2002 Ford Ranger Owner Complaints

Steel rim came apart while adding air to tire causing severe injuries to hands leg and foot only 20 psi in tire pressure when rim blew apart !

NHTSA ID

11677978

Incident

Jul 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH and attempting to switch lanes, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V399000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was taken to three separate independent mechanics to be diagnosed. After each diagnostic test, the contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11566008

Incident

Nov 15, 2021

Mileage

180,000 mi

Extreme rusting of the entire frame and underside steel components. Attachments are rusting to the point of failure and falling off the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11441221

Incident

Nov 21, 2021

The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11430656

Incident

Aug 26, 2021

Mileage

50,000 mi

Rear shake bracket rusted off

NHTSA ID

11421242

Incident

Jun 17, 2021

TRUCK FAILED NH SAFETY INSPECTION 4/10/2021 DUE TO BADLY RUSTED FRAME.

NHTSA ID

11407362

Incident

Apr 10, 2021

Mileage

142,000 mi

2002 FORD RANGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRAME ON RANGER VEHICLE. *LD *JS

NHTSA ID

11376590

Incident

Nov 24, 2020

WHILE PULLING UP TO A SECURITY GATE WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. AND I RAN INTO THE GATE. I COULD NOT STOP. DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED

NHTSA ID

11353781

Incident

Sep 5, 2020

Mileage

145,000 mi

RECENTLY MY TRUCK UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED AS I WAS BACKING UP IN DRIVEWAY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I PICKED UP TRUCK AFTER COLLISION REPAIR, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON HIGHWAY CAUSING IT TO FISH-TAIL OUR OF CONTROL AND NEARLY CAUSING ANOTHER ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11350274

Incident

Aug 6, 2020

Mileage

90,934 mi

THE REAR STRAP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL TANK IS HANGING DOWN. ON CLOSER INSPECTION, THE MOUNT THAT IS CONNECTED/PART OF THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND IS NOW MISSING. I ONLY NOTICED THE PROBLEM WHEN THE "CHECK FUEL CAP" AND I STARTED TO TRY AND LOCATE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11342280

Incident

Jul 23, 2020

Mileage

70,200 mi

THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE SPARE TIRE RUSTED OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323411

Incident

May 5, 2020

Mileage

157,654 mi

WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF A 2002 FORD RANGER XLT NOW WITH 57,000 HIGHWAY MILES, ALWAYS GARAGED/WASHED/MAINTAINED, LITTLE DRIVING IN WINTER (MOSTLY IN SUMMER), ALWAYS FORD MAINTAINED/SERVICED AT SAME DEALERSHIP, BODY/ENGINE/TRANSMISSION IN GREAT SHAPE, WILL LIKELY FAIL INSPECTION THIS SPING BECAUSE FRAME AND FRAME COMPONENTS ARE SEVERELY RUSTED OUT. - SEVERE RUST ON THE ENTIRE FRAME INCLUDING BOTH CROSS MEMBERS (ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION), ARM BOLT POINTS AND CONTROL ARMS. - FRAME ALSO HAS SEVERE RUST DOWN BOTH SIDES TO REAR BUMPER, REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTAL, LEAF SPRINGS AND ALL MOUNTS. - THE PASSENGER SIDE STEARING KNUCKLE IS DELAMINATING. - ALL BRAKE LINES HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING: FIRST THE REAR BRAKES INCLUDING ALL AXLE COUPLINGS AND DRUM COUPLINGS; SECOND THE FRONT BRAKE LINES FAILED AT THE DISK BRAKES AND RUBBER COUPLINGS. ALL BRAKE TUBES HAD TO BE REPLACED FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE WHEELS. - SERVICE MANAGER IS WORRIED ABOUT FRONT CROSS MEMBER FAILING UNDER THE ENGINE, MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER FAILING UNDER THE TRANSMISSION AND THE GAS TANK BRACKETS/STRAPS. - THE FRAME AND MEMBERS AND MOUNTS MUST BE REPLACED; THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS MECHANICALLY SOUND. SERVICE MANAGER SAID NO REPAIR WAS POSSIBLE TO FRAME RUST IS SO BAD PICTURES CAN BE PROVIDED AND/OR VEHICAL INSPECTED BY NHTSA IF DESIRED. ALL BRAKE LINES AND COUPLINGS PERFORMED AROUND AUGUST 29, 2019.

