Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Ford Ranger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 45 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.
The 25 most recent of 45, in the owner's own words
MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING ON HWY 79FROM PALISTINE TX TO JACKSONVILLE TX THURSDAY 7/11/2016 WHEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK WE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED FIRE UNDER THE HOOD I TRIED TO POOR WATER ON IT ALL IT DID WAS JUST GET WORSE AND OUR TRUCK ALL MY WORK TOOLS MY LIVELY HOOD BLEW UP.
ENGINE ERROR CODE P303 DISPLAYED AND ENGINE MISSING ON THAT CYLINDER. FORD TSB 05-26-3 STATES HEAD REPLACEMENT NECESSARY TO CORRECT. THIS APPEARS TO BE A GENERIC ISSUE WITH THE 3.0 LITER VULCAN ENGINES,. CAR WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS INSPECTION UNTIL THIS IS REPAIRED.
ENGINE EJECTED SPARK PLUG FROM CYLINDER NUMBER THREE. MECHANIC SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITH AN ALUMINUM HEAD. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THIS OCCURRED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN AT ONLY 20MPH. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE MECHANIC SAID THE SPARK PLUG MAY HAVE EJECTED ITSELF STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HOOD AFTER WHICH, THE ENGINE OFTEN CATCHES FIRE BECAUSE OF THE GASOLINE SPURTING OUT OF THE CYLINDER. REPAIR INCLUDED A HELICOIL TAP KIT AND NEW SPARK PLUGS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY FORD AND ALL GOVERNMENT SAFETY AGENCIES. THIS TRUCK HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE FOR IT'S AGE AND HAS BEEN TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED OTHER THAN FAULTY DESIGN AND USE OF AN ALUMINUM HEAD. *TR
I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK AND I WENT TO PARK MY TRUCK IN THE FRONT YARD. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS ABOUT TO STOP THE ENGINE ROARED, AS IF I REALLY HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND I HAD TO JAM THE CAR IN PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. TODAY, AS I WAS COMING HOME FROM WORK, I WAS COMING TO A FOUR WAY STOP IN A SCHOOL ZONE. WHEN I WAS ALMOST STOPPED THE TRUCK ENGINE ACCELERATED AND I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. I NEED TO KNOW IS THERE A RECALL FROM FORD FOR THIS. I CANNOT LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE MY TRUCK FOR FEAR IT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM AND THEY WILL NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. *TR
THE 2002 FORD RANGER WAS COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT ABOUT 3 MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE TRUCK ACCELERATED REALLY HIGH. I THREW THE GEAR SELECTOR INTO NEUTRAL AND IT CONTINUED TO RACE BUT THE WHEELS WERE NO LONGER SPINNING, I HIT THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN THREW IT BACK INTO DRIVE WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING AND I NEED HELP PLEASE. THANK YOU. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 FORD RANGER 2.3L 4 CYL AN WHEN I START TO DRIVE MY CAR WILL SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND SO ROUGH THAT MY CAR JUMPS FORWARD AND THEN MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND THEN EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS FROM STOPPED IT SHIFTS VERY ROUGH. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM AND SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. ALSO WHEN I TAKE OFF THERE IS A LOUD VIBRATION SOUNDING LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE DASH OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT BUT FIGURED I WOULD ADD THAT IN. *TR
2002 FORD RANGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY DEFECT WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING AS HE LEFT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO MAKE A TURN , THE ENGINE RPM'S DROPPED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING ERRATICALLY AND ALMOST SLATTED OUT COMPLETELY. THE CONSUMER READ ON A WEBSITE WHERE A PLASTIC PLUG COULD COME OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. HE REMOVED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SOON AFTER, HE DISCOVERED THE PLASTIC PLUG AND ABOUT A 3/8 HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE HOLE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE VACUUM IN THE SYSTEM, THEREFORE IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ERRATIC IDLE/STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WELDED THE PART BACK TOGETHER AFTER LEARNING IT WOULD COST ANYWHERE FROM $500-$1000 TO REPLACE. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,300.
