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Ford Ranger Problems by Year

Which Ford Ranger years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

2024 Ford Ranger
Photo: Just a Man, CC BY 4.0

Owners have filed 676 complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Ranger from 2019 to 2024. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the transmission and drivetrain, the electrical system and the engine and cooling. The years with the most complaints are 2019, 2020 and 2021.

Years to avoid

2019

The most complaints compared with other Ranger years.

Safer bets

No year stands out as clearly better yet.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

201927220201302021119202238202319202498

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2019 RangerAmong the worst years27211Transmission and drivetrain
2020 RangerAbout average1307Transmission and drivetrain
2021 RangerAbout average1196Transmission and drivetrain
2022 RangerToo new to judge385Transmission and drivetrain
2023 RangerToo new to judge194Transmission and drivetrain
2024 RangerToo new to judge9813Transmission and drivetrain

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Ford Ranger questions

What are the worst Ford Ranger years?

Compared with its other years, the Ranger years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2019. The most reported problem area across all years is the transmission and drivetrain.

What are the most common Ford Ranger problems?

Across 2019 to 2024, owners report problems with the transmission and drivetrain, the electrical system and the engine and cooling most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Ford Ranger have?

NHTSA lists 46 recalls across the 2019 to 2024 Ranger, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.