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

What owners actually said

346 reports

123,060 miles · Feb 12, 2015

StructureSuspension

FRAME IS RUSTED AND ROTTING AWAY, BOUGHT IT FROM DEALER 1/21/2015. FOUND OUT TRUCK WAS IN BAD SHAPE 1/23/2015 AFTER GETTING OIL CHANGE FROM LOCAL SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10683101

139,000 miles · Feb 9, 2015

StructureSuspensionTires

BRACKET FOR SPARE TIRE ROTTED, TIRE DROPPED OFF, NO CAR IN BACK OF ME, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN AT THE TIME, THAT HAPPENED 6 MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE OTHER DAY THE FRAME CRACKED IN HALF. CAR DEALER SHIP SOLD TRUCK TO ME ROUGHLY 15 MONTH AGO TRUCK IS TOTALED. INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID WHOLE FRAME AND UNDER CARRIAGE IS ROTTED? H…

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NHTSA ODI #10682191

44,500 miles · Jan 29, 2015

Engine

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ENGINE EJECTED SPARK PLUG FROM CYLINDER NUMBER THREE. MECHANIC SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITH AN ALUMINUM HEAD. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THIS OCCURRED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT ONLY 20MPH. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE MECHANIC SAID THE SPARK PLUG MAY HAVE EJECTED ITSELF STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HOOD AFTER WHICH, THE ENGINE OFTEN CATCHES FIRE BECAUSE OF THE GASOLINE SPURTING OUT OF THE CYLINDER. REPAIR INCLUDED A HELICOIL TAP KIT AND NEW SPARK PLUGS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY FORD AND ALL GOVERNMENT SAFETY AGENCIES. THIS TRUCK HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR IT'S AGE AND HAS BEEN TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED OTHER THAN FAULTY DESIGN AND USE OF AN ALUMINUM HEAD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10679649

140,000 miles · Jan 21, 2015

Air BagsService BrakesCrashFireInjury

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MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS FORD RANGER XL 2002 WHEN DUE TO A PEDESTRIAN, THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES CAUSING MY SON TO REAR END THEM. SNOWY WEATHER WAS A FACTOR. THE BRAKES DIDN'T CATCH AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. HIS AIRBAGS BLEW UP, NOT DEPLOY- BLEW UP AND CAUGHT FIRE! THE STEERING WHEEL BLEW UP! EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE STEERING COLUMN STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD COMPONENTS. THE STARTER WENT OUT AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. INSURANCE DEEMED THE TRUCK TOTALED. OBVIOUSLY THE AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE!! WAS THERE A RECALL CONCERNING ANY OF THESE COMPONENTS THAT WE WERE NEVER INFORMED OF? WHAT COMPENSATION IS AVAILABLE TO US FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT?...UPDATED 02-03-15 *BF

NHTSA ODI #10676981

150,000 miles · Jan 7, 2015

SteeringCrash

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STEER VEER TO THE LEFT. THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER WAS KILLED FROM THE IMPACT AND SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. THE AIR BAG DID DEPLOY. THE FATAL INJURIES TO THE DRIVER WERE CAUSED BY THE IMPACT FROM THE AIR BAG. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 03/04/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG EXPLODED WITH GREAT FORCE. THE AUTOPSY SAYS HE DIED OF MULTIPLE BLUNT TRAUMA INJURIES TO THE CHEST AND HEAD. UPDATED 10/15/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI #10670785

111,000 miles · Dec 27, 2014

StructureTires

I RECENTLY CHECK THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT A MISSING SPARETIRE AND ALSO A VERY LOOSE REAR BUMPER AND THE CAUSE OF IT IS RUST, VERY BAD RUSTING ON THE FRAME, MOSTLY ON THE REAR END. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668446

70,000 miles · Nov 19, 2014

Power Train

DRIVESHAFT THUMP CLUNK ON LIGHT ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR WHEN BRAKING AND COMING TO A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659482

162,277 miles · Oct 26, 2014

Electrical System

PASSENGER POWER WINDOW WILL NOT WORK. REPLACED ALL COMPONENTS BY AN ASE TECHNICIAN INCLUDING SWITCHES,MOTOR,AND TRACK. WINDOW WILL STILL NOT OPERATE. TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE IS POWER TO THE WINDOW BUT IT JUST WON'T WORK.

NHTSA ODI #10654411

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2014

Vehicle Speed Control

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSU…

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NHTSA ODI #10649736

80,000 miles · Aug 26, 2014

Structure

THIS TRUCK IS RUSTING FROM FRONT TO BACK.THE MAIN FRAME AND ALL CONNECTING PARTS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE NUMEROUS METAL PARTS. THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF DEFECT EITHER IN THE METAL OR THIS TRUCK WAS NEVER UNDERCOATED. IT HAS 84000 MILES AND I HAVE BEEN REPLACING PARTS SINCE 75000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10628483

Official recalls

09V399000 · 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.