Ford Ranger Engine Problems
Owners have filed 169 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Ford Ranger across 25 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (27). The words owners use most often: “spark plug” (11% of reports).
- 169engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Spark plug: mentioned in 18 of 169 complaints (11%)
- Engine cover: mentioned in 10 of 169 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 81 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 169 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Ranger engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ranger | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2025 Ranger | 12 | 28% | — |
| 2024 Ranger | 10 | 11% | — |
| 2023 Ranger | 3 | 17% | — |
| 2022 Ranger | 5 | 14% | — |
| 2021 Ranger | 13 | 11% | 11,476 |
| 2020 Ranger | 16 | 12% | 29,000 |
| 2019 Ranger | 27 | 10% | 5,154 |
| 2011 Ranger | 2 | 1% | 80,000 |
| 2010 Ranger | 4 | 3% | 38,790 |
| 2009 Ranger | 3 | 2% | 110,875 |
| 2008 Ranger | 4 | 1% | 47,150 |
| 2007 Ranger | 1 | 0% | 90,000 |
| 2006 Ranger | 12 | 4% | 90,500 |
| 2005 Ranger | 7 | 2% | 68,000 |
| 2004 Ranger | 7 | 2% | 105,000 |
| 2003 Ranger | 9 | 4% | 142,000 |
| 2002 Ranger | 6 | 2% | 161,000 |
| 2001 Ranger | 6 | 1% | 200,000 |
| 2000 Ranger | 6 | 1% | 158,500 |
| 1999 Ranger | 5 | 1% | 138,000 |
| 1998 Ranger | 3 | 1% | 69,625 |
| 1997 Ranger | 4 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 1996 Ranger | 2 | 0% | 190,000 |
| 1995 Ranger | 1 | 0% | 230,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2025, 2026
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:gas recirculation valve (egr valve)
Model years: 2025
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025 Ranger, Lincoln Nautilus, Mustang, Maverick, Explorer, Escape, Lincoln Corsair, Bronco Sport, and Bronco vehicles. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may fail, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the EGR valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 4, 2026.
Equipment:electrical:engine block heater
Model years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Problem: 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.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Engine and engine cooling:cooling system
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: pickup trucks equipped with 2.5l ohc engines. Engine coolant circulation through the heater circuit is prevented because of a plugged heater return tube (water pump inlet tube) at the water pump. These vehicles do not comply with the intent of fmvss no. 103, "windshield defrosting and defogging systems."
Risk: As a result of no heat in the heater circuit, defrost performance is compromised.
Fix: Dealers will replace the plugged heater water return tubes.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have a 2024 Ford Ranger Lariat. Approximately once a month, the vehicle intermittently loses throttle response while making a turn, most often a right-hand turn but sometimes a left-hand turn. The problem generally occurs after I let off the accelerator and coast into or through an intersection…
On 10/05/2026 at about 35 mph, driving on a normal street in good weather, for no apparent reason... my 2024 Ranger Raptor decided to auto change to all other driving modes, one after another (i.e. 2High then All wheel drive then 4High and then tried 4Low, all on its own. Thankfully the computer…
Vehicle is just out of warranty and has less than 45,000 miles yet I'm being told I need a full transmission replacement. I know of 4 other rangers that as soon as they hit 40,000 or there about, began having jerky transmission issues. I reached out to ford for a goodwill request and am being told…
My truck has selectable drive modes. These drive modes control steering effort, suspension, shift points, the four-wheel drive system, ABS, and exhaust. My truck changes drive modes on its own without any input. Going down the highway, my truck is tried to go into rock crawl modes several times. If…
Yes this is my second time filing a complaint regarding my new truck switching drive modes on its own. The first time it tried going into 4 low while i was going over 45 mph, with only 800 miles. The next time it did it was at around 1200 miles it switched drive modes completely and tried switching…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Rangers have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 169 owner complaints about engine for the Ford Ranger. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Ranger engine?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Ford Ranger?
The most frequent phrase is “spark plug”, in 18 of 169 complaints, followed by “engine cover” (10).
Other Ford Ranger problems
- Air Bags problems (1,882)
- Power Train problems (745)
- Tires problems (701)
- Structure problems (668)
- Suspension problems (523)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (486)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (483)
- Electrical System problems (434)
See all Ford Ranger problems.