IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH ,HIT VEHICLE WITH FRONT END ,DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. *AK
1999 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
100–25K
3425–50K
3450–75K
4475–100K
56100–150K
36150K+
214 reports with mileage · 541 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 178 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 89 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
96 crash reports14 fire reports50 injury reports
What owners actually said
755 reportsFORD RANGER 1999.WHEN TRUCK HIT 100-150 MILES ,IT STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN YOU WOULD BRAKE. AT 1000 MILES,IT STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. BY 1500 MILES IT WOULD PULL EITHER WAY, OR MAYBE NOT AT ALL! NOW IT IS PULLING HARD HARD LEFT. IF UNAWARE OR CAUGHT OFF GUARD, IT WILL YANK THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF YOUR HANDS.VERY…
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FORD RANGER 1999.WHEN TRUCK HIT 100-150 MILES ,IT STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN YOU WOULD BRAKE. AT 1000 MILES,IT STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT. BY 1500 MILES IT WOULD PULL EITHER WAY, OR MAYBE NOT AT ALL! NOW IT IS PULLING HARD HARD LEFT. IF UNAWARE OR CAUGHT OFF GUARD, IT WILL YANK THE STEERING WHEEL OUT OF YOUR HANDS.VERY DANGEROUS!! I HAVE ALMOST HIT OTHER VEHICLES AND EVEN THE CEMENT FREEWAY DIVIDER. I WILL LET NO-.ONE ELSE DRIVE.IT IS TOO UNSAFE...I ALSO HAD A 1998 EXACT SAME TRUCK-EXACT SAME PROBLEM, EVEN AFTER 7 SERVICE VISITS/ AND DAYS TAKEN OFF WORK. EARNHARDT WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND FORD DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.FORD FINALLY BOUGHT THE 1998 BACK FROM ME AND PUT ME IN THIS 1999....THE '99 HAS NOT BEEN IN THE SHOP, YET, UNTIL FORD MANUFACTURE CAN FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION..ON THE 1998 THAT EARNHARDTS TRIED TO FIX EVERYTHING THEY COULD THINK OF WITH NO SATISFACTION!!! THIS PROCESS IS VERY HARD ON MY NERVES AND MY LOVE OF FORD VEHICLES.IT IS AN EXPERIENCE I NEVER WANTED TO HAVE TO GO THRU AGAIN. IN SHORT: I BELIEVE THIS TRUCK IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE ON THE HIGHWAYS OR STREETS! *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
VEHICLE VERY UNSTABLE(BOUNCES AROUND ALL OVER THE ROAD WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD). VEHICLE ALSO LUNGES AT SLOW IDLE SPEEDS IN 1ST & 2ND GEAR. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER OR DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DURING A VEHICLE COLLISION. NLM
WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE BED WAS INSTALLED COCKED, WE NOTICED A SERIOS WATER LEAK A WEEK AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, HAVE RETURNED THE TRUCK 6 TIMES WITH NO REPAIRS THAT WORKED. FIRST REPAIP ATTEMPT WAS TO APPLY A SEALER, NO GOOD, SECOND WAS SEALER AGAIN, NO GOOD, THIRD,FOURTH, AND FIFTH TRY WAS SILICONE NO GOOD,LAST TRY WAS…
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WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE BED WAS INSTALLED COCKED, WE NOTICED A SERIOS WATER LEAK A WEEK AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER, HAVE RETURNED THE TRUCK 6 TIMES WITH NO REPAIRS THAT WORKED. FIRST REPAIP ATTEMPT WAS TO APPLY A SEALER, NO GOOD, SECOND WAS SEALER AGAIN, NO GOOD, THIRD,FOURTH, AND FIFTH TRY WAS SILICONE NO GOOD,LAST TRY WAS EXPANDABLE FOAM, STILL NO GOOD, IM TIRED OF HAVE A PIECE OF JUNK.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AND TO CUT THEM OFF I HAD TO PUT THEM ON LEVEL 4 OF THE DELAY SWITCH. IT ALSO WILL NOT WORK WHEN I WANT IT TO OR I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SWITCH TO GET IT TO WORK.
FRONT BRAKES WHICH ARE NOT ABS DID NOT LOCK UP IN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND RESULTED IN ACCIDENT. YH
WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED AND THE MANUAL SHIFT IS IN GEAR AFTER BEING PARKED A WHILE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS/DOES NOT ENGAGE, AND IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED, THEN THE VEHICLE ROLLS FREE AS IF IN NEUTRAL
GAS PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND MAY RESULT IN PEDAL MISAPPLICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. *AK
SHOCKS WERE WORE OUT AT 12000 MILES CAUSING TIRES TO CHAT AS YOU DROVE DOWN THE ROAD, DEALER REPLACED SHOCKS AND ROTATED TIRES SHOCKS WENT OUT AGAIN AT 15000 MILES NOW WAITING TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN ONE SHOCK IS LEAKING OIL.
Official recalls
407V336000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 3, 2007
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
99V204000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Jul 28, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE TRANSAXLE MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH THE PARK DETENT SPRING MISALIGNED. IF THE SPRING IS MISALIGNED, THE PARK MECHANISM MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE PARK MECHANISM DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATOR HAS NOT APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL FREE AS IF IN NEUTRAL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSAXLE AND ANY WITH MISALIGNED PARK DETENT SPRINGS WILL BE REPLACED.
99V062001 · Vehicle Speed Control
Mar 30, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L, 3.0L FFV/EFI OR 4.0L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM JANUARY 5, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 MUSTANGS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE OR 4-VALVE ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (OVER 8,500 LBS.) TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; AND 1999 F-53 STRIPPED CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999. A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO PULLEY AND NOT ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS USED AND THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE REPLACEMENT CABLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ADVISED NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE.
98V201000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System
Sep 1, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS WITH 3.0L ENGINE. AN 'O'-RING SEAL IN THE FUEL INJECTION PULSE DAMPER TO FUEL RAIL JOINT COULD BE DAMAGED ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE CAN RESULT FROM FUEL LEAKAGE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PULSE DAMPER.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.