RoadVitals

1997 Ford Ranger Other / unspecified Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Other / unspecified reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Feb 2, 2015
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 411 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Ford Ranger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming other

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Feb 2, 2015

WHEEL BEARINGS KEEP GOING OUT ON FRONT TIRES BECOMING A REAL ISSUE AND HAZARD AND SAFETY THEY LOCK UP ON ROAD AND HAVE GOTTEN SLIDES OFF ROAD. AFRAID IT WILL BE WORSE NEXT TIME. THEY HAVE GONE OUT THREE TIMES AND BEEN REPLACED. THEY ARE GOING OUT AGAIN AND FEAR FOR OUR SAFETY BUT THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE FOR WORK AN APPOINTMENT NEED THIS TRUCK. PLEASE HELP. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP REPLACING BUT LOVE THIS TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10680431
Incident
Jun 25, 2014
BrakesFuel systemOther / unspecified+2 more
Filed Apr 20, 2010

I OWN A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT 4X4 4.0LTR.MANY SHOPS HAVE WORK ON THE FRONT AXEL WHEEL BEARINGS AND SEALS AND RETAINER NUT THIS NUT TAKES A SOCKET 2.3/8 R-6 MOST SHOPS DON'T HAVE IT SO THEY USE WHAT EVER THEY HAVE,CHISELL,LOCKING PLYERS ECT...CREATING FRONT END DAMAGE TO WHEEL BEARINGS,SEALS, BRAKES,CALIPERS,BRAKE DRUMS, MOST OF AL THE TIRES..I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB ALSO DID NOT REMOVE LCKING PIN FROM SPINDEL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10326662
Incident
Jun 9, 2006
Mileage
1,500 mi
ElectricalInterior & seatsOther / unspecified+1 more
Filed Dec 26, 2003

A FEW THINGS HERE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT RANDOM. HAD IT CHECKED A FEW TIMES. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. DOME LIGHT/DOOR CHIME WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN DOOR IS SHUT AND/OR CAR IS TURNED ON. LEFT HAND BLINKER WENT NUTS A FEW TIME, BASICLY IT WAS BLINKING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. A FEW SECOND 'POWER LOSS' HAPPEND A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER TO RAIDO, AND LIGHTS. THE REAR END BOUNCES WAY TOO MUCH WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

NHTSA ID
10051112
Incident
Dec 23, 2003
Other / unspecified
Filed Dec 17, 2002

FILED COMPLAINT BEFORE, YOU ALL SAID IT WASN'T SAFTY RELATED.IT SURE IS WHEN FORD MAKES PARTS OUT OF THIN PLASTIC/OR PUT IN WRONG PLEUM CHAMBER.THE BLEND DOOR WON'T OPERATE AND BREAKS ON SO MANY EXPLORER/RANGER.YOU CAN'T EVEN DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS IN THE RAIN OR IN THE MORNING.DO THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT/KILLED FOR SOMEONE TO CARE.

NHTSA ID
10000188
Incident
Dec 13, 2002
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 28, 2001

A ROCK WAS CAUGHT BETWEEN TIRE AND RIM , CAUSING ALLOY RIM TO CRACK. DEALER / MSNUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. RIM AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
884511
Incident
Mar 26, 2001
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 23, 2001

CARRIER THAT HOLDS SPARE TIRE RUBS AGANIST TIRE WHENEVER VEHICLE MOVES UP AND DOWN WHICH LEADS TO TIRE WEARING OUT. TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED BEFORE. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID
883936
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 15, 2001

HAD A RIGHT FRONT TIRE GO FLAT. WITH THE TIRE FLAT, THE VEHICLE JACK WOULD NOT FIT UNDER THE SHOCK ABSORBER AS THE OWNERS MANUAL DESCRIBES PROPER JACKING OF THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID TO JUST MOVE THE JACK TO A NEARBY LOCATION. I DID THIS BUT WAS VERY UNEASY DOING SO AS IT DIDN'T SEEM ESPECIALLY SECURE AND I WAS WORRIED THE CAR COULD SLIP OFF THE JACK. ODD THAT WITH A FLAT TIRE, THE JACK IS TOO TALL TO PLACE IT WHERE THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS.*AK

NHTSA ID
742476
Incident
Mar 12, 2001
Other / unspecified
Filed Mar 4, 2001

THE TIRE-JACK (BOTTLE-JACK) PROVIDED WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHEN PURCHASED NEW, WILL NOT FIT UNDER THE APPROVED FRONT-END JACKING POINT OF MY FORD RANGER PICK-UP TRUCK UNDER FULL FLAT CONDITIONS! THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE JACKING POSITION TO BE USED WITH THE SUPPLIED BOTTLE-JACK! THIS RECENTLY CAUSED ME TO BE IN DANGER FAR LONGER THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE NECESSARY HAD MY VEHICLE BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN ADEQUATE JACK! I DISCOVERED THIS FACT ON THE NARROW PAVED SHOULDER OF A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING CONTINUOUS HEAVY RAIN AND LOWERED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT CHANGING MY TIRE (EMBARASSING TO A COMMERCIAL SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK DRIVER) AND HAD TO CALL AND WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE, THIS AFTER ALREADY GETTING SOAKED ON A COLD DAY IN A FUTILE ATTEMPT TO CHANGE MY TIRE WITH INADEQUATE NEW-VEHICLE EQUIPMENT! FROM TALKING TO OTHERS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT INADEQUATE JACKS ARE QUITE OFTEN PROVIDED WITH OTHER PICK-UP TRUCKS, AND THAT THIS TYPE JACK PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE FORD RANGE PICK-UP!*AK

NHTSA ID
741883
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed May 14, 1999

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH FRONT WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING COMPLETE FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKES.. OWNER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TRUCK HOME SAFELY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
837960
Incident
May 13, 1999

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .