Ford Ranger years to avoid (and the best years)
1,071 NHTSA owner complaints and 47 recalls across 9 model years, 2010 to 2025. Built from NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, generated October 26, 2026.
Compared with: Toyota Tacoma
- 1,071complaints
- 47recalls
- 48reported crashes
- 8reported fires
- 137reported injuries
Which Ford Ranger years should you avoid?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the Ford Ranger years to avoid are 2019 and 2011. The typical Ford Ranger year has 114 complaints on file.
- 2019: 266 complaints, 2.3 times the typical year. Most complaints name the transmission and drivetrain (35% of complaints) and the electrical system (15% of complaints).
- 2011: 235 complaints, 2.1 times the typical year. Most complaints name the airbags (83% of complaints) and the exterior lighting (4% of complaints).
What are the best Ford Ranger years?
The Ford Ranger years with the fewest complaints on file are the 2023 (18), 2022 (37) and 2021 (114). Model years after 2023 are left out: they have not been on the road long enough to compare.
NHTSA does not publish sales figures, so these are complaint counts, not a rate per car on the road. A year that sold more cars collects more complaints, and older years have had longer to collect them.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | vs typical year | Recalls | Crashes | Injuries | Our read | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 | 0.3× | 13 | 3 | 1 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2024 | 79 | 0.7× | 13 | 2 | 1 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2023 | 18 | 0.2× | 4 | 2 | 1 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2022 | 37 | 0.3× | 5 | 1 | 99 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2021 | 114 | 1.0× | 6 | 6 | 9 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2020 | 127 | 1.1× | 7 | 6 | 6 | Few red flags | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2019 | 266 | 2.3× | 11 | 13 | 6 | Approach with caution | Transmission and drivetrain |
| 2011 | 235 | 2.1× | 6 | 9 | 9 | Approach with caution | Airbags |
| 2010 | 156 | 1.4× | 9 | 6 | 5 | Few red flags | Airbags |
Most reported problem areas
Share of the 805 complaints sorted by system, all years together.
- Airbags & seat belts308 (38%)
- Engine & powertrain241 (30%)
- Electrical & infotainment68 (8%)
- Other systems64 (8%)
- Brakes58 (7%)
Recalls (47)
Engine · 26V343000 · May 2026 · model year 2025
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Safety · 26V268000 · Apr 2026 · model years 2024, 2025
A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Structure · 26V238000 · Apr 2026 · model years 2024, 2025
Damaged wires can create an electrical short and cause a fire in the A-pillar area, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
Engine · 26V122000 · Mar 2026 · model year 2025
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Electrical system · 26V104000 · Feb 2026 · model years 2024, 2025
Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Brakes · 25V823000 · Dec 2025 · model year 2025
An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 25V685000 · Oct 2025 · model years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Body & glass · 25V683000 · Oct 2025 · model year 2025
In the event of a crash, windshield detachment can increase the risk of injury.
Airbags · 25V678000 · Oct 2025 · model year 2025
An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Fuel system · 25V597000 · Sep 2025 · model year 2024
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Safety · 25V572000 · Sep 2025 · model year 2019
A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Airbags · 25V541000 · Aug 2025 · model years 2024, 2025
Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Brakes · 25V488000 · Jul 2025 · model year 2025
An unexpected loss of power brake assist while driving can extend stopping distance and increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, a loss of power brake assist while ADAS features are engaged can result in the vehicle not braking as expected, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 25V442000 · Jun 2025 · model years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Electrical system · 25V399000 · Jun 2025 · model year 2025
An instrument panel that does not clearly display critical safety information increases the risk of a crash.
Suspension · 25V310000 · May 2025 · model years 2024, 2025
A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle steering and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 25V315000 · May 2025 · model year 2024
A frozen or missing rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Safety · 25V311000 · May 2025 · model year 2025
A seat with loose or missing fasteners may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Body & glass · 25V237000 · Apr 2025 · model year 2024
A closing window may exert excessive force and pinch a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Transmission · 25V164000 · Mar 2025 · model year 2024
Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Fuel system · 24V848000 · Nov 2024 · model year 2024
A fuel vapor leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Suspension · 24V770000 · Oct 2024 · model year 2024
A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle steering and control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Body & glass · 24V597000 · Aug 2024 · model year 2024
A closing window may exert excessive force by pinching a driver or passenger before retracting, increasing the risk of injury.
Safety · 23V379000 · May 2023 · model years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Safety · 23V283000 · Apr 2023 · model year 2023
Loose lug nuts may result in wheel detachment while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fuel system · 22V685000 · Sep 2022 · model year 2022
An improperly tightened fuel line connection may result in a fuel leak, increasing the risk of fire.
Body & glass · 22V451000 · Jun 2022 · model year 2022
A windshield that separates from a vehicle during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Safety · 21V982000 · Dec 2021 · model year 2021
A misaligned radar module may prevent the vehicle from maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles when adaptive cruise control is active. In addition, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system may react slowly, or not react at all, during a pre-collision assist braking event. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Seat belts · 21V811000 · Oct 2021 · model years 2019, 2020, 2021
A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Safety · 21V765000 · Sep 2021 · model years 2020, 2021
An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Airbags · 21V158000 · Mar 2021 · model years 2010, 2011
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 21E013000 · Feb 2021 · model years 2010, 2011
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 21V081000 · Feb 2021 · model years 2010, 2011
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Safety · 20V575000 · Sep 2020 · model year 2020
Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
Transmission · 20V197000 · Apr 2020 · model year 2020
If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Body & glass · 20V137000 · Mar 2020 · model year 2019
A resistive electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Exterior lighting · 19V839000 · Nov 2019 · model year 2019
Intermittent or inoperative tail lamps can result in loss of stop, turn, rear position, and reverse lamp functions, which reduces the vehicle's visibility and may not fully alert other drivers that the vehicle is braking, turning, or reversing, increasing the risk of crash.
Body & glass · 19V726000 · Oct 2019 · model year 2019
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Seat belts · 19V518000 · Jul 2019 · model year 2019
Improperly assembled seat belts may not adequately restrain occupants in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Transmission · 19V366000 · May 2019 · model year 2019
If the gear shift lever position does not match the actual transmission gear, the vehicle may move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of crash or injury.
Transmission · 19V071000 · Feb 2019 · model year 2019
If the vehicle can be shifted out of Park without the brake applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move. Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Airbags · 19V001000 · Jan 2019 · model years 2010, 2011
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 18V046000 · Jan 2018 · model year 2010
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Airbags · 16V384000 · May 2016 · model years 2010, 2011
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Exterior lighting · 11V352000 · Jul 2011 · model years 2010, 2011
NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fuel system · 11V126000 · Feb 2011 · model year 2010
A SUFFICIENT FUEL LEAK IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Safety · 10V202000 · May 2010 · model year 2010
A MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLE PARKED IN NEUTRAL WITHOUT A FULLY APPLIED PARKING BRAKE MAY HAVE UNINTENDED MOVEMENT WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH.