IllustrationTRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR NO REAOSN. IT WAS BEING WARMED UP. *TR
1993 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 36 of 232 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports14 fire reports18 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
18 reportsVEHICLE KEEPS ENGAGING TRYING TO START ITSELF WITHOUT A KEY. VEHICLE BOUNCES FORWARD UNTIL IT HITS SOMETHING TO STOP IT. MANUFACTURER, AND DEALER NEVER HEARD OF PROBLEM TO FIND A REMEDY. CONSUMER ADDED A TOGGLE SWITCH ON WIRE THAT RUNS FROM SOLENOID RELAY TO STARTER TO KEEP IT FROM STARTING ITSELF.*AK
VEHICLED HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 7 HOURS AND ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE INSPECTOR SAID IT MAY HAVE BEEN BLOWER RESISTOR. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STOP, AND THERE ARE NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEAELR, AND THEY REPLACED PARTS FOR CAMSHAFT AND DISTIBUTOR . SECOND TIME A MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SAME PROBLEM, AND THAT THOSE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNLESS THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFE…
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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL STOP, AND THERE ARE NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEAELR, AND THEY REPLACED PARTS FOR CAMSHAFT AND DISTIBUTOR . SECOND TIME A MECHANIC SAID IT WAS SAME PROBLEM, AND THAT THOSE PARTS THAT WERE REPLACED SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN REPLACED UNLESS THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A UNDER HOOD FIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ON THE STREET, LOCAL FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. DEALER/MFR'S WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING LIGHT FLICKERING, ON TWO OCCASIONS THE DASHBOARD HARNESS SHOWED SIGNS OF MELTING AND BURNING DUE TO FAILURE. *MJS
HAD PARKED & LEFT VEHICLE. WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE OVER NIGHT & WAS TOTALED. DASHBOARD WAS BURNED BADLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, NO INTERIOR LIGHTS OR RADIO. LATER DISCOVERED NO STOP LIGHTS OR RUNNING LIGHTS. REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND UNDERDASH FUSES. HEADLIGHT SWITCH BURNED AND BROKEN, VEHICLE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS MELTED NEAR ONE CONNECTOR. FORD SERVICE SHOP HAD TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TWICE BECAUS…
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WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, NO INTERIOR LIGHTS OR RADIO. LATER DISCOVERED NO STOP LIGHTS OR RUNNING LIGHTS. REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND UNDERDASH FUSES. HEADLIGHT SWITCH BURNED AND BROKEN, VEHICLE HEADLIGHT WIRE HARNESS MELTED NEAR ONE CONNECTOR. FORD SERVICE SHOP HAD TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TWICE BECAUSE OF FIRST REPLACEMENT DIMMER RHEOSTAT FAILURE.
IT IS VERY HARD TO GET THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND HARD TO GET KEY OUT OF IGNITION. THE IGNITION SWITCH IS VERY LOOSE AND MOVES IN AND OUT. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK
WIRING HARNESS SHORTED OUT.
Official recalls
396V024001 · 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.
95V231001 · Vehicle Speed Control
Dec 5, 1995
DURING EXTREME COLD, NORTHERN CLIMATE WINTER CONDITIONS, ICE CAN FORM IN THE THROTTLE BODY OF THE ENGINE CAUSING THE THROTTLE PLATE TO REMAIN IN THE HIGHWAY CRUISING POSITION AFTER THE ACCELERATOR IS RELEASED OR THE SPEED CONTROL IS DEACTIVATED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCES CAN BE INCREASED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR INTAKE DUCT AND VALVE ASSEMBLY WITH REVISED UNITS.
94V169001 · Parking Brake:conventional
Sep 7, 1994
THE PARKING BRAKE CONTROL SELF-ADJUST PAWL DOES NOT LINE UP PROPERLY WITH THE SELF-ADJUST RACHET CAUSING THE PAWL TO SLIP OVER ONE OR MORE TEETH IN THE RACHET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: WHEN THE ABOVE OCCURS, IT CAN RESULT IN PARKING BRAKE SYSTEM INEFFECTIVENESS. THE PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FREELY, IF THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT LEFT IN GEAR.
Remedy: A WEDGE WILL BE INSTALLED WHICH WILL SERVE TO LOCK THE PARKING BRAKE SELF-ADJUST MECHANISM PAWL INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RACHET. ALSO, OWNERS WILL BE ADVISED TO RELEASE AND REAPPLY THE PARKING BRAKE WHENEVER TOOTH SKIP OCCURS AND WILL BE REMINDED TO ALWAYS TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE IN GEAR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.
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
2EA95018 · 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.
PE93045 · Steering Gear Bolt Broken
Opened May 7, 1993 · Closed Aug 31, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available