IllustrationRIGHT REAR SIDE TIRE'S TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 60 TO 65MPH. TIRE HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH THE TYPE. *AK THE FAILED TIRE WAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS HT P205/75R14. THE TIRE WAS NEW BUT THE ENTIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDE WALLS AND THE LOOP OF TREAD WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE. *YH
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 reportsWHAT TIRES ARE BEING RECALLED BY FIRESTONE. WHAT TIRE SIZE? ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY FORD RANGER ARE WEARING VERY LUMPY. THEY EVEN MAKE MY TRUCK SHAKE. IT FEELS LIKE YOU ARE RUNNING ON A GRAVEL ROAD.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )
TIRES ARE SO BAD OUT OF SHAPE THEY MAKE MY TRUCK SHAKE. THEY HAVE LUMPS IN THEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P265/75R15 )
INSD HAS BLOW OUT ON 10/29/99. HE CALLED ON 8/23/00 CONCERNED THAT HIS TIRES WERE THE DEFECTIVE FIRESTONE TIRES. (CLAIM# 18-0291-900) *MW
LT FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPEARTED-NOT A BLOW OUT. FIRESTONE 235/60R15 FTX 98T. (CLAIM# 25-5426-005) *MW
#1 INDICATES R/F TIRE BLEW (FIRESTONE)CAUSING HIM TO LEAVE RDWY. (CLAIM 49-3229-942) *MW
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P235 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55MPH LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. TIRE SHREDDED COMPLETELY. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH DIFFERENT BRAND.*AK FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 235/75/R15 *MW
GOING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON A CURVE ON AN ON RAMP, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM DUE TO LOW AIR PRESSURE. I HAD NOT BEEN HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES UP TO THIS POINT. WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SWERVE RIGHT AND LEFT SEVERAL TIMES. ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASS…
Read full complaint
GOING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON A CURVE ON AN ON RAMP, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM DUE TO LOW AIR PRESSURE. I HAD NOT BEEN HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRES UP TO THIS POINT. WHEN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SWERVE RIGHT AND LEFT SEVERAL TIMES. ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASSIONS, I FELT THE VEHICLE STARTING TO TIP OVER. I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER PARTIAL CONTROL AND FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP I WAS FACING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I HAD DONE A 180 DEGREE TURN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE RAMP. AS I WAS PULLING THE VEHICLE OVER I NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS OFF THE RIM AND MESSED UP. I FEEL LUCKY TO BE ALIVE! I NOTICED UPON CHECKING THE CONFIRMATION INFORMATION, I PUT THAT I HAVE A 4 CYL VEHICLE, MINE IS ACTUALLY A 6 CYL. *AK( DOT NUMBER: ? TIRE SIZE: P225/70R14 )
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND DIDN'T HEAR A SOUND. BUT VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL. LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE RIM. FIRESTONE TIRE FR480 22570R14. CONSUMER NOTIFIED FIRESTONE RETAILER.*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