I OWN A 2002 FORD RANGER WITH A 3.0FEV IT HAS HAD THE PROBLEM RELATED TO NHTSA ID 10018746, FORD TSB 052212. WHILE THE TRUCK WAS UNDER WARRANTY THE DEALERS COULD NOT "FIND THE PROBLEM" AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT THEY FOUND THIS ISSUE AND ARE WILLING TO FIX IT FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. *TR
ON 02-21-2010 MY 2002 FORD RANGER STARTED ON FIRE. I WAS RETURNING HOME WITH IN LESS THEN 5MINS MY CAR WAS BURST INTO FLAMES. AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO MY AID THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT OF MY TRUCK. I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD IN 12-2010 AND TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THIS WAS 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE FIRE. EVEN WITH THE RECALL MY TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES LEAVING NOTHING BUT THE FRAME. *TR
WHILE ACCELERATING OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE THE ENGINE STARTS TO CUT OFF LIKE IT IS STARVING FOR FUEL. STARTED HAPPENING ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO AND CONTINUES TO THIS DATE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVER HEAT AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF; HOWEVER, AS SOON AS HE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUTS OFF AS IT IS BEING ACCELERATED, OR AT CRUISING SPEED. THE ENGINE IS THE ONLY SYSTEM AFFECTED BUT CAUSES VEHICLE TO BE UNDRIVABLE FOR AROUND 5-10 SECONDS UNTIL VEHICLE PUTS ITSELF BACK IN GEAR AFTER SHUTTING OFF. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY SOMETIMES RIGHT AWAY AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED AND MOVED OR OTHER TIMES AFTER LONGER PERIODS OF DRIVING. IT HAS OCCURRED REPEATEDLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE COMES BACK AND IT DOES PUT ITSELF BACK INTO GEAR AND YOU START TO ACCELERATE AGAIN IT WILL CUT OFF. IT HAS CAUSED OPERATOR NOT TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE TO MERGE ONTO HIGHWAYS, PULL OUT ONTO ROADS, OR TO MAINTAIN CRUISING SPEEDS IN ROADS OR HIGHWAYS. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. EACH TIME THE ENGINE CONTROL RELAY DIODE HAS BEEN CHANGED AND BLAMED FOR PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO COMPUTER AND DRIVEN(FIRST TIME AT FORD REPAIR SHOP), THE ENGINE HAS CUT OUT CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP ACCELERATING AND THE COMPUTER SHOWS THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING. IT CONTINUES TO READ THAT THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING FINE.I HAVE PERSONALLY REPLACED COIL PACK, AND THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THE FIRST TIME DIODE WAS REPLACED THE VEHICLE RAN FOR ALMOST 8 MONTHS THEN PROBLEM RECURRED. IT WAS TAKEN TO FORD AND DIODE REPLACED AGAIN, THIS TIME LASTING ONLY 2-3 MONTHS. IT WAS TAKEN TO FORD THE 3RD TIME FOR DIODE TO BE REPLACED, THIS TIME LASTING ONLY 2 WEEKS. I CALLED THE FORD SHOP AND SPOKE TO MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE ENGINE WAS CUTTING OUT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO GET AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX MY VEHICLE, SO I WAS TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR
HAVING ISSUES WITH MY TRUCK I THOUGHT MIGHT BE TRANSMISSION NOW THE DEALER SAYS IT IS A CAM SENSOR. THE TRUCK SPUTTERS AND STOPS CAUSING SEVERAL NEAR MISSES THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS BUT THE DEALER WAS NOT BALE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *TR
A RATTLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2002 FORD RANGER (64,000 MILES) ATTRIBUTED TO THE TIMING CHAIN. NO DAMAGE YET, BUT I HAVE ASKED AROUND AND FOUND THIS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND IN SOME CASES, LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT UNIT HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LEAK COOLANT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC FOUND A SMALL HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. IN ADDITION, HE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK RUSTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.
