IllustrationTHE THROTTLE BODY AIR INTAKE FAILURE CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR TO STICK. *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
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
23 reportsCONSUMER WAS BACKING UP IN DRIVEWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED GOING FASTER AND PICKING UP SPEED IN REVERSE. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND NOTICED THAT GAS PEDAL FELL APART. VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK
WHEN AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER OR DEFROSTER IS ON, AND WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, IF DRIVER LETS UP THE ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. IT TAKES ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS BEFORE IT ACTUALLY SLOWS DOWN. DLR/ MANUFACTURER CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK
DURING DRIVING, WHEN I SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD (MOST OF THE TIME), THE THROTTLE STICKS AT AROUND 2500-3000 RPM'S. IT DOES RELEASE ITSELF BUT AFTER I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH TO THE NEXT GEAR, I CAN TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND LEAVE IN NEUTRAL AND IT WILL STILL BE AROUND 2500 RPM FOR ABOUT 3-8 SECONDS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER…
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DURING DRIVING, WHEN I SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD (MOST OF THE TIME), THE THROTTLE STICKS AT AROUND 2500-3000 RPM'S. IT DOES RELEASE ITSELF BUT AFTER I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH TO THE NEXT GEAR, I CAN TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND LEAVE IN NEUTRAL AND IT WILL STILL BE AROUND 2500 RPM FOR ABOUT 3-8 SECONDS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THEY THOUGHT I WAS NUTS. I TOOK IT TO BURTS FORD IN COLORADO AND THEY FIRST REPLACE A FUEL ASSEMBLY PART, THE 2ND TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY 3RD WITH BURTS, I TOOK A MECHANIC OUT FOR A DRIVE AND SHOED HIM THE PROBLEM. THEY LOOKED THE CAR OVER WHILE IT WAS IN SHOP FOR A WEEK AND SAID THAT THEY CAN WILLINGLY REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS BEING SHIFTED. NO FIX. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STICK CARS FOR OVER 26 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT, WHEN SHIFTING, THE RPM'S WOULD ACCERLATE. THIS IS A PROBLEM, IF I GET TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN AND THE CAR WILL NOT RELEASE THE RPM'S, THEN ENGINE COULD CONTINUE TO RACE AND POTENTIALLY BLOW UP OR EVEN RUIN THE ENGINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.
CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED,CLIMBING A SMALL RISE. ALSO, NEEDS TO SHIFT MANUALLY FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ENGINE WILL RACE TO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE FOR SECOND ,AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK TO IDLE.DEALER CLAIMED CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DEACTIVATE BY APPLYING CL…
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CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED,CLIMBING A SMALL RISE. ALSO, NEEDS TO SHIFT MANUALLY FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ENGINE WILL RACE TO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE FOR SECOND ,AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK TO IDLE.DEALER CLAIMED CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DEACTIVATE BY APPLYING CLUTCH PEDAL , ONLY BY APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL AND BUTTON. THIS IS IN CONFLICT WITH OWNER'S AND SERVICE MANUAL. *AK
NO SUMMARY
TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. YH
NO SUMMARY INCLUDED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
GAS PEDAL FELL OFF, LEAVING CONSUMER STRANDED. COMPUTER PROGRAM IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. DEALER HAD TO REPROGRAM COMPUTER. *AK
ACCELERATOR PEDAL BROKE AWAY FROM FIREWALL. *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