RoadVitals

2002 Ford Ranger Tires & wheels Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the tire or wheel system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Tires & wheels 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.
30
Latest Jun 9, 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.
9%
of 346 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.
7
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7

What this page shows

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system. 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. 30 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 tire or wheel

The 25 most recent of 30, in the owner's own words

Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 9, 2015
Crash reported1 injury reported

THE TIRE IS BF GOODRICH P245/75 R16 109S. I WAS UNABLE TO SELECT THE CORRECT TIRE ON DROP DOWN BOX. REPORT AS FOLLOWS. WHILE DRIVING ON I-74 I FELT A BIT OF A BUMP, AS IF I HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING. THE STEERING WHEEL SHIFTED IN MY HANDS THEN WENT SHARPLY INTO THE RIGHT LANE. THE TRUCK WAS OUT OF CONTROL. AS THE TRUCK WAS FLIPPING I SAW THE GUARDRAIL THROUGH A SIDE WINDOW, THE AIRBAGS HAD BEEN DEPLOYED BY THEN. THE TRUCK KEPT FLIPPING. THE TRUCK THEN LANDED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND SPUN SEVERAL TIMES, THEN FINALLY STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE MY SEAT BELT THEN STAND IN THE TRUCK. I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR THAT WAS IN THE AIR, ABOUT 10 INCHES, ENOUGH TO LOOK OUT, SCREAM FOR HELP AND WAVE MY ARM. A MAN THEN PRIED THE DOOR OPEN ENOUGH FOR ME TO CLIMB THE TRUCK SEATS AND CONSOLE LIKE A LADDER THEN SQUEEZE OUT OF THE DOOR AND JUMP DOWN. AFTER EVALUATING THE TRUCK, THE TIRE TREAD HAD COME OFF OF THE TIRE, WHICH IS STILL ON THE TRUCK AND INFLATED.

NHTSA ID
10724311
Incident
Jun 2, 2015
Body & structureSuspensionTires & wheels
Filed Feb 9, 2015

BRACKET FOR SPARE TIRE ROTTED, TIRE DROPPED OFF, NO CAR IN BACK OF ME, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN AT THE TIME, THAT HAPPENED 6 MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE OTHER DAY THE FRAME CRACKED IN HALF. CAR DEALER SHIP SOLD TRUCK TO ME ROUGHLY 15 MONTH AGO TRUCK IS TOTALED. INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID WHOLE FRAME AND UNDER CARRIAGE IS ROTTED? HELP. EXTERIOR OF TRUCK LOOKS BRAND NEW? HELP *TR

NHTSA ID
10682191
Incident
Jan 30, 2015
Mileage
139,000 mi
Body & structureTires & wheels
Filed Dec 27, 2014

I RECENTLY CHECK THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT A MISSING SPARETIRE AND ALSO A VERY LOOSE REAR BUMPER AND THE CAUSE OF IT IS RUST, VERY BAD RUSTING ON THE FRAME, MOSTLY ON THE REAR END. *TR

NHTSA ID
10668446
Incident
Dec 23, 2014
Mileage
111,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 28, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR WRANGLER RADIAL (P) TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES HAD BUBBLES ON THE SIDEWALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER SET OF THE SAME TIRES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT A WEEK LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID
10537780
Incident
Jun 19, 2013
Mileage
44,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 27, 2010

PURCHASED P245 75R 16 DEFINITY DAKOTA A/T TIRES FORM PEPBOYS 02/08/2009. I HAVE HAD THEM IN TO BE CHECKED ABOUT 3 TIME FOR BEING OUT OF BALANCE AND KEEP ASK THEM ARE THE TIRE BELT AND ARE TREAD DEFECTED. THE TIRES SEEM TO VIBRATE CONSTANTLY EVEN AFTER A NEW BALANCE. I HAVE ASK THEM ARE THE BELTS SEPARATING AND IS THERE A RECALL ON MY TIRES DOT UT70 PA8 0408 AND DOT UT70 PA8 4808? I BELIEVE THAT THESE TIRE ARE DEFECTED. THAT IS WHY I AM COMPLAINING. I AM GOING BACK TO PEPBOYS TODAY AGAIN AND HOPING THIS CAN BE RESOLVED. I DO NOT WANT TO BE IN AN INJURY OR CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357869
Incident
Sep 27, 2010
Mileage
95,009 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 28, 2009
Crash reported1 injury reported

BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF AND FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL VERIFIED THE LEFT REARCOOPER TIRE ON MY '02 FORD PICK-UP TRUCK DELAMINATED CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK ON HWY 95 AND GO AIRBORN AND ROLL OVER THREE (3) TIME, LANDING IN THE MEDIAN STRIP OF HWY 95 IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, TOTALLY DESTROYING MY TRUCK. I WAS REMOVED FROM THE TRUCK WITH JAWS OF LIFE, TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. MY INJURIES WERE CONSIDERED MINOR, TREATED AND MANAGED IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT AN AREA HOSPITAL. FOLLOW UP CARE WITH VERO BEACH, FL PHYSICIANS FOLLOWED. THE DELAMINATION OF THE COOPER TIRE WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TIRE. TIRE SIZE WAS 31" X 10.5 , TIRE LINE: OWL ALL TERRAIN TIRES; VEHICLE INFO: FORD RANGER 2002 PICK-UP TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10290162
Incident
Jul 12, 2009
Mileage
60,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 14, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER WITH TWO FRONT FIRESTONE DESTINATION LE P245/75R16 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING. THE CONTACT DECREASED THE SPEED EXPECTING THE VIBRATION TO STOP; HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT FENDER TO EXTEND OUTWARD APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH. A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BLOW OUT WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD MATERIALS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VIBRATION CAUSED THE TIRE BLOW OUT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY INSPECTED THE TIRES AND SINCE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW LONG THE TIRES WERE ON THE VEHICLE THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 10/06/09 *BF

NHTSA ID
10283878
Incident
Apr 30, 2009
Mileage
40,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 26, 2009

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AT APPROX 65 MPH FELT SEVERE VIBRATION AND MANAGED TO PULL OVER ACROSS THREE LANES TO GORE POINT AT AN ON RAMP FRONT RIGHT TIRE HAD SIDEWALL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM TREAD VEHICLE 2002 FORD RANGER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10266741
Incident
Apr 25, 2009
Mileage
46,476 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Feb 11, 2009

THE TIRES STARTED TO WEAR IN AN ODD CUPPING SHAPE AFTER CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE CONSTANTLY TO VERIFY THIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE WEAR. ADDITIONALLY MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS HAD BEEN PERFORMED TO ALSO VERIFY THIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE WEAR. AFTER DRIVING FOR WEEKS LATER, THE TIRE FAILED AT 35 MPH IN A BUSY SUBURBAN STATE ROUTE INTERSECTION. AFTER PULLING ASIDE AND REPLACING THE TIRE, I DISCOVERED A DELAMINATION OF THE TREAD. I HAD INSPECTED THE TIRES AND HAD SEEN ANOTHER STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF DELAMINATION. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PRICE TIRES. I CONTACTED FIRESTONE ABOUT THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THE TIRE IS NOT ON THE RECALL. THREE DAYS LATER, AND THE OTHER TIRE IS CLEARLY DELAMINATED. I FEEL BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILES ON THE TIRES, THE CONSTANT AND PROPER PREVENTABLE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, THE TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10258367
Incident
Feb 9, 2009
Mileage
40,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 10, 2008
Crash reported

WHILE TRAVELING FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD THE TREAD COME OFF OF MY REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THIS SENT ME INTO THE GUARD RAIL AND PRECEDED TO FLIP MY TRUCK OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TIRES SHOULD NO SIGNS OF UNUSUAL WEAR, TEAR OR DEFECT AT THIS POINT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10230507
Incident
Jun 9, 2008
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 12, 2005