A PLASTIC WATER HEATER CONTROL VALVE IN THE VEHICLE COOLING SYSTEM DENATURED AND CRUMBLED, LEAKING COOLANT OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ENGINE SEIZURE HAD I NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THIS IS THE SECOND PLASTIC PART FAILURE (FIRST WAS THE THERMOSTAT/TEMP SENSOR HOUSING) WHICH FAILED AND LEAKED COOLANT DURING THE WARRANTY INTERVAL. COOLING SYSTEMS ARE NO PLACE FOR PLASTIC PARTS. *TR
I BOUGHT A 2002 FORD RANGER IN APRIL OF 2006 AND NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR ON THE ENGINE FAILING THE SENSOR CAUSES THE GAUGE TO "TWITCH" I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH THIS UNKNOWN DEFECT HAS THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS MATTER? I HAVE VISITED SOME ON LINE BULLETIN BOARDS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT. *TR
SEAT BELT NEVER STAYS CONNECTED ( POPS OUT) ALL SPEEDS. (5 YRS) I ASKED DEALER ABOUT FIXING HE SAID MY WARRANTY EXPIRED BUY A NEW ONE (FORD DOES NOT CARE ABOUT SAFETY AFTER WARRANTY DATE) THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL STAY ON FOR A WEEK THEN OFF FOR A MONTH THEN REPEAT ( 5 YRS) DOOR AJAR LIGHT HAS NEVER TURNED OFF (MAYBE IT WILL BURN OUT SO I DON'T SEE IT ANYMORE) TAILGATE LATCH REPLACED 3 TIMES ( DANG THAT CHEAP PLASTIC) FRONT END REALIGNED NUMEROUS TIMES (ANTI NASCAR, ALWAYS TURNS RIGHT) ENGINE SHUDDERS BAD FEW TIMES A YEAR(BAD GAS MAYBE ONCE, OTHERS PROBABLY NOT) COIL PACK REPLACED TWICE (IM STILL UNDER 60,000 MILES) REAR WINDOW LEAKS ALSO :) *TR
I OWNED A 2002 FORD RANGER WITH 45,000 MILES ON IT. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING IT AND CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION AFTER EXITING AN EXPRESSWAY. BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WITHIN 10 MINUTES, THE TRUCKS ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND COCKPIT WERE COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THE TRUCK WAS DESTROYED. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE #3 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APROXIMATELY 10 MPH, AND WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKES. *AK
SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES MY ENGINE HAS MADE A CRACKLING NOISE UNDER ACCELERATION. 'VE TALKED TO MANY OTHER RANGER OWNERS WHO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SOME OF THEM SAID THEY TOOK THEIR TRUCKS TO A DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THE NOISE WAS FROM THE TIMING IN THE ENGINE AND THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FIXED. IT WAS TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF A AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY MAKES A MISTAKE AND IT IS NOT EASILY REPAIRABLE AND IS FREQUENT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL SO THE PROBLEM COULD BE FIXED. I'M GOING TO SELL MY TRUCK IN THE SPRING BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS TIMING PROBLEM WILL HAVE ANY LONG TERM EFFECT ON THE ENGINE ITSELF BUT I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT AROUND AND SEE SINCE FORD ONLY OFFERS A 3 YEAR 36,000 MILE WARRANTY AND I HAVE 45,000 MILES ON MY TRUCK.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS VIBRATION IN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. TIRES WERE ROTATED 4 TIMES, BUT THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURRED. ALSO, AT 5,000 MILES, COOLING FAN BEARING/HUB SQUEAKED BECAUSE OF MOISTURE BUILD UP. THE FAN BELT WAS REPLACED. SQUEAKING NOISE RECURRED AT 10,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP LUBRICATED THE FAN BELTS. BUT, THE SQUEAKING NOISE RECURRED AT 35,0000. THE FAN BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED.VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND KEPT FOR TWO DAYS, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *MR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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