Ford Ranger Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 745 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Ford Ranger across 25 model years. The 2019 model year has the most (92). The words owners use most often: “automatic transmission” (5% of reports).
- 745power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 39mention a crash
- 22mention an injury
- 6related recalls
- $4,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%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.
- Automatic transmission: mentioned in 39 of 745 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Ford Ranger at $4,550, and half of them between $1,700 and $8,250.
Based on 25 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1999–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 242 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 745 complaints, 39 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 22 an injury.
Ford Ranger power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Ranger | 2 | 29% | — |
| 2025 Ranger | 16 | 37% | — |
| 2024 Ranger | 37 | 40% | 3,600 |
| 2023 Ranger | 5 | 28% | 5,500 |
| 2022 Ranger | 17 | 46% | 41,000 |
| 2021 Ranger | 60 | 51% | 77,500 |
| 2020 Ranger | 49 | 38% | 80,000 |
| 2019 Ranger | 92 | 34% | 50,000 |
| 2011 Ranger | 5 | 2% | 30,000 |
| 2010 Ranger | 1 | 1% | 1,600 |
| 2009 Ranger | 3 | 2% | 25,000 |
| 2008 Ranger | 1 | 0% | 45,300 |
| 2007 Ranger | 2 | 1% | 30,900 |
| 2006 Ranger | 4 | 1% | 8,650 |
| 2005 Ranger | 8 | 3% | 62,170 |
| 2004 Ranger | 27 | 7% | 32,000 |
| 2003 Ranger | 16 | 7% | 24,500 |
| 2002 Ranger | 61 | 18% | 51,500 |
| 2001 Ranger | 51 | 10% | 53,000 |
| 2000 Ranger | 69 | 10% | 85,500 |
| 1999 Ranger | 67 | 9% | 59,102 |
| 1998 Ranger | 60 | 10% | 44,045 |
| 1997 Ranger | 42 | 10% | 84,990 |
| 1996 Ranger | 28 | 7% | 50,579 |
| 1995 Ranger | 22 | 7% | 181,313 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (6)
Power train:automatic transmission:fluid/lubricant:valves/valve body
Model years: 2024
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2025 F-150, Bronco, 2024 Ranger, 2025 Mustang, Explorer, and Aviator vehicles. The transmission valve body may have been machined incorrectly, which can cause reverse gear failure, or unexpected forward movement in reverse or neutral gear.
Risk: Unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the transmission main control valve body, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S19.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Model years: 2020
Problem: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.
Risk: If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Model years: 2019
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the gear shift lever position does not match the actual transmission gear, the vehicle may move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of crash or injury.
Fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the transmission shift cable bracket fasteners as necessary, and verify the proper transmission shift operation, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S15.
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2019
Problem: 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."
Risk: If the vehicle can be shifted out of Park without the brake applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move. Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Fix: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the transmission floor shift selector interlock assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C02.
Power train:driveline:differential unit
Model years: 2002
Problem: On some manual transmission trucks equipped with the fx4 package, the rear axle differential case could fracture under a high torque event such as when customers accelerate rapidly from a stop or when a spinning tire suddenly gains traction.
Risk: Differential fractures could potentially result in wheel lock-up.
Fix: Dealers will replace the rear axle assembly. Owner notification began march 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 1998, 1999
Problem: Vehicle description: electric vehicles. The transaxle may have been manufactured with the park detent spring misaligned. If the spring is misaligned, the park mechanism may not engage when the shift lever is placed in the park position.
Risk: If the park mechanism does not engage and the vehicle operator has not applied the parking brake, the vehicle could roll free as if in neutral.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the transaxle and any with misaligned park detent springs will be replaced.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I am reporting a potential drivetrain safety defect involving the rear driveshaft bearing on my 2021 Ford Ranger FX4 Lariat. On September 3, 2025, I brought my truck to Larry H. Miller Ford Lakewood after experiencing an intermittent abnormal whistling/mechanical noise while driving. The vehicle…
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and turning in either direction, an abnormal sound was heard coming from under the rear of the vehicle, and the vehicle shuddered. The contact expressed safety concerns that the failure could leave the…
The vehicle intermittently changes its drive mode on its own, with no input from the driver. This has happened approximately 6 to 12 times. It occurs in two situations. While stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle has switched itself into Rock Crawl mode, and on other occasions into Baja mode…
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…
I was driving at approximately 25 MPH and all of a sudden the truck automatically went into 4 wheel drive low which altered my ability to keep up with traffic and caused me to pull over to figure out why. I had to restart my truck to get it out of 4 wheel drive. This has happened approximately 5…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Rangers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 745 owner complaints about power train 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 power train?
Yes: 6 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Ford Ranger?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,550 (half paid between $1,700 and $8,250), from 25 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Ford Ranger?
The most frequent phrase is “automatic transmission”, in 39 of 745 complaints.
Other Ford Ranger problems
- Air Bags problems (1,882)
- Tires problems (701)
- Structure problems (668)
- Suspension problems (523)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (486)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (483)
- Electrical System problems (434)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (334)
See all Ford Ranger problems.