IllustrationTHIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL, WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC,AND AT TIMES ALMOST CAUSES ACCIDENTS. *AK
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
What owners actually said
411 reportsTHE TIRE-JACK (BOTTLE-JACK) PROVIDED WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHEN PURCHASED NEW, WILL NOT FIT UNDER THE APPROVED FRONT-END JACKING POINT OF MY FORD RANGER PICK-UP TRUCK UNDER FULL FLAT CONDITIONS! THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE JACKING POSITION TO BE USED WITH THE SUPPLIED BOTTLE-JACK! THIS RECENTLY CAUSED ME TO BE IN DAN…
Read full complaint
THE TIRE-JACK (BOTTLE-JACK) PROVIDED WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHEN PURCHASED NEW, WILL NOT FIT UNDER THE APPROVED FRONT-END JACKING POINT OF MY FORD RANGER PICK-UP TRUCK UNDER FULL FLAT CONDITIONS! THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE JACKING POSITION TO BE USED WITH THE SUPPLIED BOTTLE-JACK! THIS RECENTLY CAUSED ME TO BE IN DANGER FAR LONGER THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE NECESSARY HAD MY VEHICLE BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN ADEQUATE JACK! I DISCOVERED THIS FACT ON THE NARROW PAVED SHOULDER OF A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING CONTINUOUS HEAVY RAIN AND LOWERED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT CHANGING MY TIRE (EMBARASSING TO A COMMERCIAL SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK DRIVER) AND HAD TO CALL AND WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE, THIS AFTER ALREADY GETTING SOAKED ON A COLD DAY IN A FUTILE ATTEMPT TO CHANGE MY TIRE WITH INADEQUATE NEW-VEHICLE EQUIPMENT! FROM TALKING TO OTHERS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT INADEQUATE JACKS ARE QUITE OFTEN PROVIDED WITH OTHER PICK-UP TRUCKS, AND THAT THIS TYPE JACK PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE FORD RANGE PICK-UP!*AK
FRONT END WAS MISALIGNED. DEALER COULD NOT ALIGN VEHICLE CORRECTLY.*AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. INTERIOR LIGHT STAYED ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRAINING BATTERY.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED. *AK
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)
FOG LENSES ARE MADE OF GLASS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF MAKING IT NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT. A FRIEND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHT STAYING ON IN HIS 1998 NASCAR SERIES F150.*AK
BLEND DOOR FAILED AND CAUSED HOT AIR TO COME OUT OF AIR CONDITIONER WHEN TURNED ON. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FUTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN A 20 MPH ZONE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THERE HAS BEEN OTHER TIMES THAT LIGHT CAME ON. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED AT ANY SPEED . CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS IS WAS SECOND TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SAME PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED. *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