IllustrationWHEN VEHICLE STARTED IN NEUTRAL, IT WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND THROTTLE WENT TO FLOOR WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING IT, VEHICLE TOOK OFF IN REVERSE , FRONT WHEEL HIT BUILDING BENDING AXLE AND OTHER COMPONENTS THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 30 DAYS PRIOR WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE. *TR
1992 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 22 of 189 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 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
13 crash reports32 fire reports10 injury reports
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
7 reportsMY 1992 FORD RANGER SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 6, 2006. THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AND WOULDN'T START. I LEFT IT OVERNIGHT AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE POLICE AT 5 A.M IN THE MORNING SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. APPARENTLY IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE (WHILE IT WAS OFF) AND COMPLETELY TOTALED THE…
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MY 1992 FORD RANGER SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 6, 2006. THE CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY AND WOULDN'T START. I LEFT IT OVERNIGHT AND RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE POLICE AT 5 A.M IN THE MORNING SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. APPARENTLY IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE (WHILE IT WAS OFF) AND COMPLETELY TOTALED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE, LEAVING ME AT A COMPLETE LOSS (INSURANCE DID NOT COVER THIS TYPE OF CLAIM). BEING A 19 YEAR OLD IN COLLEGE THIS CAME AS A COMPLETE NIGHTMARE FINANCIALLY. FORD HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WILL NEVER DRIVE A FORD AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY JUNKYARD, WHERE THE BRAND NEW 1,000 CLUTCH AND NEW TIRES WERE REMOVED AND SOLD FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S PROFIT. I GOT NOTHING. *NM
THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND A BRICK WALL. *AK *NM *SC *JB
CONSUMER STARTED THE AUTOMOBILE AND IMMEDIATELY IT TOOK OFF, GOING THROUGH HIS YARD AND THEN INTO HIS NEIGHBOR'S YARD. VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT HIT A POLE. NO INJURIES. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS IN A LOCKED POSITION ALL OF THE TIME. *AK *YC
VEHICLE FAILED TO DECELERATE WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED, DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL INSTEAD THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED.
IN TWO OCCURRENCES WHILE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED AND TAPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING AT A HIGHER SPEED, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN BOTH THE ABS AND PARKING LIGHT ILLUMINATE. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
WHEN RELEASING GAS PEDAL, ENGINE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN, CONTINUES TO RUN FAST, CAUSING LURCHING AND JERKING; CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE HIT POST. *AK VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TURN SIGNALS CANCEL PRETMATURELY, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED A FEW DEGREES WHEN THE SIGNALS A…
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WHEN RELEASING GAS PEDAL, ENGINE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN, CONTINUES TO RUN FAST, CAUSING LURCHING AND JERKING; CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE HIT POST. *AK VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TURN SIGNALS CANCEL PRETMATURELY, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED A FEW DEGREES WHEN THE SIGNALS ARE ACTIVATED, THE SIGNALS CANCEL. *SLC
Official recalls
296V024001 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:hydraulic
Feb 5, 1996
THE STUDS WHICH ATTACH THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY CAN DEVELOP STRESS CORROSION CRACKING AFTER BEING OPERATED FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LOCATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A CRACK OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN ONE OR BOTH STUDS FRACTURING. THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD THEN SEPARATE FROM THE VACUUM BOOSTER, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, PREVENTING THE SERVICE BRAKES FROM ACTIVATING INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM BOOSTER ASSEMBLY.
92V006000 · Structure:body:door
Jan 14, 1992
WATER CAN ENTER THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CABLE. IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, THE WATER IN THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CABLE CAN FREEZE AND CAUSE THE LATCH MECHANISM TO MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE MALFUNCTION OF THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE CAN RESULT INTHREE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS: 1) THE DOOR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE RELATCHED, 2) THEINSIDE DOOR HANDLE CAN BECOME INOPERATIVE, AND 3) THE DOOR COULD APPEAR TO BELATCHED WHEN IT IS NOT, ALLOWING THE DOOR TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY IF IT IS JARRED,AND INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE ADJACENT SEAT OCCUPANT.
Remedy: REVISED DOOR RELEASE CABLES AND WATER SHIELDS WILL BE INSTALLED.
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
1EA95018 · Separation Of Master Cylinder
Opened Jun 19, 1995 · Closed Apr 2, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
FORD CONTINUES TO SUDY THE PROBLEM ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE WHY STUD FRACTURES ARE NOT FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.LIKEWISE, ODI CONTINUES GATHERING INFORMATION TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE RECALL SCOPE SHOULD INCLUDE OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS.IF EVIDENCE INDICATES THE SCOPE SHOULD BE EXPANDED, ODI WILL REOPEN THE INVESTIGATION AS WARRANTED.