Car Defect Radar

Ford Ranger vs Toyota Tacoma: problems, recalls & years to avoid

NHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Ford Ranger and the Toyota Tacoma, with the 9 model years both have (2010–2025) set side by side. Each model is measured against its own typical year, not against the other model.

Years to avoid and years with the fewest complaints

Ford Ranger

Years to avoid
20112019
Fewest complaints
202120222023

The typical Ford Ranger year has 114 complaints on file, across 9 model years (2010–2025).

Toyota Tacoma

Years to avoid
201020122016
Fewest complaints
201320202023

The typical Toyota Tacoma year has 136 complaints on file, across 16 model years (2010–2025).

A year is one to avoid when it drew at least 2 times the complaints of its model's typical year (the median across the model's years on this site) and at least 200 complaints, or when its complaints include 5 or more reports of a death. The years with the fewest complaints have no such flag and are from 2023 or earlier: newer years have not been on the road long enough to compare. Each model is measured only against its own years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, as of October 26, 2026.

The 9 model years both have, side by side

Complaints by model year

Ford Ranger

2.3× its typical year in 2019, its worst year

266 complaints against a typical year of 114.

Years to avoid: 2011, 2019. Fewest complaints: 2021, 2022, 2023.

Toyota Tacoma

2.4× its typical year in 2016, its worst year

323 complaints against a typical year of 136.

Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2016. Fewest complaints: 2013, 2020, 2023.

typical yearavoid zonesolid bar = a year to avoid

Ford Ranger2 years to avoid · typical year 114avoid zone: 228+01002003002010Ford Ranger 2010: 156 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2011Ford Ranger 2011: 235 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid235avoid2012none2013none2014none2015none2016none2017none2018none2019Ford Ranger 2019: 266 complaints, 2.3× its typical year, a year to avoid266avoid2020Ford Ranger 2020: 127 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2021Ford Ranger 2021: 114 complaints, 1.0× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints114fewest2022Ford Ranger 2022: 37 complaints, 0.3× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints37fewest2023Ford Ranger 2023: 18 complaints, 0.2× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints18fewest2024Ford Ranger 2024: 79 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2025Ford Ranger 2025: 39 complaints, 0.3× its typical yearFord Rangeravoid zone: 228+typical 1142025Ford Ranger 2025: 39 complaints, 0.3× its typical year392024Ford Ranger 2024: 79 complaints, 0.7× its typical year792023Ford Ranger 2023: 18 complaints, 0.2× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints18fewest2022Ford Ranger 2022: 37 complaints, 0.3× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints37fewest2021Ford Ranger 2021: 114 complaints, 1.0× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints114fewest2020Ford Ranger 2020: 127 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1272019Ford Ranger 2019: 266 complaints, 2.3× its typical year, a year to avoid266avoid2011Ford Ranger 2011: 235 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid235avoid2010Ford Ranger 2010: 156 complaints, 1.4× its typical year156
Toyota Tacoma3 years to avoid · typical year 136avoid zone: 273+01002003004002010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year2023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical yearToyota Tacomaavoid zone: 273+typical 1362025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical year962024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1482023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year582021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year802020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2182018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2042017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2392016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year1012014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year932013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1862010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid
Bars are NHTSA owner complaints per model year. The dashed line is the model's typical year (the median of its years on this site). A year that reaches the hatched avoid zone, twice the typical year and at least 200 complaints, is a year to avoid. The two panels have different scales. Each model is measured only against its own years: the counts are not adjusted for sales, so the chart does not say one model has more problems than the other. Hover a bar for its numbers; every value is also in the table below.
Model yearFord RangerToyota Tacoma
ComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur readComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur read
2025390.3×13Few red flags960.7×5Some concerns to check
2024790.7×13Few red flags1481.1×5Few red flags
2023180.2×4Few red flags540.4×4Few red flags
2022370.3×5Few red flags580.4×3Some concerns to check
20211141.0×6Few red flags800.6×0Some concerns to check
20201271.1×7Few red flags870.6×1Few red flags
20192662.3×11Approach with caution2181.6×4Some concerns to check
20112352.1×6Approach with caution1861.4×9Some concerns to check
20101561.4×9Few red flags2932.1×13Approach with caution

Complaints link to each model year's report. "Times its typical year" sets a year against the same model's typical year. The two models' counts can't be compared directly: they are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.

Most reported problem, by model year

Model yearFord RangerToyota Tacoma
2025Transmission and drivetrainBody and structure
2024Transmission and drivetrainTransmission and drivetrain
2023Transmission and drivetrainElectrical system
2022Transmission and drivetrainTransmission and drivetrain
2021Transmission and drivetrainTransmission and drivetrain
2020Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2019Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2011AirbagsSuspension
2010AirbagsSuspension

Top problems of each model

The areas of the car NHTSA owner complaints name most, all model years together. A complaint can name more than one area.

Ford Ranger

Toyota Tacoma

Recalls

NHTSA recall campaigns. A campaign that covers several model years is counted once.

What the data can't show