Ford Ranger 1998–2011
3rd generation · Ford Ranger (US), Mazda B-Series twin
NHTSA data through 12 August 20266,371 complaints, 2,653 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 37,000 and 114,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 86 complaints (3.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 11,500
- 25%
- 37,000
- Median
- 70,000
- 75%
- 114,000
- 90%
- 151,500
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 165 | 6.2% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 71 | 2.7% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 64 | 2.4% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 63 | 2.4% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 75 | 2.8% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 70 | 2.6% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 93 | 3.5% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 110 | 4.1% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 85 | 3.2% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 93 | 3.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 118 | 4.4% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 107 | 4.0% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 106 | 4.0% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 92 | 3.5% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 68 | 2.6% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 66 | 2.5% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 97 | 3.7% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 99 | 3.7% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 63 | 2.4% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 67 | 2.5% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 92 | 3.5% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 55 | 2.1% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 76 | 2.9% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 59 | 2.2% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 65 | 2.5% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 53 | 2.0% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 54 | 2.0% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 48 | 1.8% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 42 | 1.6% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 34 | 1.3% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 53 | 2.0% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 24 | 0.9% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 25 | 0.9% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 18 | 0.7% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 18 | 0.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 19 | 0.7% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 19 | 0.7% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 14 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 15 | 0.6% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 12 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 86 | 3.2% |
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 6,371 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998–2011 Ford Ranger, and 2,653 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 37,000 and 114,000 miles. The median is 70,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (28.3% of complaints, typically around 68,000 miles), the tyres (9.5% of complaints, typically around 40,000 miles), body structure (9.4% of complaints, typically around 100,000 miles).
18 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Airbag system68,000median 68,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 110,000
- Tyres40,000median 40,000 miles, middle half 17,000 to 63,000
- Body structure100,000median 100,000 miles, middle half 69,000 to 135,000
- Suspension92,000median 91,500 miles, middle half 56,000 to 127,000
- Transmission and driveline50,000median 50,000 miles, middle half 25,000 to 86,000
- Throttle and speed control66,000median 65,800 miles, middle half 32,000 to 105,000
- Hydraulic brake circuit40,000median 40,000 miles, middle half 23,000 to 60,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 1,804 | 28.3% | 68,000 | 40,000–110,000 |
| Tyres | 603 | 9.5% | 40,000 | 17,000–63,000 |
| Body structure | 599 | 9.4% | 100,000 | 69,000–135,000 |
| Suspension | 439 | 6.9% | 92,000 | 56,000–127,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 405 | 6.4% | 50,000 | 25,000–86,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 375 | 5.9% | 66,000 | 32,000–105,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 374 | 5.9% | 40,000 | 23,000–60,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 270 | 4.2% | 45,000 | 15,000–81,000 |
| Electrical system | 238 | 3.7% | 56,000 | 34,000–105,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 178 | 2.8% | 93,000 | 63,000–127,000 |
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 70,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 28.3% of complaints (1,804 reports, 369 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 68,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 110,000 miles.
A single system taking 28.3% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The tyres account for 9.5% of complaints (603 reports, 88 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 40,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 63,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 9.4% of complaints (599 reports, 468 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 69,000 and 135,000 miles.
The suspension accounts for 6.9% of complaints (439 reports, 297 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 91,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 56,000 and 126,520 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 6.4% of complaints (405 reports, 189 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 25,251 and 86,000 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 5.9% of complaints (375 reports, 151 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,800 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 105,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 1999 model year drew the most — 966 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 171. The median year sits at 346.
That makes 1999 an outlier: roughly 2.8 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 18 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (15), the exterior lighting (1), the fuel system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 6,371 complaints filed against this generation, 629 reported a crash; 124 reported a fire; 514 reported an injury; 26 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 9.9% 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 37,000 and 114,000 miles, with a median of 70,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and the tyres are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The tyres in particular shows a median failure mileage of 40,000, 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
Airbags 2004–2006
Takata frontal airbag inflators. The 2004-2006 Ranger carries the highest-risk inflator population outside the Ranger's own class: Ford issued a do-not-drive advisory for vehicles with open recalls 15S21, 17S42 and 19S01, and NHTSA issued urgent consumer warnings after fatalities in these trucks. Both driver and passenger inflators are implicated; propellant degradation causes the inflator housing to rupture and spray metal fragments.
Engine 2001–2005
4.0L SOHC V6 timing chain cassette failure. The engine uses three chains with plastic guide cassettes and hydraulic tensioners; the guides embrittle and break, producing the characteristic cold-start rattle from the rear of the engine. Left unrepaired the chain can jump time or break, destroying the engine. The rear cassette is behind the engine, so the repair requires engine removal. Ford made incremental design improvements through roughly 2005, after which failures drop off markedly.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 744 | 146 |
| 1999 | 966 | 281 |
| 2000 | 849 | 367 |
| 2001 | 687 | 375 |
| 2002 | 449 | 293 |
| 2003 | 310 | 237 |
| 2004 | 462 | 259 |
| 2005 | 353 | 206 |
| 2006 | 316 | 146 |
| 2007 | 286 | 70 |
| 2008 | 340 | 84 |
| 2009 | 178 | 46 |
| 2010 | 171 | 58 |
| 2011 | 260 | 85 |
Recalls (18)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 23V306000 | 2023-05-22 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 23V125000 | 2023-04-05 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V158000 | 2021-04-09 | Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| 21V081000 | 2021-03-17 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 21V076000 | 2021-03-17 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 19V001000 | 2019-02-13 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 18V046000 | 2018-05-21 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V024000 | 2018-02-14 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V384000 | 2018-02-02 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 18V023000 | 2018-01-16 | Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| 18V022000 | 2018-01-16 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 17V787000 | 2018-01-16 | Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| 17V788000 | 2017-12-22 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V036000 | 2016-02-26 | Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module |
| 15V322000 | 2015-12-04 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 11V352000 | 2011-08-15 | Exterior Lighting:brake Lights |
| 11V126000 | 2011-03-04 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
| 10V202000 | 2010-05-21 | Parking Brake:driveline:hydraulic:actuator |
What owners reported
Purchased truck used in may 1999 with 15,000 miles on it. Problem started after having 25,000 odometer miles on truck. Vehicle would accelerate upon stopping or slowing. Had idle adjusted next scheduled maintenance (30k). As of this date, august 19, 2005, vehicle still accelerates on very rare occasions. After a…
1998 · 25,000 miles · Fuel system
While driving with headlights on at night the headlights go out intermittently. The consumer must turn the headlight switch several times to get the headlights to operate again. *Ak when the consumer placed the high beams on, they would fail to go back to dim. The switch on the dash sometimes failed to bring…
1998 · 30,000 miles · Exterior lighting
While driving with headlights on at night, the headlights suddenly went out. The consumer had to turn the headlight switch several times to get the headlights to operate again. *Ak the lights went out again and the consumer had to move the switch on the steering column back and forth to get the lights back on.…
1998 · 31,000 miles · Electrical system
The plastic headlight lens are severely cloudy, a lot worse as time time goes on....Years ago, when i bought the truck they were clear, now they are very - very opac, cloudy, so bad that you can't even see the headlight bulb ! There are many vehicles that have the same problem! So many, in fact that the part store…
1998 · 40,000 miles · Exterior lighting
Built from 2,653 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page