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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 →

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.

40 crash reports8 fire reports30 injury reports

Tires complaints

57 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2001
Tires

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE THREW TREAD & WENT FLAT THIS TIRE HAD 5/32 TREAD. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPERATION ON EXAMINATION. WHEN INSTALLING TWO TIRES ON THE FRONT AND SPARE THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE TRUCK AT ABOUT 25000 MILES TO PUT ON SNOW TIRES ONE OF THESE TIRES WAS FOUND TO HAVE A TREAD SEPARATION. HE TRUCK AT…

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THE LEFT FRONT TIRE THREW TREAD & WENT FLAT THIS TIRE HAD 5/32 TREAD. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD A TREAD SEPERATION ON EXAMINATION. WHEN INSTALLING TWO TIRES ON THE FRONT AND SPARE THAT WERE REMOVED FROM THE TRUCK AT ABOUT 25000 MILES TO PUT ON SNOW TIRES ONE OF THESE TIRES WAS FOUND TO HAVE A TREAD SEPARATION. HE TRUCK AT AB. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VNFC1PR366 TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)

NHTSA ODI #752959

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2001
Tires

CONSUMER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, P235/75R15, DOT NUMBER VNHL1PY087, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK AND SEPARATE, CONSUMER VERIFIED THAT ALL TIRES WERE COVERED UNDER RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER WAS CHARGED 30 DOLLARS FOR A LABOR FEE AND DOES NOT FEEL SHE S…

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CONSUMER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES, P235/75R15, DOT NUMBER VNHL1PY087, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS BEGINNING TO CRACK AND SEPARATE, CONSUMER VERIFIED THAT ALL TIRES WERE COVERED UNDER RECALL 00T005, HOWEVER WAS CHARGED 30 DOLLARS FOR A LABOR FEE AND DOES NOT FEEL SHE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #563505

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2001
Tires

FIRESTONE, RADIAL, P225/70R14, DOT UNKNOWN, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, FORD RANGER WITH 40000 MILES. MILEAGE OF TIRE UNKNOWN. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION. NO ACCIDENT, NO INJURIES. PLEASE VERIFY MODEL OF TIRE AND ADD DOT CODE.*AK THE DOT # VNFC80A.*JB

NHTSA ODI #895058

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2001
Tires

TRAVELING ALONG I95 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR IN TRAFFIC, HEARD A BUMPING NOISE, PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD SAW THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. JUST PURCHASE FOUR SET OF TIRES FROM CELLA FORD IN OCT OF 2000. UPON RETURNING HOME WENT TO CELLA FORD SPOKE WITH SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO INFORMED ME THEY WERE NOT A TIRE DEALER TAKE IT TO BU…

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TRAVELING ALONG I95 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR IN TRAFFIC, HEARD A BUMPING NOISE, PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD SAW THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT FLAT. JUST PURCHASE FOUR SET OF TIRES FROM CELLA FORD IN OCT OF 2000. UPON RETURNING HOME WENT TO CELLA FORD SPOKE WITH SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO INFORMED ME THEY WERE NOT A TIRE DEALER TAKE IT TO BUFFALO TIRES WHO WOULD CHECK THE TIRE AND TELL WHAT WAS WRONG. WENT THERE TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG HAD NO IDEA WHY IT WENT OUT. HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRE BECAUSE RIM RUBBED AGAINST THE TIRE INSIDE CAUSING OUTSIDE TO SEPARATE. CONTACTED CELLA FORD SERVICE DEPATMENT TOLD HIM WHAT WAS SAID AND HE INSISTED THAT SOMETHING HAD TO BE WRONG WITH THE TIRE, THAT IT JUST DIDNT GO OUT BY ITSELF. I EXPLAINE THE GENTLEMEN INSIST THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. WITH LACK OF CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY I FIND IT NECESSARY TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TIRES. WILL NEVER PURCHASE FIRESTONE AGAIN.*AK (DOT NUMBER: 8XFC80M389 TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)

NHTSA ODI #749274

Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2001
Tires

BF GOODRICH REPLACEMENT TIRE ON A 1997, FORD, RANGER WITH 47000 MILES.WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH LEFT REAR TIRE WENT FLAT DUE TO A SPLIT AROUND SIDEWALL NEAR TREAD. NO ACCIDENT, NO INJURIES. *AK P225/70R14 DOT: BEFCNX71479 *SLC

NHTSA ODI #890596

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2001
Tires

TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED, FIRESTONE WOULD NOT COVER THIS TIRE UNDER RECALL. I'VER RETAINED POSSESION OF TIRE AND HAVE PHOTOS TO DOCUMENT THE CONDITION.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2HLIPY386 TIRESIZE: P23575R15)

NHTSA ODI #745820

Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2001
Tires

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CLEAR SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION AT ONLY 20,000 MILES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A LINE OF SMALL CRACKS IN THE RUBBER ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SIDE OF THE TIRES ABOUT 1/2 INCH INSIDE THE TREAD, ALOS THERE ARE CRACKS AT THE BASE OF EACH BLOCK OF TREAD, SEVERAL OF THESE ARE DEEP ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN PEEL BACK …

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ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE CLEAR SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION AT ONLY 20,000 MILES. *AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A LINE OF SMALL CRACKS IN THE RUBBER ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SIDE OF THE TIRES ABOUT 1/2 INCH INSIDE THE TREAD, ALOS THERE ARE CRACKS AT THE BASE OF EACH BLOCK OF TREAD, SEVERAL OF THESE ARE DEEP ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN PEEL BACK ABOUT 1/4 OF THE BLOCK.*JB

NHTSA ODI #886714

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2001
Tires

PE00 020, CONSUMER WAS PULLING INSIDE OF A GAS STATION AND NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO LEFT. HE LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THAT LEFT TIRE WAS FLAT. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO ANOTHER PLACE. TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS#AT, P26575R15. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK DOT W29V1PK207. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #882426

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2001
Tires

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE CORE OF THE TIRE. REPLACED 4 OF 5 TIRES.I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND REPLACE DEFECTIVE TIRE. NO FIRESTONE STORE IN WINNWMUCCA. WENT TO FORD & THEY SENT ME TO LES SCHWAB. TIRE NOT ON RECALL LIST. (DOT NUMBER: W2HFIPJ077 TIRESIZE: P215/75R15)

NHTSA ODI #741644

Mileage unknown · Jan 31, 2001
Tires

CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES UNDER RECALL (OOT-005), ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE REPLACED AFTER RECALL NOTICE WITH COMPETITORS TIRES. CJ

NHTSA ODI #559289

Official recalls

1

09V399000 · 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

2

DP00005 · 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