Ford Ranger 1993–1997
2nd generation · Ford Ranger (carryover chassis)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20262,323 complaints, 417 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 75,000 and 146,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 35 complaints (8.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 50,734
- 25%
- 75,000
- Median
- 106,243
- 75%
- 146,000
- 90%
- 195,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 8 | 1.9% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 7 | 1.7% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 3 | 0.7% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 3 | 0.7% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 14 | 3.4% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 24 | 5.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 21 | 5.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 34 | 8.2% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 31 | 7.4% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 35 | 8.4% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 35 | 8.4% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 22 | 5.3% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 25 | 6.0% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 32 | 7.7% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 26 | 6.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 17 | 4.1% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 12 | 2.9% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 13 | 3.1% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 9 | 2.2% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 11 | 2.6% |
| 200,000+ | 35 | 8.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 2,323 complaints with NHTSA about the 1993–1997 Ford Ranger, and 417 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 75,000 and 146,000 miles. The median is 106,243 miles.
The most-reported areas are the hydraulic brake circuit (13.2% of complaints, typically around 104,000 miles), the tyres (10.0% of complaints, typically around 110,000 miles), the fuel system (8.5% of complaints, typically around 104,000 miles).
What fails, and when
- Hydraulic brake circuit104,000median 104,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 171,000
- Tyres110,000median 110,480 miles, middle half 55,000 to 163,000
- Fuel system104,000median 104,000 miles, middle half 75,000 to 130,000
- Transmission and driveline96,000median 96,500 miles, middle half 59,000 to 148,000
- Electrical system100,000median 100,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 148,000
- Throttle and speed control127,000median 127,000 miles, middle half 78,000 to 146,000
- Suspension134,000median 134,216 miles, middle half 100,000 to 193,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 307 | 13.2% | 104,000 | 48,000–171,000 |
| Tyres | 233 | 10.0% | 110,000 | 55,000–163,000 |
| Fuel system | 198 | 8.5% | 104,000 | 75,000–130,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 176 | 7.6% | — | — |
| Transmission and driveline | 171 | 7.4% | 96,000 | 59,000–148,000 |
| Electrical system | 143 | 6.2% | 100,000 | 60,000–148,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 129 | 5.6% | 127,000 | 78,000–146,000 |
| Suspension | 122 | 5.3% | 134,000 | 100,000–193,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 105 | 4.5% | 79,000 | 59,000–84,000 |
| Body structure | 88 | 3.8% | 131,000 | 84,000–160,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 106,243 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 13.2% of complaints (307 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 48,000 and 170,669 miles.
The tyres account for 10.0% of complaints (233 reports, 20 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 110,480 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 162,626 miles.
The fuel system accounts for 8.5% of complaints (198 reports, 107 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 104,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 75,242 and 130,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.4% of complaints (171 reports, 14 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 96,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,099 and 147,869 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.2% of complaints (143 reports, 25 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 100,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 147,869 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 5.6% of complaints (129 reports, 27 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 127,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 77,772 and 146,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1997 model year drew the most — 536 complaints — while 1993 drew the fewest at 272. The median year sits at 531.
Recalls and what they cover
No recall campaigns covering this generation appear in NHTSA's post-2010 recall file. That is not the same as an absence of problems — recalls address safety defects specifically, and many of the complaints above concern faults that are expensive or annoying without meeting that threshold.
Reported severity
Of the 2,323 complaints filed against this generation, 227 reported a crash; 79 reported a fire; 164 reported an injury; 16 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 9.8% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 75,000 and 146,000 miles, with a median of 106,243. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the hydraulic brake circuit and the tyres are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The hydraulic brake circuit in particular shows a median failure mileage of 104,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission 1993–1996
A4LD 4-speed automatic durability — overdrive and forward clutch failure, and torque converter lockup faults, are the characteristic transmission failure of the pre-5R55E trucks.
Body 1993–1997
Salt-belt corrosion of the frame, cab corners and bed, typical of the era; late-life structural rust is a common ODI theme for these trucks.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 272 | 45 |
| 1994 | 531 | 80 |
| 1995 | 451 | 59 |
| 1996 | 533 | 93 |
| 1997 | 536 | 140 |
What owners reported
The rear brake cable goes though a oblong hole in the frame. In my 1993 Ford Ranger the oblong hole edge is now razor sharpe. This can cause a fatique crack leading to frame failure. I used rtv to try to keep the cable away from the edge of the hole. The frame hole is now too sharp for me to mess with. I do not want…
1993 · 11 miles · Parking brake
The governor for the 90 MPH governor was recalled by the consumer agency responsible for recalls. The problem was that it was a potential fire hazard. I called upon Ford several times over a period of years, as well as went by the Ford shop and was told that it was not pertaining to my 1993 Ford Ranger. Not until…
1993 · 57,000 miles · Throttle and speed control
Unexpected fire under hood after turning the defroster switch on. While driving in a parking garage my nephew who was driving at the time turned the defroster switch on and all of a sudden there was smoke bellowing out of the vents into the Ford Ranger pk/u cab. He pulled over to the side of the lot and someone…
1993 · 80,000 miles · Visibility equipment
Tl* - the contact's 1993 Ford Ranger caught on fire. There were no warnings prior to the incident. The contact was traveling approximately 65 MPH with an odometer reading of 84000 at the time of the failure. The contact purchased the vehicle on 11/7/06 from a private owner. The throw-out bearing was replaced on…
1993 · 84,000 miles · Engine and its cooling system
Built from 417 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page