NHTSA ID

11290615

Incident

Aug 29, 2019

Mileage

57,000 mi

HARD FRONT END COLLISION WITH TELEPHONE POLE. ICE ON ROAD. TOTAL DAMAGE, VEHICLE STATUS IS SCRAP. DRIVER INJURY. HEAD AND JAW. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS SECOND FRONT COLLISION. FIRST COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. STRUCK BY WRONG WAY DRIVER. $3400 DAMAGE. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. REPAIRS AT FORD DEALER, ST. LOUIS , MO.

NHTSA ID

11277527

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

Mileage

182,000 mi

REAR TIRE FELL OUT ONTO ROAD, ROTTED CARRIER , FRAME ROTTED AT AXLE, CRACKED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, REAR END SHIFTED, CAN KNOW LONGER DRIVE VEHICLE SAFELY, HAD TO BUY NEW TRUCK DAYS LATER! BODY IN GOOD SHAPE, FRAME TOTALLY ROTTED! SO MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME THING ON GOOGLE SEARCH. TOYOTA TOYOTA HAD SAME THING, WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK F WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK FRAMES FRAMES, STILL TO THIS DAY FORD HAS NOT RECOGNIZED A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THEIR FRAMES!!! THESE VEHICLES ARE A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD AND A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN !!

NHTSA ID

11195352

Incident

Aug 15, 2017

Mileage

115,000 mi

TRANSMISSION STUCK IN 4X4 LOW

NHTSA ID

11166022

Incident

Jan 3, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

FRONT FRAME SPRING POCKETS ARE CRACKED.MAIN FRAME NEAR TRANSMISSION MOUNT BRACKET CRACKING,BACK REAR FRAME SPARE TIRE MOUNT GONE..MATEL MISSING NO BACK BUMMER.BOTH MAIN FRAME UNDER CAB ARE RUSTED STARTING TO CRUMBLE .

NHTSA ID

11164009

Incident

Dec 19, 2017

FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. FRONT COIL SPRING POCKETS CRACKING.FRAME NEAR FRONT CONTROL ARMS ARE RUSTED,AND CRACKING.BACK FRAME SPEAR TIRE BRACKET ARE GONE.FRAME RUSTED BACK LEAF SPRING SHACKELS NO MATEL FRAME FOR BACK BUMPER MOUNT.

NHTSA ID

11157308

Incident

Nov 9, 2017

DRIVING TO WORK REAR END LOCKED UP AND EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2002 FORD RANGER FX2 AXLE BUT ONLY FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN RESEARCH SHOWS IT DOES IT ON AUTOMATIC ONES TO. LOOKED UP RECALL DOCUMENTS AND SYMPTOMS AND EVERYTHING WAS THE EXACT SAME! I DO HAVE RECALL NUMBER 02S32. HAD TO BE TOWED HOME...

NHTSA ID

11152392

Incident

Nov 12, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. EBY FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 2714 ELKHART RD, GOSHEN, IN 46526, (574) 534-3673) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V035000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED REAR END LOCKED UP AND BLEW HOLES THROUGH THE COVER AND DESTROYED IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

11152386

Incident

Nov 12, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOES NOT LOCK, AND AS A RESULT IT'S CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO GO OFF AND IT FLASHES CODE NUMBER 46 AS FOR THE SEAT BELT TENSIONER.

NHTSA ID

11121841

Incident

Jun 28, 2018

Mileage

143,130 mi

AT THE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR FRAME HAS BEEN PERFORATED BY RUST. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO HOW THE FRAME IS SHAPED WHERE THE SPARE TIRE ATTACHES. AN OTHERWISE MECHANICALLY SOUND AND SOLID VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DRIVEABLE.

NHTSA ID

11119366

Incident

Jul 26, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi

THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY ROLLS AFTER BEING PUT IN PARK. TOLD THAT THE PARKING PAWL MAY BE DEFECTIVE CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE VEHICLE ROLLING IN PARK.

NHTSA ID

11090760

Incident

Jan 15, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

CV JOINT PROBLEMS

NHTSA ID

11088592

Incident

Feb 9, 2017

REAR BUMPER AND SPARE TIRE HOLDER ROTTED OFF .. REAR SHACKLES ON BOTH SIDES.. GAS TANK STRAPS AND CROSSMEMBER THAT HOLDS IT UP... NOW THE FRAME HAS ROTTED IN HALF RIGHT IN MIDDLE OF TRUCK... SPARE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ID

11084291

Incident

Mar 4, 2018

Mileage

224,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY AND BRAKING ABILITY. USING AN OBD DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD OF FAYETTEVILLE, INC (LOCATED AT 275 GLYNN ST N, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214, (770) 461-1151) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ID

11020161

Incident

Aug 28, 2017

Mileage

25,000 mi