IllustrationPE00 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
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 reportsVEHICLE HAS 18000 MILES ON IT AND HAS WORN OUT 2 SETS OF TIRES ON EDGES. SECOND SET STILL ON BUT NEED REPLACED SOON. ALIGNMENT CHECKED 2 TIMES AND WAS WITHIN FORD SPECS FOR THIS 4X4 TRUCK. 4 WHEEL DRIVE ONLY USED FOR BAD WEATHER. FIRESTONE DISCOUNTED SECOND SET OF TIRES BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR $84.00 EACH. SECOND SET WEARING J…
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VEHICLE HAS 18000 MILES ON IT AND HAS WORN OUT 2 SETS OF TIRES ON EDGES. SECOND SET STILL ON BUT NEED REPLACED SOON. ALIGNMENT CHECKED 2 TIMES AND WAS WITHIN FORD SPECS FOR THIS 4X4 TRUCK. 4 WHEEL DRIVE ONLY USED FOR BAD WEATHER. FIRESTONE DISCOUNTED SECOND SET OF TIRES BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR $84.00 EACH. SECOND SET WEARING JUST LIKE 1ST SET. ONLY GET ABOUT 9000 MILES PER SET.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 265\75R\15 )
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY REAR TIRE BLEW. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY , NOTHING IN THE ROAD. AFTER HAVING MY TIRE INSPECTED BY AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT INDIVISUALS NO ONE COULD COME UP WITH ANY REASON WHY IT BLEW OTHER THAN IT BEING A DEFECTIVE TIRE. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED ALL 4 OF MY TIRES WITH DUNLOPS. BUT THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT EN…
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY REAR TIRE BLEW. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY , NOTHING IN THE ROAD. AFTER HAVING MY TIRE INSPECTED BY AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT INDIVISUALS NO ONE COULD COME UP WITH ANY REASON WHY IT BLEW OTHER THAN IT BEING A DEFECTIVE TIRE. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED ALL 4 OF MY TIRES WITH DUNLOPS. BUT THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO REPORT INCASE THERE ARE MORE OF THIS SIZE TIRES FAILING ALSO.( DOT NUMBER: W29V1PK245 TIRE SIZE: P26575R15 )
TIRE SEPERATED COMPLETELY FROM RIM AT HIGH SPEED. TIRE PRESSURE WAS CORRECT AS THE CAR HAD COMPLETED A DEALER MAINTENCE SERVICING APPROX. ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. BLOWOUT BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE TIRE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225X70RX14 )
PE000 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING UP AND DOWN. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS #HT TIRES, P232575R15. TIRES WERE FINE.*AK
CONTRARY TO FORD/FIRESTONE'S CLAIMS THAT ONLY WILDERNESS TIRES MANUFACTURED AT THEIR DECATUR PLANT IS DEFECTIVE, I HAVE HAD 8 FLAT TIRES AND ONE BLOW OUT IN THREE YEARS WITH WILDERNESS TIRES HAVING DOT #S OF VNHL VICE VDHL. I HAD NOT HAD 9 FLAT TIRES IN( DOT NUMBER: VNHL1PY196 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION, AND WINDSHEILD WIPER FLUID RELEASED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK DOOR AJAR LIGHT / DOME LIGHT REMAINED ON. *YH
I HAVE A LEAK IN THE TIRE AND NO ONE WILL REPAIR IT DUE TO THE RECALL. FIRESTONE WILL NOT REPLACE TIRE EITHER DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABLE REPLACEMENTS. ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES? I AT LEAST NEED MY TIRE REPAIRED.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
BELT WAS SHIFTED AND REPLACED WITH 4 GOODRICH TIRES I DON'T BELIEVE RECALL IS ISOLATED TO P235 TIRE, I HAVE A REPORT FROM A FIRESTONE DEALER CONFIRMING MY STORY.( DOT NUMBER: W29V19K426 TIRE SIZE: P265/R15 )
I CANNOT GET ANY ANSWERS REGARDING THIS SIZE TIRE, P215/75R15. I ALREADY KNOW THAT FIRESTONE IS NOT REPLACING THIS TIRE HOWEVER IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ME ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THIS TIRE AND MAKE IT WOULD GIVE ME THE DECISION TO EITHER CHANGE OUT THE TIRES OR KEEP THEM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT REL…
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I CANNOT GET ANY ANSWERS REGARDING THIS SIZE TIRE, P215/75R15. I ALREADY KNOW THAT FIRESTONE IS NOT REPLACING THIS TIRE HOWEVER IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ME ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THIS TIRE AND MAKE IT WOULD GIVE ME THE DECISION TO EITHER CHANGE OUT THE TIRES OR KEEP THEM BECAUSE IT DOES NOT RELATE TO THE CURRENT RECALL. I ASK ONLY BECAUSE I HAVE A FIVE MONTH OLD DAUGHTER AND I WANT TO PROTECT HER THE BEST I CAN HOWEVER I AM ALSO NOT THE RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD AND THE COST OF THE TIRES IS MORE THAN I CAN AFFORD UNTIL PROBABLY NEXT MONTH OR SO. YOUR INPUT WOULD HELP ME TREMENDOUSLY IN EITHER SPEEDING UP THE PROCESS OR FEELING MORE ASSURED THAT TAYLOR IS SAFE IN OUR TRUCK. AGAIN, ANY SUPPORT OF INFORMATION WILL BE APPRECIATED.*AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P215/75R15 )
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