IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 75 MPH WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS P265/75R15. *AK DOT# W29V 1PK496. VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM THE FAULTY TIRE. *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'S 2-YEAR OLD SON IS ABLE TO OPEN PASSENGER'S DOOR WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. VEHICLE WAS NOT MADE WITH THE CHILD PROOF LOCK. CONSUMER HAS NO WHERE ELSE TO PLACE HIS CHILD BECAUSE EXTENDED CAB IS NOT FITTED FOR CHILD SAFETY SEATS. DOORS THAT CAN BE OPENED WITH ONLY A PULL TO THE HANDLE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER'S 2-YEAR OLD SON IS ABLE TO OPEN PASSENGER'S DOOR WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. VEHICLE WAS NOT MADE WITH THE CHILD PROOF LOCK. CONSUMER HAS NO WHERE ELSE TO PLACE HIS CHILD BECAUSE EXTENDED CAB IS NOT FITTED FOR CHILD SAFETY SEATS. DOORS THAT CAN BE OPENED WITH ONLY A PULL TO THE HANDLE CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES TO PASSENGER. *AK
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING NORTH ON A CLEAR DAY AND FAIRLY STRAIGHT TWO LANE ROAD FRONT TIRE BLEW AND CAUSED HER TO RUN OFF THE ROAD, AS SHE OVERCORRECTED SHE FLIPPED THE VEHICLE TWO OR THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND SHE BROKE HER PEVLIC BONE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: )
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING OF THE SITUATION. *AK FIRESTONE ATX TIRE, P235/75R15, DOT NUMBER W2HL1PM336. *SLC
I HAVE HAD 9 FLAT TIRES AND ONE BLOWOUT WITH THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 275 R14 )
FIRESTONE OR FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE TIRES. MY TIRE BLOWOUT OCCURED ON A INTERSTATE JUNCTION (I-85N TO I-77N, IN CHARLOTTE, NC) AT HIGH SPEED (60MPH) AND SENT MY TRUCK INTO DITCH. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH AT THE TIME (SINCE TIRES DO BLOW OUT SOMETIMES) BUT AFTER THE NEWS REPORTS THAT FORD AND FIRESTONE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE FAULTY TI…
Read full complaint
FIRESTONE OR FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE TIRES. MY TIRE BLOWOUT OCCURED ON A INTERSTATE JUNCTION (I-85N TO I-77N, IN CHARLOTTE, NC) AT HIGH SPEED (60MPH) AND SENT MY TRUCK INTO DITCH. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH AT THE TIME (SINCE TIRES DO BLOW OUT SOMETIMES) BUT AFTER THE NEWS REPORTS THAT FORD AND FIRESTONE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE FAULTY TIRES FOR OVER 6-8 YEARS, AND ONLY SEEM TO CARE IF FATATILITIES OCCUR, I WAS VERY DISPLEASED AND NOW WANT TO FILE A COMLAINT TO REPLACE ALL 5 FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES ON MY TRUCK. I PLAN TO BUY NEW TIRES AND WILL WAIT FOR A RECALL OF SOME SORT TO REFUND MY MONEY. NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT I WALKED AWAY FROM THE VIOLENT BLOWOUT AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH, OTHERS WERE NOT AS LUCKY. THANK YOU, SCOTT PAGAN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A BRAKE SHOP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BRAKE ROTORS WERE DISINTEGRATING. BUT, BRAKES PADS WERE FINE. TRUCK MILEAGE WAS 36,000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
SOMETIMES AIR CONDITIONING WOULD MALFUNCTION. INSTEAD OF SENDING COOL AIR, IT WOULD SEND HOT AIR. DEALER COULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*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