FORD RANGER 4X4 XLT 4.0L HAS HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE BEGINNING FRONT TIRES TWO OUT , FOG LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONING, TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINTS , CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHEN NEW AND TO THIS DAY GAS MILEAGE NOT AS STATED ON WINDOW STICKER ,ALSO WINDOWS MOTOR AND CONTROLS
1997 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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
110 reports with mileage · 301 unknown
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.
- Tires. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
8 reportsAIR BAGS.. DEFLATING, UNSERVICEABLE, DEMAND USELESS, ONLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, DRIVERS SIDE DISLODGED HORN FUEL/PROPULSION.. WITH FUEL TANK FILLED, FIRST HALF(1/2) TANK HAVING EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMED. SECOND (1/2) OF FUEL CONSUMED AT OWNERS MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS OF CITY AND HIGHWAY MILES PER GALLON. THROTTLE PEDAL STIFF, STI…
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AIR BAGS.. DEFLATING, UNSERVICEABLE, DEMAND USELESS, ONLY ON PASSENGER SIDE, DRIVERS SIDE DISLODGED HORN FUEL/PROPULSION.. WITH FUEL TANK FILLED, FIRST HALF(1/2) TANK HAVING EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMED. SECOND (1/2) OF FUEL CONSUMED AT OWNERS MANUAL SPECIFICATIONS OF CITY AND HIGHWAY MILES PER GALLON. THROTTLE PEDAL STIFF, STICKS, AFTER NORMAL DAILY WARM UP, EXTRA FOOT PRESSURE NEEDED TO DISLODGE PEDAL AND CABLE, REAL SLUGGISH AS IF NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH FUEL TO INJECTORS, EVEN AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE COMPLETED.. SEAT BELTS.. DRIVERS SIDE HOOKUP RETAINING LATCH MALFUNCTIONS AND " WILL NOT REMAIN LATCHED", SEVERAL ATTEMPTS NEED TO BE MADE BEFORE GETTING A STRONG SEATBELT CLIP TO LATCH LOCKED ON
LOOKED UNDER MY FORD RANGER AND SAW THAT BOTH OF THE METAL STRAPS THAT HOLD THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN IN HALF. I SAW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUES ON MY YEAR, BUT ONLY FOR THE FORD F150, NOT THE FORD RANGER, EVEN THOUGH THE ISSUE IS THE SAME.
PLASTIC FUEL LINE SPLIT AT THE INPUT OF THE FUEL FILTER THAT IS LOCATED BEHIND THE ENGINE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME. WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED ON GASOLINE SPRAYS FROM THIS CRACK PIECE OF PLASTIC LINE. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS ELECTRIC AND ENERGIZES ANYTIME THE IGNITION IS ON THE PUMP IS LOCATED IN THE…
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PLASTIC FUEL LINE SPLIT AT THE INPUT OF THE FUEL FILTER THAT IS LOCATED BEHIND THE ENGINE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE FRAME. WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED ON GASOLINE SPRAYS FROM THIS CRACK PIECE OF PLASTIC LINE. THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP IS ELECTRIC AND ENERGIZES ANYTIME THE IGNITION IS ON THE PUMP IS LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK AT THE REAR OF THE TRUCK . THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS AS THE SPRAYING GASOLINE COULD EASILY HIT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR EXHAUST SYSTEM WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. FORTUNATELY I NOTICED THE LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN I WAS WARMING UP THE CAR ON AS COOL MORNING. AS A RESULT NO REAL DAMAGE WAS DONE. WILL COST ABOUT $350 TO REPAIR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL SPILLED FROM THE VEHICLE AND ONTO THE GROUND AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHOM LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FUEL FILTER NECK HOSE, WHICH WAS CRACKED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL SPILLED FROM THE VEHICLE AND ONTO THE GROUND AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHOM LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE FUEL FILTER NECK HOSE, WHICH WAS CRACKED DUE TO CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FUEL FILTER NECK HOSE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S AGE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000.
NO INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I FOUND IT IN TIME (THANK GOD)! I CAME OUT MY FRONT DOOR AND NOTICED SOMETHING HANGING UNDER MY TRUCK. I TOOK IT TO CAR-X AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ONE OF MY SUPPORTS HOLDING UP MY GAS TANK. RIGHT THERE I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK! I ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD…
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NO INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE I FOUND IT IN TIME (THANK GOD)! I CAME OUT MY FRONT DOOR AND NOTICED SOMETHING HANGING UNDER MY TRUCK. I TOOK IT TO CAR-X AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ONE OF MY SUPPORTS HOLDING UP MY GAS TANK. RIGHT THERE I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK! I ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO RUSTY UNDERNEATH. THEY EVEN CALLED THE DEALER, I GOT IT FROM, AND THEY TOLD THEM THEY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. RIGHT NOW I HAVE A RATCHET BELT HOLDING IT UP BUT I'M AFRAID IT WON'T LAST THROUGH A LOT OF RAIN AND SNOW. *TR
EACH TIME I FILL UP, THE GAS TANK OVERFLOWS, CREATING A HUGE SAFETY RISK OF EITHER A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. *TR
LAST YEAR I STARTED NOTICING A GAS SMELL WHEN FILLING. BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR I NOTICED GAS LEAK ON GROUND WHEN FILLING. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE GAS FILL PIPE, IT HAS DETERIORATED TO AN UNUSABLE CONDITION. WHETHER THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE GASOHAUL USED IN MN. OR POOR QUALITY IN THE MANUFACTURING I COULDN'T TELL YO…
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LAST YEAR I STARTED NOTICING A GAS SMELL WHEN FILLING. BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR I NOTICED GAS LEAK ON GROUND WHEN FILLING. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE GAS FILL PIPE, IT HAS DETERIORATED TO AN UNUSABLE CONDITION. WHETHER THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE GASOHAUL USED IN MN. OR POOR QUALITY IN THE MANUFACTURING I COULDN'T TELL YOU,BUT WHEN I ORDERED THE PART THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THEIR DELIVERY TRUCK. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BEFORE THERE IS AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE IN A GAS STATION WHILE SOMEONE IS FILLING THEIR TRUCK. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF MORE INFORMATION IS NEEDED OR WHAT IS BEING DONE WITH THIS MATTER. *TR
Official recalls
109V399000 · 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.
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
2DP00005 · Front Seat Belt
Opened Oct 2, 2000 · Closed May 15, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE99045 · Steering Knuckle Separations
Opened Jul 6, 1999 · Closed Oct 29, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
Illustration