY ABS KICKED IN THE ABS LIGHT ON MY DASH TURNED ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY TRUCK TO CHUG UP TO THE GAS STATION OFF THE NEXT EXIT. MY TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. MY HUSBAND HAS A 1999 FORD RANGER AND HE HAS EXPERIENCED SMOKE FROM HIS TURN SIGNAL ALSO, AS WELL AS HIS WINDSHEILD WIPERS TURNING ON SPONTANIOUSLY (OFTEN WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS USED).
THE POSITIVE WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR OF A 2000 FORD RANGER WITH 39000 MILES BURNED CAUSING A FIRE. ACCORDING TO FORD, SOMETHING IN THE ALTERNATOR SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO CONTINUOUSLY CHARGE THE BATTERY UNTIL THE WIRING OVERHEATED, SHORTED OUT, SPARKING A FIRE. THERE WAS NO NOTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM PR…
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THE POSITIVE WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR OF A 2000 FORD RANGER WITH 39000 MILES BURNED CAUSING A FIRE. ACCORDING TO FORD, SOMETHING IN THE ALTERNATOR SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO CONTINUOUSLY CHARGE THE BATTERY UNTIL THE WIRING OVERHEATED, SHORTED OUT, SPARKING A FIRE. THERE WAS NO NOTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. AFTER CONTACTING FORD'S CONSUMER COMPLAINT SYSTEM, FORD DECLINED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM TO MY SATISFACTION. THEY BASICALLY WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THE ISSUE STATING IT WAS NOT A FORD DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT I COULD NOT ELEVATE THE PROBLEM TO ANY OTHER LEVEL WITHIN FORD. *JB
Official recalls
307V336000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 3, 2007
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
00V228001 · Seat Belts
Aug 18, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DATE CODE ON CERTAIN SEAT BELT BUCKLES OF YOUR VEHICLE AND REPLACE ALL SEAT BELT BUCKLES THAT FALL WITHIN THE SUSPECT DATE CODE RANGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN OCTOBER 26, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
00V094000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System
Mar 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L OHC ENGINES. ENGINE COOLANT CIRCULATION THROUGH THE HEATER CIRCUIT IS PREVENTED BECAUSE OF A PLUGGED HEATER RETURN TUBE (WATER PUMP INLET TUBE) AT THE WATER PUMP. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE INTENT OF FMVSS NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AS A RESULT OF NO HEAT IN THE HEATER CIRCUIT, DEFROST PERFORMANCE IS COMPROMISED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PLUGGED HEATER WATER RETURN TUBES.
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.