DT: CONSUMER HAS NOT HAD A FAILURE, BUT THERE WAS A PRONOUCED WHOPPING NOISE"AT LOW SPEEDS. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS MAKING THE NOISE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF TREAD SEPARATION OR EXTENSIVE WEAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO 2 DEALERS, THE FIRST SAID IT NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT, AND THE SECOND SAID THE TIRE WEAR WAS GOOD, AND NO LOOSE NUTS OR BOLTS WERE FOUND. CONSUMER HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH A GOODYEAR DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NOISE WAS. GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS , P235/75R15.*AK NO REPAIRS OR REPLACEMNTS AS OF YET. NO CONFIRMATION AT THIS TIME TO DETERMINE THAT ONGOING NOISE. *TT

NHTSA ID
10129087
Incident
Mar 15, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 3, 2005

CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 70 MPH. TRAVELING IN LEFT HAND LANE I-70 W ILLINOIS. TIRE BLEW OUT. MAINTAINED CONTROL OF TRUCK. THIS INCIDENT WAS NOT CAUSED BY ANY EXTERNAL DAMAGE. TIRES WERE WELL MAINTAINED. 2002 FORD RANGER XLT 4 WHEEL DRIVE. GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT-S P255-70R16. CURRENTLY, GOODYEAR'S RESPONSE IS BLAME THE CONSUMER" WILL ONLY PROVIDE 50% REPLACEMENT COST OF DESTROYED TIRE.*JB

NHTSA ID
10131358
Incident
Jul 31, 2005
Mileage
34,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 20, 2005

DT: WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH ON HIGHWAY 8 WEST IN CALIFORNIA THE TREAD PEELED OFF THE TIRE. THE TIRE DIDN'T GO FLAT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10125948
Incident
Jun 18, 2005
Mileage
53,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 3, 2005

GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2002 FORD RANGER WERE CUPPING. *MR THE TIRES WERE CUPPING ON BOTH EDGES OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAD GIVEN THE VEHICLE AN ALIGNMENT AND SUGGESTED THAT THE TOE:D WAS TOO STRONG. ALL OF THE TIRES CONTINUED TO CUP EVEN THOUGH THE CONSUMER MAINTAINED IT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A BROADCAST MESSAGE WHICH REFERENCED TO A PROBLEM WITH RST P245 75R16 TIRES ON 2001-2004 RANGERS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH P255 70R16. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10124719
Incident
Jun 3, 2005
Mileage
3,486 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jan 10, 2005

ALL FOUR OF THE VEHICLE TIRES (ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT) ARE SHOWING SIGN OF PREMATURE WEAR WITH LESS THEN 30,000 MILES. PLEASE PROVIDE THE TIRE INFORMATION (MAKE, MODEL, TIRE SIZE AND THE DOT NUMBERS). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
10107051
Incident
Dec 28, 2004
Mileage
29,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 10, 2004

I WAS DRIVING ON HWY APPROX 70 MPH WHEN LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF OF TIRE AND WRAPED IT SELF AROUND REAR AXEL. THIS CAUSED HEAVY DAMEGE TO LEFT REAR WUARTER PANEL AND TAIL LIGHT. TIRE STILL INFLATED BUT WITH NO TREAD. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER (FUTURA AND PEP BOYS REFUSE TO RETURN ANY PHONE CALLS.*AK

NHTSA ID
10090772
Incident
Jul 24, 2004
Mileage
58,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 8, 2004

A LOUD KNOCKING AND GRINDING NOISE WAS HEAD COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED DETERMINED THAT FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AXLES/TIRES, AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10091627
Incident
Sep 8, 2004
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 17, 2004

SIDEWALL OF TIRE FAILED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. *JB

NHTSA ID
10088089
Incident
Aug 15, 2004
Mileage
20,450 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed May 22, 2004

