IllustrationLEFT FRONT ROTOR. CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. WITH NUMEROUS OTHER PARTIAL THICKNESS CRACKS. ROTOR IN GOOD SHAPE
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 reportsBRAKES LOCK UP AND TRUCK WILL SKID NO MATTER WHAT SPEED, TRUCK BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND SPRAY DURING SOME LEFT TURNS, FOR NO APPARANT REASON. THIS CAUSES THE INABILITY TO SEE. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED(AND TRUCK GOES NUTS)THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LAUNCHES FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT IS LOCKED INTO POS…
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BRAKES LOCK UP AND TRUCK WILL SKID NO MATTER WHAT SPEED, TRUCK BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND SPRAY DURING SOME LEFT TURNS, FOR NO APPARANT REASON. THIS CAUSES THE INABILITY TO SEE. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED(AND TRUCK GOES NUTS)THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LAUNCHES FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT IS LOCKED INTO POSITION. ONE INCIDENT WAS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A BUSY STREET WHEN MY WIPERS CAME ON AND SPRAYED FLUID ALL OVER, I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES AND THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND TRUCK STARTED TO SKID, AND THE SEAT HOLDING MY INFANT SON'S CAR SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE DASH. I WAS TRAVELING MAYBE 4-6 MPH. SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED IN THIS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAY I HAVE NO RECOURSE AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH THINGS HAPPENING WITH THIER VEHICLES. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED AND I AM TOLD THAT THEY LOOK FINE, AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ABS DUMMY LIGHT COMING ON IN THE VEHICLE. PLEASE, PLEASE CAN YOU MAKE FORD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THIS TRUCK POSTED HERE ON NHTSA'S SITE. THANK YOU. *AK
THE CONTROL SWITCH FOR HEAT/AIR HAS TO BE TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION. IF NOT, THE HEAT IS UNCONTROLLABLE AND STIFLING
BOTH REAR CENTER LEAF SPRINGS BROKE IN HALF! *AK
INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH NIGHT DRIVING. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AUTOMATICALLY, DISBURSING WASHER FLUID ON A STARTLING THE DRIVER. A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK. OWNER WAS SHOWN HOW TO REMOVE THE FUSE IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUR…
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THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK. OWNER WAS SHOWN HOW TO REMOVE THE FUSE IF THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT AND IGNITION ALARM WILL NOT STOP/TURN OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE IGNITION ALARM STOPS ONLY WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED, THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON FOR EXTREME EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED ONCE IN 1998 OR 99. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CORRECT THEI…
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THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT AND IGNITION ALARM WILL NOT STOP/TURN OFF WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. THE IGNITION ALARM STOPS ONLY WHEN THE KEY IS REMOVED, THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON FOR EXTREME EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED ONCE IN 1998 OR 99. VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO CORRECT THEIR DEFECT (12,000 MILE/12MO PERIOD IS UP) EVEN THOUGH IT IS RECURRING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I CAN'T DRIVE AT NIGHT, BECAUSE I CANNOT SEE OUT OF MY WINDOWS.
INTERIOR DOME LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF SOMETIMES. DEALER FIXED DOME LIGHT YWICE, AND SAME PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK
AT INTERMITTENT TIMES FOR A VARRYING LENGTH OF TIME HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND PUTS THE TRUCK BACK ON THE ROAD. *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