IllustrationFORD'S SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS BLOW IN, SOMETIMES AS LOW AS 40 MPH. I COMPLAINED TO FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF THAT PROBLEM, BUT THE MORE EARLY 90'S RANGERS I SEE, THE MORE BLOWN MIRRORS IN I NOTICE. I HAVE REPLACED THE MIRRORS ON MY TRUCK THREE TIMES IN TWO YEARS.*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 reportsINSURED IS DRIVING AT 70MILES PER HOUR WHEN TREAD COMES OFF OF LEFT REAR. FIRESTONE TIRE FLIPPING TREAD INTO REAR FENDER WHEEL WELL. THEN THE SAMETHING HAPPENED TO THE SPARE. FR 480 P215 R 14. THE TIRES INVOLVED IN THIS LOSS ARE FR 480 P215 70 R 14. PURCHASE DATE ON RECEIPT IS 2-20-95. THERE STILL SHOWS TO BE GOOD TREAD LEFT ON …
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INSURED IS DRIVING AT 70MILES PER HOUR WHEN TREAD COMES OFF OF LEFT REAR. FIRESTONE TIRE FLIPPING TREAD INTO REAR FENDER WHEEL WELL. THEN THE SAMETHING HAPPENED TO THE SPARE. FR 480 P215 R 14. THE TIRES INVOLVED IN THIS LOSS ARE FR 480 P215 70 R 14. PURCHASE DATE ON RECEIPT IS 2-20-95. THERE STILL SHOWS TO BE GOOD TREAD LEFT ON THE TIRE. WARRANTY MANUAL INDICATES A 60,000 MILE WARRANTY. RECEIPT HAS MILEAGE OF 50431 WRITTEN ON RECEIPT AFTER CARBON COPY. MILEAGE ON ESTIMATE IS 95030. (CLAIM# 53-C614-068) *MW
WHILE PARKED FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS BURNING AFTER 15 MINUTES. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME. STEERING COLUMN WAS MELTED ALONG WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
SUDDEN TREAD SEPARATION AT ABOUT 70 MPH, TIRES INFLATED TO 34 PSI, DAMAGE TO FENDER AND WHEEL WELL OF PICK-UP.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215 )
FELT SUDDEN VIBRATION @ 55MPH. IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SLOW. DO NOT KNOW AT WHAT SPEED, BUT SUDDENLY LOUD NOISE AND FELT LIKE BLOWOUT. AT HALT FOUND IT WAS JUST THE CAP GONE. CHECKED WITH FIRESTONE DEALER. TOLD NO ADJUSTMENT. BROUGHT NEW TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215 )
CRANKSHAFT SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT START, CONSUMER HAD TO ORDER THE PART BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF STOCK. NLM
EVERY VECHICLE I'VE SEEN WITH THIS COLOR PAINT JOB HAS FADED OUT AND THE VECHICLES ARE RUSTING. NO SAFETY DEFECT.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AFTER RELEASING MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE THROTTLE REMAINED OPENED AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. *AK
AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF 15MINUTES NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDER HOOD.DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK
AS INDICATED ABOVE, BOTH SIDE MIRRORS COLLAPSED, POSSIBLY FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAVE NOTICED THREE OTHER RANGERS JUST IN MY AREA THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS INDICATED IT IS NOT A RECALL PROBLEM WHEN I CONTACTED VIA TELEPHONE ON 10/15/99. I STATED I WANTED IT ON RECORD THAT I ASK CUSTOMER SERVICE TO INFO…
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AS INDICATED ABOVE, BOTH SIDE MIRRORS COLLAPSED, POSSIBLY FOR OVER A YEAR. I HAVE NOTICED THREE OTHER RANGERS JUST IN MY AREA THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS INDICATED IT IS NOT A RECALL PROBLEM WHEN I CONTACTED VIA TELEPHONE ON 10/15/99. I STATED I WANTED IT ON RECORD THAT I ASK CUSTOMER SERVICE TO INFORM WHOMEVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INITIATING A RECALL TO BE INFORMED OF THE MATTER AND THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTING APPROPRIATE NATIONAL SAFETY BOARD. *AK
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