1987 Ford Ranger Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Ford Ranger, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical1426.9%
- Seat belts815.4%
- Fuel system713.5%
- Engine713.5%
- Steering35.8%
- Other / unspecified35.8%
- Suspension23.8%
- Driver assistance23.8%
- Tires & wheels23.8%
- Exterior lighting11.9%
- Brakes11.9%
- Body & structure11.9%
- Powertrain (other)11.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRUCK WAS BOUGHT USED AND DEALER MAINTAINED, IT SAT PARKED FOR 3 DAYS WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED DUE TO SON BEING IN A PICA CAST FROM CHEST TO FEET, AT APPROXIMATELY 2 AM THE LOCKED TRUCK HONKED AND WOKE ME UP, WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE I COULD SEE FLAMES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SO GOT KIDS OUT OF THE HOUSE AS THERE WAS GAS LINE CLOSE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS UNABLE TO SAVE THE VEHICLE, AS SOON AS THE DOOR OPENED IT EXPLODED INTO A BIG WHITE BALL NOT EVEN THE TIRES WERE ANY GOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS THE COMPUTER THAT SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT IT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE WITH THE COMPUTERS BUT THEY WOULD NOTATE IT. LOCATION OF OCCURANCE AND WAS RUPERT,IDAHO AND REPORTED TO FORD DEALER IN BURLEY,ID
I HAD JUST LEFT A RED LIGHT. I WAS THE 1ST VECHICLE INTHE NORTH LANE ON A TWO LANE STREET. THE SOUTH BOUND SIDE HAD ABOUT 8 CARS . THE LAST CAR HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF HIM, SHE HIT A JEEP IN FRONT OF HER, AND IMPACT CAUSED HER TO SWEARVE INTO THE NORTHBOUND SIDE WHERE I HIT HER IN IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD MY GRANDSON 9 IN THE FRONT WITH ME. MY GRANDDAUGHTER 16 AND HER FRIEND 15 WERE IN THE TRUCK BED. I JUST HAD A SMALL INDENTION IN THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK. THIS TRUCK WAS A 1987 LONG BED. RUNS GOOD. IT I THOUGHT WAS STEAMING MAYBE I BUSTED MY RADIATOR. MY CONCERN WAS THE CHILDREN. THEN IT STARTED SMOKING. A FIRE EXTINQUISHER WAS USED. A LITTLE WHILE LATER IT CAUGHT AND BURNED UP.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH WILL NOT STAY LATCHED... EITHER IT WILL NOT LATCH AT ALL, OR WILL LATCH AND THEN COME UN-LATCHED AS I AM DRIVING.. THIS OCCURS AT ANY SPEED, AND ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. *AK
WHEN INSERTING THE BELT INTO THE BUCKLE THE BELT WILL NOT LOCK INTO THE BUCKLE. WHILE DRIVING THE BELT WILL COME APART, AND THE OCCUPANTS WILL NOT BE LOCKED INTO THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE OF THE BELT NOT LOCKING WHEN INSERTING INTO THE BUCKLE. *AK
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH FRONT FUEL TANK ON DUAL TANK ASSEMBLY, FELL OFF, AND WAS BEING DRAGGED BY VEHICLE. PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK
GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED TO 6 MILES PER GALLON. NO FUEL LEAKS HAVE BEEN FOUND. BASIC PARTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SUCH AS FUEL FILTER, PLUGS AND WIRES, AIR FILTER. TIMING HAS BEEN CHECKED AND SET CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE REPAIRS HAVE IMPROVED THE GAS MILEAGE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON HIGHWAY ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK
PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED REGARDLESS OF REPLACEMENTS, VERY DANGEROUS. OVERALL, HEAT UP OF ENGINE, ETC SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
BALL JOINT DID NOT CONTAIN GREASE FITTINGS RESULTING IN RUSTING.
STEERING COLUMN BROKE WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
LUGS ON RIGHT REAR BROKE OFF WHEN TIGHTENING. *AK
UNABLE TO REMOVE LUG NUTS W/SUPPLIED WRENCH DUE TO WRENCH BEING DESIGNED TO BE USED W/PLASTIC LUG CAPS ONLY. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
BALL JOINT DID NOT CONTAIN GREASE FITTINGS RESULTING IN RUSTING.
:DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SWAY TO THE LEFT AND THERE WAS LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STARTED TO SWAINGY FOR A SECOND TIME. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN IT IS REAL COLD THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE AND WILL NOT STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN FOR THE SECOND TIME. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 FORD RANGER. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE TIRES, SIZE 30X9.5/R15LT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02T014000 (TIRES:MARKINGS) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. HE STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 109,117. UPDATED 09/24/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB
WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 BETWEEN NAPLES AND MIAMI FLORIDA, THE TREAD ON MY FIRESTONE FR 440 TIRE SEPARATED WHICH CAUSE MY FORD RANGER TRUCK TO FISH TAIL ON HIGHWAY. I CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP ON SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. CALLED POLICE AND THEY DISPATCHED ROAD SERVICE. THE FIRESTONE P205/70R14 93S M+S TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRED DID NOT GO FLAT. THE SEPARATED TREAD DESTROYED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL, TAIL PIPE AND PART OF THE VEHICLE BODY AROUND WHEEL WELL. *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
PLUG CONNECTING WIRES TO DIMMER SWITCH MELTED DUE TO BEING PINCHED BETWEEN STEERING COLUMN AND COVER. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
GROOVES IN BRAKE ROTORS. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN ACCELERATING ON A FLAT STRAIGHT HIGHWAY FROM 30 MPH, THE TRUCK JERKED TO THE RIGHT WENT INTO THE DITCH AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, TOTALLING THE VEHICLE. INVESTIGATING OFFICER COMMENTED THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE CAB ONTO THE FRAME ONE WAS MISSING AND ANOTHER WAS SHEARED OFF. TRUCK RECENTLY HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE INSTALLED AND HAD HAD REGULAR "SAFETY CHECKS" AT A LOCAL SHOP. NO NOTICABLE LEANING OR OTHER INDICATORS THAT THE PART WAS ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS KIND OF BOLT SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE! NLM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE DRIVESHAFT WELD BROKE WHEN DRIVING, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .