1997 FORD RANGER

536 complaints filed with NHTSA.

536
Complaints
43
Crashes
10
Fires
49
Injuries
1
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
INTERIOR LIGHTING36
TIRES:TREAD/BELT34
TIRES27
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER24
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION21
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE21
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP19
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP17
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM14
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR13
SUSPENSION13
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL13
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER9

Recent Complaints

20151123FireVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH MELTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE BEING REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V399000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

20130207CrashAIR BAGS

WE WERE DOING 30MPH AND WE HIT A SHEET OF BLACK ICE. THEN WE HIT THE GUARDRAIL. WHEN WE HIT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF. *TR

20100123FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I CAME OUTSIDE TO MY 1997 FORD RANGER XLT AND IT WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AN IN THE CAB ALREADY. THEN IT EXPLODED! *TR

Mileage: 150,000

20090919FireSERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

DROVE MY 1997 FORD RANGER TRUCK TO LUNCH AT WORK UPON RETURNING SITTING DOWN FOR 10 MINUTES A COWORKER RAN INTO THE PLANT SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE MY MASTER CYLINDER FOR MY BRAKES WAS ON FIRE AND WAS PUT OUT THERE IS ALOT OF DAMAGE. I BELIEVE WAS CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE ABS BREAK SENSOR DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THEM OR NOT HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *TR

20090320CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

CONSUMER STATES THAT A COMPLAINT WAS MADE IN JUNE OF 2002 ABOUT A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT IN HER 1997 FORD RANGER AND WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION OPEN. *NJ

20051024CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

ROOF SUPPORT/ VEHICLE HAS A TENDENCY TO BOUNCE ALL OVER THE ROAD BAD SUSPENSION! HIGHER CENTER GRAVITY! MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ROLL, NOT ONLY TO ROLL AND LOSE CONTROL THE ROOF SUPPORT IS NOTHING BUT THIN CHEAP METAL THAT CAN BE EASILY SMUSHED. I KNOW I BROKE MY NECK AND NOW I AM DISABLE....FORD RANGERS SHOULDN'T BE ON THE ROAD WITH A HIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITY...MAKE THEM SAFER....WIDER OR LOWER BUT NOT THE WAY THEY ARE NOW TRUCK IS A HAZARD A LIFE THREATENING HAZARD..MORE WAYS THAN ONE! *NM

20050707FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

DT: CALLER HAD AN ENGINE FIRE. CALLER'S SON WAS DRIVING AND SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OVER AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE SON SAID VEHICLE MADE A POPPING SOUND AND HE COULD NOT GET AWAY FROM IT FAST ENOUGH BEFORE IT EXPLODED. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THERE WAS A REPORT FILED. DEALER SAID SHE DID NOT MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE BUT THE CALLER STATED SHE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID THIS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALER TO HAVE IT MAINTAINED. THE MA

Mileage: 78,000

20050422CrashSTEERING

THE CONSUMER VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED OVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

20050406CrashSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND ROLLED OVER. AS A RESULT, THE ROOF CRUSHED IN AND BROKE THE DRIVER'S NECK. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

20050301CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THERE WAS A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AT 50 MPH. THE CONSUMER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *SC *TC *JB

20040719AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

I HAD JUST PUT MY TRUCK INTO DRIVE WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOID BY ITSELF WHICH CAUSED INJURY TO MY HAND

20030626CrashAIR BAGS

VEHICLE WAS IN A VERY SEVERE FRONT/SIDE COLLISION. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT.*AK

Mileage: 53,423

20030603FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

97 FORD RANGER 4WD ~79K MILES, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FREOM WORK ON BACK ROAD DOING 30 MPH. SHE THOUGHT SHE RAN OVER SOMETHING AND THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY DIED. NO ENGINE, POWER STEERING OR ANYTHING. *AK WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE CRAK SHAFT BROKE OFF AT THE ENGINE BLOCK. A WHOLE ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED. INSPECTING WHERE THE SHAFT BROKE OFF IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME, THE MECHANIC AND OTHERS THAT PART WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE MANUFACTURE PROCES. ABOUT 40% OF THE RING OF THE SHAFT LOOKS FINE (SOLID STE

Mileage: 78,700

20030524CrashFireSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1997 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES, INSTEAD OF STOPPING AT THIS "T" HWY INTERSECTION, I RAN PAST IT, AND HIT A 12" DIAMETER TREE HEAD ON. ICE ON THE ROAD. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE INDENTATION ON THE FRONT BUMPER WAS OVER TWO FEET DEEP. MY HEAD AND RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY SMASHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL, AND MY I BROKE MY LEFT COLLAR BONE, FRACTURED AND BRUISED SEVERAL RIBS ON MY RIGHT SID

20030524CrashFireAIR BAGS

1997 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES, INSTEAD OF STOPPING AT THIS "T" HWY INTERSECTION, I RAN PAST IT, AND HIT A 12" DIAMETER TREE HEAD ON. ICE ON THE ROAD. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE INDENTATION ON THE FRONT BUMPER WAS OVER TWO FEET DEEP. MY HEAD AND RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY SMASHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL, AND MY I BROKE MY LEFT COLLAR BONE, FRACTURED AND BRUISED SEVERAL RIBS ON MY RIGHT SID

20030524CrashFireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

1997 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES, INSTEAD OF STOPPING AT THIS "T" HWY INTERSECTION, I RAN PAST IT, AND HIT A 12" DIAMETER TREE HEAD ON. ICE ON THE ROAD. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE INDENTATION ON THE FRONT BUMPER WAS OVER TWO FEET DEEP. MY HEAD AND RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY SMASHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL, AND MY I BROKE MY LEFT COLLAR BONE, FRACTURED AND BRUISED SEVERAL RIBS ON MY RIGHT SID

20030220FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASHBOARD.*JB

20021209FatalPOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY. DT

20021204CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE THE BRACKET SNAP CAUSING A VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

20020326CrashAIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS T-BONED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE DRIVER WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NLM *YH