IllustrationCONSUMER WOULD HEAR A THUMPING NOISE WHEN BRAKING, A MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE OUTER DISC OF THE RIGHT FRONT ROTOR HAD A LARGE CRACK WHICH CAUSED RUBBING AGAINST THE BRAKE PADS. *SLC
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 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
AFTER WHEELS WERE TAKEN OFF FOR TIRE RECALL WITH FIRESTONE, A CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR. ABOUT SIX WEEKS AGO DRIVER DID HEAR A THUMPING SOUNDS COMING FROM UNDER THE TRUCK DUE TO THE BRAKE ROTOR. BRAKE ROTOR WAS REPLACED AT OWNER EXPERIENCED. *AK
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
RIGHT 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
WHEN PAWL IS MOVED FROM PARK TO DRIVE ENGINE WILL STALL. SOMETIMES WILL NOT START UNLESS ROLLED VEHICLE OUT OF GARAGE AND CLUTCH WAS PRESSED. *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