IllustrationCONSUMER HAS TO DRIVE IN LOW SPEED DUE TO WIND MOVING THE SIDE MIRRORS WHERE IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OTHER VEHICLES. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
1990 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Ford Ranger do not stand out strongly from 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
Limited mileage data: 8 of 105 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports15 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
105 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
FIRESTONE FR480 TIRES P215/70R14 WERE PURCHASED DECEMBER OF 1997, IN THE SPRING OF 1999, 3 OF THE 4 TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION, FIRESTONE WOULD ONLY OFFER A PRO-RATED OFFER WHICH WAS STILL MORE THAN THE COSTS OF OTHER BRAND TIRES. *SLC
AFTER MARKET BRAKE PADS MANUFACTURERED BY PERFORMANCE FRICTION CORP 83 CARBON METALLIC HIGHWAY, CLOVER SC. 29710-0819 PHONE 803-222-2141, WERE DEFECTIVE. PADS CAME UNGLUED, AND RETAINING CLIP BROKE ON TWO SETS. *AK
TIRE CAME APART WHEN I WAS DRIVING BACK FROM WORK AROUND 6:00 PM. AMBIENT TEMP 55-60 0F, DRY CONDITIONS, TIRE PRESSURE 30-32 PSI.*AK (DOT NUMBER: HYHY FR5 TIRESIZE: P215/70R14)
VEHICLE STALLED AT ANYTIME AND INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO GET REARENDED TWICE. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK
PE00020- REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A 1990 FORD, RANGER, TIRE SIZE P21570R14. WHILE DRIVING A BIG CHUNK OF LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD CAME OFF, EXPOSING THE METAL. *AK DOT #HYHYR3B3557, THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL THE TIRES. *SLC
LARGE SECTION OF TREAD SEPERATED FROM DRIVERS REAR TIRE EXPOSING STEEL AND GOING FLAT. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN CONTACTED (800-367-3872) AND THEY SAID THIS WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. I DON'T AGREE. THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE AND UNSAFE TO USE. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ALL…
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LARGE SECTION OF TREAD SEPERATED FROM DRIVERS REAR TIRE EXPOSING STEEL AND GOING FLAT. FIRESTONE HAS BEEN CONTACTED (800-367-3872) AND THEY SAID THIS WAS NOT UNUSUAL AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. I DON'T AGREE. THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE AND UNSAFE TO USE. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. I FEEL THESE TIRES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM. (DOT NUMBER: HYHYR3B355 TIRESIZE: 215 70R14)
THE TWO TIRES SHED THEIR ENTIRE TREAD CAPS WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH. I STILL HAVE THE OTHER TWO THIRES THAT I PURCHASED AS THE SET ON MY VEHILCE, AND THEY ARE SHOWING SIGNSOF CRACKING AT THE TREAD CAP AS WELL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 28.5/7.514 )
ON MARCH 11, 2000, I PURCHASED 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS A/T TIRES NEW FROM LES SCHWAB TIRES IN MOUNT VERNON, WASHINGTON. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER THE RIGHT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED AT 55 MILES PER HOUR WHILE GOING DOWN HIGHWAY 20. I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME NATURE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE AND WILL PROVIDE …
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ON MARCH 11, 2000, I PURCHASED 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS A/T TIRES NEW FROM LES SCHWAB TIRES IN MOUNT VERNON, WASHINGTON. APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS LATER THE RIGHT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED AT 55 MILES PER HOUR WHILE GOING DOWN HIGHWAY 20. I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME NATURE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TIRE AND WILL PROVIDE THEM UPON REQUEST. PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING MY TIRES TO YOUR RECALL LIST. THANK YOU.( DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY316 TIRE SIZE: P235/R15 )
Official recalls
391V189000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Nov 4, 1991
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARK PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ABUT OR ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER MAY BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARKWHEN THE GEAR IS NOT TRULY ENGAGED. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OFGEAR UNINTENTIONALLY, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHEN PARKED ON A SLOPED SURFACE, ANDINADVERTENT MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW PARK PAWL.
90V044000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Mar 1, 1990
THROTTLE LEVER MAY CONTACT THROTTLE BODY AIR INLET TUBE, WITH POTENTIAL FOR THROTTLE REMAINING OPEN FOLLOWING RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION COULD CREATE LACK OF CONTROLAND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE AIR INLET TUBE WITH NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT.
89V234000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Dec 22, 1989
THROTTLE LEVER MAY CONTACT THROTTLE BODY AIR INLET TUBE, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THROTTLE REMAINING OPEN FOLLOWING RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM THE FULL-THROTTLE POSTION IN TRUCKS WITH 4.0 L ENGINES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION COULD CREATE LACK OF CONTROLAND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE AIR INLET TUBE WITH NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT WITH AN INCREASED THROTTLE LEVER-TO-INLET TUBE CLEARANCE.
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
3RQ97015 · Parking Pawl
Opened Oct 29, 1997 · Closed Apr 1, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission
WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARKING PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OF GEAR UNINTENTIONALLY AND CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO START ROLLING INADVERTENTLY
PE92084 · Front Seat Track Failure
Opened Oct 23, 1992 · Closed Feb 26, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats
There is no summary currently available
PE92029 · Whl Separation/torque Loss
Opened Mar 16, 1992 · Closed Aug 31, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available