What owners reported to NHTSA about the 2019 Ford Ranger, its recalls, and what to check before you buy one.

Owners filed about 2.0 times as many complaints as a typical Ranger year. The main thing to watch is the transmission and drivetrain, which half of owners reported by about 50,000 miles. Years with fewer complaints: 2020 and 2021.
Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Ranger years from 2019 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
Owners have filed 272 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Ford Ranger. The most reported problem area is the transmission and drivetrain (92, 34% of complaints), followed by the electrical system and the lights, wipers and visibility. That is the most complaints of any Ranger year from 2019 to 2024. It has 11 recalls.
2 of these complaints came from Utah owners.
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Start my car searchProblem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2019 Ford Ranger before you buy.
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 50,000 miles.
My 2019 Ford Ranger with 10 speed transmission has been harsh shifting and will not always find the right gears. It will sometimes Surge forward or at other time not respond to acceleration. It has 100,000 miles. Never used it for towing or hawling heavy items.Owner complaint, filed 2026
Auto transmission is failing to shift when taking off from a stop or hesitating to shift to next year causing traffic behind me to get close to rear bumper.Owner complaint, filed 2026
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 18,000 miles.
Rear Camera - Back Over Prevention - I took it to the dealer, they said there is no recall for my vehicle. It is currently available for inspection but I will need to get it fixed. Safety risk is elevated due to inability to fully see surroundings/people/children/pets, etc. behind the vehicle. The dealer saw that it is not working but I…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving approximately 10-15 MPH into the driveway at the residence, the vehicle lost electrical power and the vehicle shutoff as if there was no fuel going to the engine. The contact stated that there also a message that the rearview camera was inoperable, along with messages…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 65,064 miles
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 26,000 miles. Parts named most: Defroster / defogger / HVAC system (6), Defroster / defogger / HVAC system: air handler / chamber, ducts, and valves (5).
Defective heat/ac blend box assembly. No heat or, more importantly, windshield defroster. Appears to be a common issue on this vehicle model.Owner complaint, filed 2026
My complaint isn't about my vehicle. My complaint pertains to pickup truck and SUV lighting. The lighting on these vehicles have become so bright that they blind oncoming drivers. In addition, I was recently blinded by the lights on a lifted pickup truck, that was following behind me. The lights on these vehicles have become so bright…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 28,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and hauling a trailer, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that there was rainwater inside the engine cylinders, causing two spark plugs to rust and…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 44,825 miles
Truck has issue with crank position sensor issue caused due to defective design of on 2.3l ecoboost first incident shut off at 65 mph took the dealer was told it was defective crank position sensor second time a month later same thing happens third time three or four months later happens again take the dealer this time they said that it…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 1,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed with an abnormal squealing sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the brake pads and brake discs. The local dealer was contacted, but…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 50,000 miles
Vehicle is a 2019 Ford Ranger mileage is 25700..just had to have all four rotors and brake pads replaced. rear axle rotors showed unaccepatable pitting causing premature wear on pads, while front showed evidence of intermittent pulsing, causing uneven wear . dealership informed me that their hands were tied, this was considfered a normal…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Rear leaf spring on the passenger side broke at rear mounting location at around 40k miles while pulling off the road to park.Owner complaint, filed 2026
My back leaf spring is completely broken from the bolt. This is abnormal and not acceptable , causing dangerous driving conditions. Other similar incidents are reported on online forums.Owner complaint, filed 2026
I had noted several months ago that the back os the back seat would not latch leaving it to swing forward when coming to a stop and slamming back when accelerating. When I checked the latch I could not remedy the problem. I brought my truck into capital ford in carson city for some other problem and asked them to take a look at the seat…Owner complaint, filed 2025
My seat belt buckle stopped working (part number KB3Z-2161203-AB) and despite the fact that my truck is less than 5 years old and has less than 60K miles on it Ford's service system says this part is not covered under the 5 year 60K mile Safety Restraint System nor the Premium Care extended warranties I have on the truck. Documentation…Owner complaint, filed 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the backup camera initially projected three lines at the bottom of the screen, distorting the driver’s vision. The contact stated that over time, the camera displayed a blank or distorted image, and the message "Camera Not Accessible" was displayed. The…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 56,000 miles
While backing up out of a parking space, my BLIS system did not give me a warning letting me know there was a pole to my left side...finally, it beeped just once as I backed into the pole...no other warning. Estimate of repair is $4900. My neighbor was with me and can confirm everythingOwner complaint, filed 2025
Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 6,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH in the driveway and depressing the brake pedal to make a turn, the vehicle lunged forward and accelerated unintendedly. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 11,055 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The contact stated that he decelerated to 30 MPH, and then re-activated the cruise control. While at a stop sign, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 40,000 miles
Consistent issue with fuel in oil. Latest report from the oil analysis have 4.5 percent fuel in oil. Dropping oil ignition point to 285 degrees. Issue occurs during normal vehicle use.Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 14,136 miles
Extreme fuel dilution in the oil. Likely from leaking high pressure fuel pump. I have attached the results from oil analysis at 1860 miles. The test only indicates that fuel dilution is above 5%, which itself leads to severe oil degradation. When I changed the oil, I drained 7.5 quarts out of an engine with a 6.2 quart capacity. This…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 1,860 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger equipped with Dunlop Tires. Tire Line: AT2O, Tire Size : 265/65R17 110HI, DOT number DAAH D31R. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the passenger-side rear tire blew out. The thread separated and was on the roadway. The contact was able to continue to drive. The contact called a tire center…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 97,000 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a tire rotation, the contact was informed that the tires were unable to be rebalanced due to swollen lug nuts. The vehicle was then taken to Goodyear, who was also unable to rotate the tires. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 106,000 miles
The steering wheel is loose. I tried to get my truck aligned and was told they weren’t able to do it because of the steering wheel being looseOwner complaint, filed 2024
Owner, who had bought the truck new approx. 3 1/2 years earlier, had driven about three miles on dry, paved, residential, hilly, roads and was returning to where he was staying when he came upon a waiting line of cars. He turned around to go a different way. Coming to a slight curve the power steering (EPAS) went out. Struggling to make…Owner complaint, filed 2023
The contact owned a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a cow. During the incident, the vehicle was destroyed and severe front-end damage had occurred but no airbags deployed. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 54,000 miles
The contact owns a 2007 toyota matrix. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19v627000 (air bags). However, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the [VIN] exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer spitzer toyota monroeville (4710 william penn hwy…Owner complaint, filed 2020
Corrosion problems on the chassis will be corrected by delaer. It is not the first vehicle of this model that I see with the same problem. I have more photos.Owner complaint, filed 2020
Hood/cowling along the windshield allows water to leak under the hood of the vehicle and wets the coils and plugs causing the engine to mis fire and shutter violently. This engine mis fire and sudden lack of power can cause the vehicle to obstruct the flow of traffic resulting in an accident. Problem was reproduced by the dealer and they…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Compare the 2019 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.
Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.
| Car | Vs. its other years | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Ford Ranger | Among the worst years | 11 |
| 2019 Toyota Tacoma | Worse than most years | 4 |
| 2019 Chevrolet Colorado | About average | 0 |
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles previously repaired under recall 19V-726. The service replacement Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor that was installed may have an improper clearance between an electrical terminal and the conductive base plate that may result in an resistive electrical short.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger trucks. The inline electrical connector terminals for the rear lights may be misaligned or not properly seated, potentially causing the rear lights to function intermittently or not at all.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles. The Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor may electrically short.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Ranger vehicles with a SuperCab body style. The front passenger seat belt may have been improperly assembled.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles. The fasteners that attach the transmission shifter cable bracket to the transmission may loosen allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. In some of these vehicles, the transmission shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position without the key in the starting system and without depressing the brake pedal. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
The most reported problem areas on the 2019 Ford Ranger are the transmission and drivetrain (92 complaints), the electrical system (41 complaints) and the lights, wipers and visibility (38 complaints).
One of the worst Ranger years. Owners filed about 2.0 times as many complaints as a typical Ranger year. The main thing to watch is the transmission and drivetrain, which half of owners reported by about 50,000 miles. Years with fewer complaints: 2020 and 2021. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Ranger years from 2019 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.
NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 2019 Ford Ranger. The most recent, from Oct 2025, covers the engine block heater. One of them tells owners to park outside or not drive the car until it is fixed. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.
Half of the owners who reported a problem with the transmission and drivetrain gave a mileage of about 50,000 miles or less. Half of the owners who reported a problem with the electrical system gave a mileage of about 18,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.
The Ranger years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2019. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.
These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.
We inspect the car with a scan tool and paint gauge, read the history report and tell you whether it is worth the asking price, before you hand over any money.