(1) GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT TRANSFER CASE ON 4X4 DRIVETRAIN, NOTICEABLE AT 30 TO 40 MPH..PRECENT AT ALL SPEEDS MORE APPARENT AT SPEEDS DESCRIBED, AT HIGH SPEEDS 40 TO 80MPH GRINDING NOISE MASKED BY WIND/ROAD NOISE. NOISE STARTED AT UNDER 20000 MILES ON VEHICLE, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 27K MILES AND GRINDING/NOISE IS MORE PRONOUNCED. (2) NO APPARENT COMPONENT FAILURE YET, SEVERAL RANGER 4X4 OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.(MEMBER OF A RANGER FORUM OF 1000+ MEMBERS). WILL IT CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF FRONT DRIVE LINE COMPONENTS LEADING TO CRASH AND OR DEATH? (3) DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IT IS TO USE HARDER TIRES; DEALER WILL NOT RECOMMEND GOODYEARS WHICH IS WHAT IS INSTALLED BY THE FACTORY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10072984
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
Mileage
20,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Apr 14, 2004

FRONT TIRES ON MY RANGER KEEP "CUPPING" CAUSING A NOISE AND VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT. DEALER SAYS I NEED TO KEEP ROTATING THE TIRES EVERY 5000 MILES WHICH I HAVE BEEN (WHICH I ALSO FEEL IS EXTREME). SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS BECAUSE FORD USES SOFT TIRES ON THIS MODEL. SOUNDS LIKE A DEFECT, MAYBE WHY THE EXPLORER'S KEPT ROLLING OVER.

NHTSA ID
10066158
Incident
Apr 13, 2004
Mileage
9,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Feb 2, 2004

THE TRUCK CAME WITH A 15" INCH SPARE TIRE. THGE DEALER INDICATED THAT WHEN THIS TIRE ISS USED ON THE TRUCK IT CAUSES THE REAR END AND THE TRAINEE TO BIND AND GO OUT BECAUSE THE TRUCK LEANS. THE OTHER TIRES ON THE TRUCK ARE 16" INCHES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10057361
Mileage
10,000 mi
Other / unspecifiedTires & wheels
Filed Oct 9, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD RANGER ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, CLEAR SKIES, SUN OUT AND NO RAIN. SHE FELT THE TRUCK VIOLENTLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND THOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD A BLOWN OUT. BUT THE TRUCK WAS THROWN INTO THE GUARD RAIL, A WITNESS BEHIND HER SAID THE WHEEL FLEW OFF THE TRUCK, THEN IT WENT AIRBORNE AND FLEW BACK TO THE LEFT OVER THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY, MY DAUGHTER HAD ONLY MILD INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE E.R. VIA AMBULANCE. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED WITH THE TRUCK OR THE FLYING WHEEL. WHEN I SAW THE CAR AT THE WRECKER YARD, I NOTED THE WHOLE WHEEL AND PART OF THE AXLE WERE MISSING. MY DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND FOUND THE TIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH THE AXLE AND PART OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS STILL ATTACHED. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS OF A WHEEL BREAKING OFF OF A FORD RANGER? IN RETROSPECT, THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 6000 MILES AND THERE HAS BEEN TWO BLOWN OUTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE IN WHICH I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE WITHIN THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THE TIRES ARE GOODYEAR. COULD THIS BE RELATED AS WELL OR IS IT A DIFFERENCE PROBLEM? *LA

NHTSA ID
10041570
Incident
Oct 6, 2003
Mileage
6,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 16, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH TIRE EQUIPMENT ON 2002 FORD RANGER.*MR TRANSFERRED TO OVSC. *CB

NHTSA ID
10041851
Incident
Sep 1, 2003
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 21, 2003
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported

2002 FORD RANGER PICKUP TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BEGAN TO BOUNCE AND THEN THE TREAD BEAGN TO SEPARATE. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL THEN OVERTURNING.*AK

NHTSA ID
10033233
Incident
Aug 20, 2003
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 7, 2003

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL. THE TIRE WAS A BRIDGESTONE FIRERSTONE P22570R15. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *PH

NHTSA ID
10032383
Incident
Aug 7, 2003

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 .