IllustrationDRIVER'S SIDE DOOR BELL WILL KEEP RINGING WITHOUT STOPPING. COULD NOT BE FIXED. *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 reportsWHILE DRIVING ABS BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
THE TRANSMISSION STARTED IN OCTOBER '99 WITH A HARD DOWNSHIFT IN LOW GEAR, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR. AT THAT SPEED YOU HAVE A HARD BUMP UNDERNEATH AT YOUR TRANSMISSION AND A HUM AS YOU COME TO A STOP. BRANDON FORD CO. COMPLETELY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION ON APRIL 25-27. A FEW DAYS AFTER, THE SAME PROBLEM CONTI…
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THE TRANSMISSION STARTED IN OCTOBER '99 WITH A HARD DOWNSHIFT IN LOW GEAR, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15 TO 10 MILES PER HOUR. AT THAT SPEED YOU HAVE A HARD BUMP UNDERNEATH AT YOUR TRANSMISSION AND A HUM AS YOU COME TO A STOP. BRANDON FORD CO. COMPLETELY REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION ON APRIL 25-27. A FEW DAYS AFTER, THE SAME PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY CALLED THE FORD MOTOR CO. IN MICHIGAN TO GET A COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING OF THE SHIFT, AND PROCEEDED TO DO THIS WORK ON MAY 19. THIS AUTOMOBILE IS STILL HARD DOWNSHIFTING IN LOW GEAR. IF YOU'RE COMING TO A STOP LIGHT BEHIND TRAFFIC, IT SEEMS KIND OF DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE DOWNSHIFT COULD KICK OUT OF GEAR AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE ONLY THING I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE FORD COMPANY IS A QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT THE SERVICE RECEIVED AT BRANDON FORD, NOT ABOUT MY AUTOMOBILE'S SAFETY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R14 )
A STRONG MILDEW SMELL DEVELOPED OVER AN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEK PERIOD. FLUSHING NOR OZONE TREATMENT HAD ANY POSITIVE AFFECT. THE A/C WAS TORN DOWN. A DEPOSIT OF LEAF AND OTHER DEBRIS WAS FOUND AT OR NEAR THE A/C CONDENSATION DRAIN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE FRAME, BLOCKING PROPER DRAINAGE. THERE WAS NO LIQUID LEAKAGE INTO TH…
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A STRONG MILDEW SMELL DEVELOPED OVER AN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEK PERIOD. FLUSHING NOR OZONE TREATMENT HAD ANY POSITIVE AFFECT. THE A/C WAS TORN DOWN. A DEPOSIT OF LEAF AND OTHER DEBRIS WAS FOUND AT OR NEAR THE A/C CONDENSATION DRAIN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE FRAME, BLOCKING PROPER DRAINAGE. THERE WAS NO LIQUID LEAKAGE INTO THE CAB. THE EVAPORATOR WAS BADLY CONTAMINATED AND WAS REPLACED. THE INTERIOR WAS DETAILED TO INCLUDE SHAMPOO AND DEODORIZE (A FAINT BUT DETECTABLE MILDEW LIKE ODOR REMAINS AFTTER USING THE A/C. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR WAS VERY HELPFUL.*AK
WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT OPERATING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH, WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF WITH THE SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK *ML
DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER IGNITION TURNED ON. CHIMES WHEN KEY IS INSERTED IN IGNITION SWITCH.*AK
FAILURE FOR BRAKE LIGHTS TO FUNCTION AFTER HARD BRAKING SITUATION. THE HARNESS ROUTING FOR THE BRAKE SWITCH CONNECTOR IS TIED TOO CLOSE TO THE CONNECTOR . APPLYING THE BRAKE CAUSED THE WIRE TO STRETCH AND PULL OUT OF THE CONNECTOR PIN. WITH THE WIRE BROKEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO COME ON
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. THE DOME LIGHT ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THEY BOTH COME ON AND GO OFF WHEN THEY WANT TO. *AK
DOOR SWITCHES AND WINDSHIELDWIPER SWITCH REPEATEDLY FAILED. SAME IN FATHER'S 1997 F150. *AK
LOUD NOISE IN REAR RIGHT AXLE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND WENT OFF I 35 INTO CENTER MEDIUM ROLLING THE PICKUP ACROSS THE UNCOMING LINE OF TRAFFIC ON TO THE OUTSIDE SHOLDER OF HYW, TOTAL LOSS OF PICKUP, WHEEL WITH TIRE ON IT WAS RECOVERED IN MEDIUM OF HYW , AXEL WAS BROKEN AT BRAKE DRUM, WHEEL AND TIRE STILL GOOD. ALL THREE OTH…
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LOUD NOISE IN REAR RIGHT AXLE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND WENT OFF I 35 INTO CENTER MEDIUM ROLLING THE PICKUP ACROSS THE UNCOMING LINE OF TRAFFIC ON TO THE OUTSIDE SHOLDER OF HYW, TOTAL LOSS OF PICKUP, WHEEL WITH TIRE ON IT WAS RECOVERED IN MEDIUM OF HYW , AXEL WAS BROKEN AT BRAKE DRUM, WHEEL AND TIRE STILL GOOD. ALL THREE OTHER WHEELS AND TIRES ARE BROKEN AND FLAT. *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