IllustrationNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
1996 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Ranger are substantially higher than 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: 80 of 413 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 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
41 crash reports18 fire reports30 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
31 reportsENGINE WILL STALL INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED, REGARDLESS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS / TEMPERATURES. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
I WENT IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE OIL PAN GASKET WAS ABOUT TO BLOW OUT. I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED 3000 MILES AGOE AND WENT ON A TRIP WHIT A NEW OIL CHANGE. I RETURNED HOME AND WENT TO GET THE OIL CHANGED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND THE OIL GASKET COMMING OUT. THANK GOD IT DID NOT BLOW WHILE I W…
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I WENT IN TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AND THEY SHOWED ME THAT THE OIL PAN GASKET WAS ABOUT TO BLOW OUT. I HAD JUST HAD THE OIL CHANGED 3000 MILES AGOE AND WENT ON A TRIP WHIT A NEW OIL CHANGE. I RETURNED HOME AND WENT TO GET THE OIL CHANGED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND THE OIL GASKET COMMING OUT. THANK GOD IT DID NOT BLOW WHILE I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME DURING THE LONG TRIP I HAD GONE ON. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN LOW GEAR, IT POPPED OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. ALSO, WHEN SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED CLUTCH, AND HAS STATED THAT MANUAL TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK DEALER ALSO REPLACED FIRST…
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WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN LOW GEAR, IT POPPED OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. ALSO, WHEN SHIFTING GEARS VEHICLE WAS MAKING A NOISE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED CLUTCH, AND HAS STATED THAT MANUAL TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK DEALER ALSO REPLACED FIRST GEAR SYNCRO, BLOCKER RING, AND THIRD GEAR BLOCKER RING. HEATER WOULD NOT BLOW HOT AIR, DEALER REPLACED THERMOSTAT. TAIL PIPE WAS HITTING SPARE TIRE CAUSING NOISE, DEALER REPOSITIONED TAIL PIPE. *SLC
THE FRONT SUSPENSION DESIGN DEFECT PREVENTS THE CROSS CAMBER FROM BEING ADJUSTED WITHIN MANUFACTURERS SPECIFIED TOLERENCE DURING FRONT END ALIGNMENT RESULTING IN RAPID WEAR TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE AND SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT TIRES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING ROARING NOISE AND UNSTABLE STEERING WHEEL, ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED A…
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THE FRONT SUSPENSION DESIGN DEFECT PREVENTS THE CROSS CAMBER FROM BEING ADJUSTED WITHIN MANUFACTURERS SPECIFIED TOLERENCE DURING FRONT END ALIGNMENT RESULTING IN RAPID WEAR TO THE OUTSIDE EDGE AND SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT TIRES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, CAUSING ROARING NOISE AND UNSTABLE STEERING WHEEL, ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND A FRONT ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN PERFORMED BUT BOTH HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NLM
ENGINE. KNOCKING ROD AT ONLY 56,000 MI. OVER $3,000 FOR NEW ENGINE. HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO TURN ON BEFORE LEAVING DRIVEWAY. CAME ON AFTER TURNING ON HIGH BEAMS AND TURN SIGNALS. ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I'M ABOUT TO DOWNSHIFT TO MAKE A TURN AND THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. NO POWER STEERING, NEARLY LOST CONTROL.
ABNORMALLY HIGH COLD IDLE MADE WORSE BY ATTEMPTING TO 'KICK IT DOWN' WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL; PEDAL STICKS TO KICKED POSITION CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE EVEN HIGHER. MUST SHUT OFF ENGINE TO AVOID DAMAGE. WITH ENGINE OFF, MUST REPEATEDLY STOMP PEDAL TO ATTEMPT RELEASE. PARTIAL RELEASE STILL LEAVES VERY HIGH ENGINE SPEED, UNDRIVEABL…
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ABNORMALLY HIGH COLD IDLE MADE WORSE BY ATTEMPTING TO 'KICK IT DOWN' WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL; PEDAL STICKS TO KICKED POSITION CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE EVEN HIGHER. MUST SHUT OFF ENGINE TO AVOID DAMAGE. WITH ENGINE OFF, MUST REPEATEDLY STOMP PEDAL TO ATTEMPT RELEASE. PARTIAL RELEASE STILL LEAVES VERY HIGH ENGINE SPEED, UNDRIVEABLE. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM; FOUND CORROSION AT END OF THROTTLE CABLE, CLEANED AND LUBRICATED. NOT SURE IF PROBLEM IS FIXED, SINCE ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAD SAT FOR ONE WEEK OF NONUSE BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRED.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST ALL POWER AND VEHICLE STALLED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
I WAS WONERING ABOUT MY VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE IN AN ACCIDENT I HAD GOTTIN INTO. *AK
AT LEAST 12 SETS OF BRAKES PUT ON VEHICLE"4 IN UDER 9000 MILES, RESULTING IN 2 ACCIDENTS" 3 TIMES AT TURNING ROTORS/ENGINE REBUILT AT 52000 MILES STILL WITH LOSS OF PORWER. 2 EGR VALVES/2 WIPER SWITCHES/SYNCRONIZERS/2 SLAVE CYLINDERS ON TRANSMISSION AND OIL LEAK. ALL PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. ENGINE IDLES HIGH ENOUGH THAT THE USE O…
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AT LEAST 12 SETS OF BRAKES PUT ON VEHICLE"4 IN UDER 9000 MILES, RESULTING IN 2 ACCIDENTS" 3 TIMES AT TURNING ROTORS/ENGINE REBUILT AT 52000 MILES STILL WITH LOSS OF PORWER. 2 EGR VALVES/2 WIPER SWITCHES/SYNCRONIZERS/2 SLAVE CYLINDERS ON TRANSMISSION AND OIL LEAK. ALL PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. ENGINE IDLES HIGH ENOUGH THAT THE USE OF THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT NEEDED FOR INTOWN DRIVING. SPEEDS OF 45MPH CAN BE OBTAINED BEFORE HITTING PEDAL.
Official recalls
209V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Oct 13, 2009
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
96V161000 · Equipment:other:labels
Aug 29, 1996
THE CERTIFICATION LABELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAS INCORRECT REAR TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE DESIGNATIONS. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. .
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECT CERTIFICATION LABELS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THESE LABELS. DEALERS CAN INSTALL THIS LABEL IF THE OWNER SO DESIRES.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.