IllustrationSteel rim came apart while adding air to tire causing severe injuries to hands leg and foot only 20 psi in tire pressure when rim blew apart !
2002 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Ranger years
Owner complaints for the 2002 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
510–25K
4925–50K
3750–75K
2875–100K
36100–150K
19150K+
220 reports with mileage · 126 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.
- Power Train. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports12 fire reports25 injury reports
Wheels complaints
5 reportsWHILE DRIVING 35 MPH RIGHT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD RANGER ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, CLEAR SKIES, SUN OUT AND NO RAIN. SHE FELT THE TRUCK VIOLENTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND THOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD A BLOWN OUT. BUT THE TRUCK WAS THROWN INTO THE GUARD RAIL, A WITNESS BEHIND HER SAID THE WHEEL FLEW OFF THE TRUCK…
Read full complaint
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD RANGER ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, CLEAR SKIES, SUN OUT AND NO RAIN. SHE FELT THE TRUCK VIOLENTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND THOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD A BLOWN OUT. BUT THE TRUCK WAS THROWN INTO THE GUARD RAIL, A WITNESS BEHIND HER SAID THE WHEEL FLEW OFF THE TRUCK, THEN IT WENT AIRBORNE AND FLEW BACK TO THE LEFT OVER THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY, MY DAUGHTER HAD ONLY MILD INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE E.R. VIA AMBULANCE. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED WITH THE TRUCK OR THE FLYING WHEEL. WHEN I SAW THE CAR AT THE WRECKER YARD, I NOTED THE WHOLE WHEEL AND PART OF THE AXLE WERE MISSING. MY DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND FOUND THE TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE AXLE AND PART OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS STILL ATTACHED. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS OF A WHEEL BREAKING OFF OF A FORD RANGER? IN RETROSPECT, THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 6000 MILES AND THERE HAS BEEN TWO BLOWN OUTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE IN WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE WITHIN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THE TIRES ARE GOODYEAR. COULD THIS BE RELATED AS WELL OR IS IT A DIFFERENCE PROBLEM? *LA
THE CONSUMER HAD A BLOW OUT ON THE DRIVER SIDE DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE WHEEL WOULD NOT COME OFF. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH
CONSUMER STATES WHEN BRAKING AND GENTLY TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL THE REAR WHEELS LOCK UP. MR
Official recalls
309V399000 · 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.
07V336000 · 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.
02V035000 · Power Train:driveline:differential Unit
Feb 4, 2002
ON SOME MANUAL TRANSMISSION TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE FX4 PACKAGE, THE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL CASE COULD FRACTURE UNDER A HIGH TORQUE EVENT SUCH AS WHEN CUSTOMERS ACCELERATE RAPIDLY FROM A STOP OR WHEN A SPINNING TIRE SUDDENLY GAINS TRACTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURES COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN WHEEL LOCK-UP.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
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.