IllustrationLEFT FRONT WILDERNESS AT P23575R15 TIRE REPLACED BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION, OWNER SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT UNDER RECALL (OOT-005). CJ
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
60–25K
525–50K
2250–75K
2075–100K
36100–150K
21150K+
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 reportsDURING HIGHWAY DRIVING, AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 75MPH, LEFT REAR TIRE LOST TREAD. INCIDENT OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 9PM ON WEST-BOUND INTERSTATE 76 IN COLORADO, NEAR THE BRIGHTON EXIT.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W29V 1PK TIRESIZE: 265/75X15)
THESE WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES AND, AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES, I NOTICED THE TRUCK LURCHED UPON TAKE-OFF FROM EITHER A STOP OR SLOW SPEED, AS WELL AS A WORMING MOTION GOING AROUND CORNERS. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THIS ALL WAS NORMAL. I GOT A FLAT (THE FRONT LEFT) WHILE HUNTING AND, UPON TAKING IT TO LES SCHWAB FOR PROPER …
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THESE WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES AND, AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES, I NOTICED THE TRUCK LURCHED UPON TAKE-OFF FROM EITHER A STOP OR SLOW SPEED, AS WELL AS A WORMING MOTION GOING AROUND CORNERS. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THIS ALL WAS NORMAL. I GOT A FLAT (THE FRONT LEFT) WHILE HUNTING AND, UPON TAKING IT TO LES SCHWAB FOR PROPER REPAIR, WAS TOLD THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED. THE PLUG WAS STATED TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE SEPARATION. I THEN PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES. SINCE THESE TIRES HAVE BEEN ON MY TRUCK, THE "NORMAL" LURCH IS GONE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY OTHERS THAT TREAD SEPARATION CAN CAUSE A LURCH THE SAME AS WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. THESE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I DO NOT HAVE THE DOT NUMBERS OF THE TIRES, THOUGH I AM SURE THE DEALERSHIP OR FORD WOULD HAVE THEM ON RECORD. I DO NOT KNOW IF LES SCHWAB WOULD STILL HAVE THE TIRES THAT I HAD REPLACED. (TIRESIZE: P265/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )
THE CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR FIRESTONE P225/70 R14 98R TIRES ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION, THE TIRES ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (00T-005), HOWEVER CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *MJS
CONSUMER HAS A 1997 FORD RANGER. PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT TRAVELING AT 60-65MPH. TREAD DIDN'T SEPARATE, BUT THERE WAS HAIRLINE CRACKING ALONG THE SIDEWALL. TIRE BLEW IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE IN LOW 60'S.ORGINAL TIRES SIZE P235/75R15 & DOT# W2HL.*AK ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES EXPERIENCED …
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CONSUMER HAS A 1997 FORD RANGER. PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT TRAVELING AT 60-65MPH. TREAD DIDN'T SEPARATE, BUT THERE WAS HAIRLINE CRACKING ALONG THE SIDEWALL. TIRE BLEW IN THE CENTER OF THE TREAD. APPROXIMATE MILEAGE IN LOW 60'S.ORGINAL TIRES SIZE P235/75R15 & DOT# W2HL.*AK ALL 4 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES EXPERIENCED HAIRLINE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALLS AT THE TREAD LINE. *SLC
FLAT TIRE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 55-57 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE SPLIT ON EXTERIOR SIDE, REPAIR SHOP CALLED THIS "DELAMINATION." TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 29,000 MILES. WE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES WITH NEW RADIALS. WANT TO KNOW IF REAR TIRES MIGHT ALSO BE UNSAFE. FOUND NO LISTING OF THIS TIRE IN RECALLS OR ADVISORIES. …
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FLAT TIRE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 55-57 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE SPLIT ON EXTERIOR SIDE, REPAIR SHOP CALLED THIS "DELAMINATION." TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 29,000 MILES. WE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES WITH NEW RADIALS. WANT TO KNOW IF REAR TIRES MIGHT ALSO BE UNSAFE. FOUND NO LISTING OF THIS TIRE IN RECALLS OR ADVISORIES. (DOT NUMBER: VNEC TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)
CONSUMER REPLACED RECALLED (OOT-005) FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES (P235/75R15) AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
ON MAY 18, 2000 I HAD A BLOWOUT OF A FRONT TIRE ON A CLEAR STRETCH OF SUBURBAN ROAD. WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, I FOUND THE METAL THREADS HAD COME THROUGH THE TIRE. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS IN THE TIRE AND THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE ON THE ROAD THAT I WOULD HAVE RUN OVER. I TOOK THE TIRE TO A TIRE COMPANY IN THE ATLANTA AREA…
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ON MAY 18, 2000 I HAD A BLOWOUT OF A FRONT TIRE ON A CLEAR STRETCH OF SUBURBAN ROAD. WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, I FOUND THE METAL THREADS HAD COME THROUGH THE TIRE. THERE WERE NO OBJECTS IN THE TIRE AND THERE WAS NOTHING VISIBLE ON THE ROAD THAT I WOULD HAVE RUN OVER. I TOOK THE TIRE TO A TIRE COMPANY IN THE ATLANTA AREA AND IT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN ATLANTA, GA WERE HOTTER THAN NORMAL FOR MAY ON THE DAY OF THE BLOWOUT. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. I HAVE VERY LOW MILEAGE ON THE FORD RANGER TRUCK, LESS THEN 21,000 MILES. THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL ONES. THE TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR ANY TYPE OF HEAVY HAULING. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2FC TIRESIZE: P225/70R14)
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265/75-15 )
THIS FORD 1997, RANGER IS EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS/AT P235/75R15 DOT:W2. ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES HAS SEPARATED,AND A BIG CHUNCK OF TREAD HAS COME OUT. ONE OF THE BACK TIRES HAD A BLOWOUT, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK
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