Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH CONSUMER HAD A TRAILER CONNECTED TO VEHICLE, TRAILER HIT A POTHOLE IN THE ROAD WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK TO FLIP OVER THREE TIMES. DRIVER'S SIDE/ PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
CARGO COVER FAILED. *YC
SHOCK ABSORBER FAILURE.MGM
PULLEY TO FAN BELT BROKE WHEN TURNING ONTO HIGHWAY. YH
HEADLIGHT RELAY FAILED. NLM
ANTI THEFT ALARM GOES OFF AND WHEN TRANSMITTER IS USED IT FAILS TOO. YH
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH LEFT TURN SIGNAL. THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER IS TOO LOW. WHEN TURNING SIGNAL ON, DRIVER'S KNEE HITS UP AGAINST THE TURN SIGNAL AND TURNS IT OFF. IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF OTHER DRIVERS ARE UNAWARE OF THE CONSUMERS ACTIONS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHTTHE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT. THERE WOULD BE NO WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR HEADLIGHTS. PROBLEM COULD NOT BE LOCATED. *AK
DOOR CHIME AND INTERIOR LIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE UP TO AND BEYOND A MIN OF 3MIN AFTER KEYS ARE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION.DOOR CHIME AND INTERIOR LIGHT WILL ALSO COME ON WHILE DRIVING.WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL ALSO OPERATE IN AN UNNORMAL WAY,PROBLEM NOT AS BAD WITH COLD OUTSIDE TEMPS.
NO SUMMARY INCLUDED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WILL SHORT CIRCUIT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BROTHER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE LOST POWER STEERING.- THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JUST TURN AROUND AND AROUND, CAUSING HIM TO HIT A BANK OF DIRT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED BY THE CONSUMER( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/75R14 )
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES VIBRATION/PULSATION COMING FROM THE BRAKES DUE TO ROTORS CONSISTENTLY WARPING. DEALER CONTACTED TWICE, AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHICH STILL OCCURS. *AK
GAS PEDAL FELL OFF, LEAVING CONSUMER STRANDED. COMPUTER PROGRAM IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. DEALER HAD TO REPROGRAM COMPUTER. *AK
ACCELERATOR PEDAL BROKE AWAY FROM FIREWALL. *AK
VEHICLE DESIGN DOES NOT CONTAIN ENOUGH TORQUE TO PROCEED FORWARD ON ANY INCLINE.
THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REV UP AND ACCLERATE AT A HIGH SPEED WITH NO BRAKING ABILITY WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
POOR SUSPENSION SYSTEM CAUSING VIBRATION,BOUNCING AND UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE RESULTUNG IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO NOT DECELERATE PROPERLY RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES.
WHEN CONSUMMER STEPS ON THE BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP VEHICLE HE CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ON ENTIRE VEHICLE. DEALER HAD EXPLAINED TO CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ROTORS. CONSUMER SAID THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AT 15000 MILES, AND THE SECOND TIME AT 24000. *AK
BRAKES FAILED TO WORK, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
BRAKE SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY PULLING, OVERHEATING AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF PADS AND ROTORS.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH OVERDRIVE HAS ERRATIC SHIFTS AT LOW SPEED. IT SHIFTED, FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL TWICE. THE LAST TIME THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO FORWARD POWER.
VEHICLE ADVERTISED WITH POWER STEERING HOWEVER NEVER HAD POWER STEERING.
WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH , IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL RATHER THAN GOING TO PASSING GEAR. WHEN FOOT IS RELEASED OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AND STEPPING ON THE GAS AGAIN, IT WILL ENGAGE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN TRYING TO PASS OTHER CARS OR WHEN GOING INTO PASSING GEAR TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NETURAL, YOU HAVE TO TAKE FOOT OF GAS PADEL AND STEP ON GAS PEDAL AND THE TRUCK GOES BACK INTO GEAR. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED AND DEALER WILL NOT MAKE ANY MORE REPAIRS.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL HANG UP BETWEEN SHIFTS ACTS LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL OR DRAG OUT THE SHIFT IF AT LOW SPEED LIKE 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. TRANSMISSION WILL ALSO MAKE A LOUD NOISE WHEN DOWN SHIFTING TO 1ST GEAR AT LOW SPEEDS.
WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON ALL BY ITSELF. SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT TURN OFF, COMES ON A HIGH SPEED, SOMETIMES WASHER COMES ON ALSO, INCIDENTS OCCUR WHEN THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. PROCESS DEVELOPED WHERE THE TILT STEERING CANNOT BE ADJUSTED OR MOVED EXCEPT WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A N ELECTRICAL SHORT. DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN CONTACTED TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
HOOD SUPPORT FAILED, CAUSING THE HOOD TO SLAM SHUT UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG DURING A COLLISION, RESULTING IN INJURIES. ALSO VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK
WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH AROUND A CURVE; HAD LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER VEHICLE & TOOK IT TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED THAT STEERING GEAR BOX HAD COME LOOSE. MECHANIC SHOWED WHERE BOLTS HAD SEPARATED FROM FRAME. *AK
BED LINER PLUGS CONTINUALLY COMING OUT RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL SEPARATION OF LINER FROM BED OF TRUCK, SCREWS HAD TO BE ADDED TO KEEP LINER ONTO VEHICLE.
HEADLIGHT WILL FAIL WITHOUT WARNING.
OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS VIBRATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
THE SPEEDOMETER/ THE INTERIOR LAMP, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE VEHICLE. *AK
COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE TO ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE.
REAR AXLE LOCKED UP, CAUSING ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL.
BRAKE FAILURE AT 50 MPH AND ABOVE.
WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, THE POWER STEERING BELT GOT WET, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. *AK
WHENEVER DRIVING OVER A BUMP, SUCH AS REPAIRED POTHOLE OR BEFORE A BRIDGE, REAR SUSPENSION JUMPS JUMPS TO THE SIDE AND GETS OUT OF CONTROL. *AK
REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN CHILDREN FROM INJURIES . EVERY STOP OR TURN CAUSED CHILDREN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS, CAUSING THEM TO CRASH AGAINST FRONT PASSENERS SEATS AND THEN BOUNCE OFF AND HIT REAR WINDOW.
WHILE THE KEY IS OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE DEFECTIVE MANUAL TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK
VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH DEER, AIR BAG BURNED ARM OF OCCUPANT AND FILLED VEHICLE WITH SMOKE.
WHILE TRAVLING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE SHIFTS GEARS FROM 4TH TO 3RD. CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THE RMP IDLES HIGH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER RIGHT FRONT CORNER. IMPACT 20 MPH, AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE IS OVER 5000 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. *AK
THE DOOR HANDLES ON THE INSIDE ARE NOT SECURE, WHEN GRABBING THE DOOR HANDLES ON THE INSIDE, THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY OPEN WHEN HAVING THE LOCKS ON. *AK
THE HEAD RESTS ARE TOO SMALL FOR PASSENGERS. OWNER HAS MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND BUMPED HIS HEAD ON THE BACK WINDOW. *K
TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING VIBRATION.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Ford Ranger → · Every Ranger year → · How the figures are calculated →