2019 Ford Ranger Problems

Auto transmission is failing to shift when taking off from a stop or hesitating to shift to next year causing traffic behind me to get close to rear bumper.

1st I reported to Ford that when my truck was in park and off, it started rolling down a hill. I jumped in and stopped it. Ford said they see nothing and everything looks fine. Since then I use the emergency break every time. 2nd, you feel the transmission shifting hard. Jerks truck. Also, if you drive around 25 mph, the truck starts jerking like it cant make up its mind what gear to be in.

I was driving the vehicle, when I started to fell a " Shuddering " sensation on acceleration. I let off the gas pedal and the Shuddering went away. A few miles down the road the check engine light came on and was flashing. I immediately pulled and shut the vehicle off. After sitting for 10 minutes I restarted the vehicle and the check engine light was no longer on, but the " Shuddering " sensation was still present. I took it to Dupratt Ford in Auburn,Ca. and they diagnosed it as a Cylinder 1 mis-fire. Upon further inspection they found water in the Cylinder 1 spark plug well. After doing some research I found out the Ford issued TSB 23-2011for this exact issue, but did not order a recall to fix the faulty windshield cowl which is the problem. I found thousands of complaints and numerous Ranger owners who have had the exact same issue and had to pay out of pocket to get the issue and damaged fixed. Meanwhile Ford knew about the issue and did absolutely nothing, did not even alert the owners of the issue. I was lucky and did not have to replace the cylinder head, but others have not been so lucky. I had to pay over $1800 to have the mis-fire issue fixed and had to do my own preventative measures to seal the windshield cowl. I contacted Ford and they were only willing to reimburse me $725 dollars of my repair bill which was 100% their fault.

On friday, march 27th, 2026. My 2019 ford ranger began shaking before the engine stalled. Warning lights for an engine check came on and my vehicle would not go above 20 mph after restarting. When pressing on the accelerator the engine would rev but the vehicle would not accelerate. I took the 2019 ford Ranger to a local Ford Dealership service center and they diagnosed the following problems (listed in full below).The cooling fan was at issue and multiple wires connecting my engine to the rest of the vehicle were melted off. The ford dealership said that this issue is extremely rare and they have never seen it before. After receiving this information from the dealership I discovered that the 2019 ford ranger has had several recalls with the areas at issue in my vehicle. The recalls are under number 25V685000 (Engine block heater), and 20V137000 (Fan). Here is the full diagnosis from the ford dealership attached below: VERIFIED CUSTOMER CONCERN FOUND VEHICLE TO HAVE CEL LIGHT ON, AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS PERFORMED DIAG AND FOUND SHORT CIRCUIT PRESENT. TRACED SHORT FOUND COOLING FAN CLUTCH FAILED AND HARNESS RUBBING IN CLUCH ASSEMBLY FOR COOLING FAN The fan lowers the temperature of the engine. The cooling fan motor is an electric motor that turns the fan blades. When the vehicle is in traffic or under heavy load, the engine relies on the fan to cool itself. Some vehicles may use multiple electric fans for better control of the cooling system. For the most part, electric cooling fans are controlled by the same computer that controls the engine. However, in some engines, the fans are turned on and off by a temperature-sensitive switch mounted in either the radiator or elsewhere in the cooling system. Spark Plug Replacement 4 Cylinder: 4 Cyl Tune Up The platinum spark plug is a type of spark plug. The platinum is a precious metal that is used in the composition of the spark plug. The center electrode is made of platinum.

I was driving the vehicle, when I started to fell a " Shuddering " sensation on acceleration. I let off the gas pedal and the Shuddering went away. A few miles down the road the check engine light came on and was flashing. I immediately pulled and shut the vehicle off. After sitting for 10 minutes I restarted the vehicle and the check engine light was no longer on, but the " Shuddering " sensation was still present. I took it to Dupratt Ford in Auburn,Ca. and they diagnosed it as a Cylinder 1 mis-fire. Upon further inspection they found water in the Cylinder 1 spark plug well. After doing some research I found out the Ford issued TSB 23-2011for this exact issue, but did not order a recall to fix the faulty windshield cowl which is the problem. I found thousands of complaints and numerous Ranger owners who have had the exact same issue and had to pay out of pocket to get the issue and damaged fixed. Meanwhile Ford knew about the issue and did absolutely nothing, did not even alert the owners of the issue. I was lucky and did not have to replace the cylinder head, but others have not been so lucky. I had to pay over $1800 to have the mis-fire issue fixed and had to do my own preventative measures to seal the windshield cowl. I contacted Ford and they were only willing to reimburse me $725 dollars of my repair bill which was 100% their fault.

The brakes failed within hours of owning the Certified, WARRANTIED VEHICLE. ALMOST had an accident. Within <5 weeks of owning this warrantied certified vehicle, was stranded on Rine Ridge Indian Reservation and on the highway. Engine jerk so bad feels like I a derby car. Then just stalls. The dont comply with their own 172 point certified inspection. They claim two keys for specified vehicle. They gave me two 1 starts the vehicle the other errors no key in ignition when you insert into ignition. NOW I have to pay bills to get a warrantied certified vehicle repaired plus loaner car because Ford McKie k owing sold an Unsafe vehicle under deceptive pretense. Multiple engine and brake failures which was supposedly certified inspected.

The vehicle is experiencing a severe power train failure involving erratic and violent gear selection. The transmission unexpectedly jumps from 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gear directly up to 7th or 8th gear, resulting in a total loss of acceleration. This is immediately followed by the transmission "slamming" down into lower gears, usually 1st or 2nd gear without driver input. This behavior is accompanied by a strong burning smell and a dashboard "wrench" warning light. The symptoms match the manufacturing defect documented in Ford TSB 24-2101 (CDF clutch drum). Diagnosis & Manufacturer Response: The issue began in October 2025 with a noticeable transmission shudder. I paid for two transmission flushes at Big O Tires to attempt to resolve the issue, but the mechanical failure has since escalated. When the "wrench" light appeared, an independent diagnostic computer was unable to retrieve an error code, as the light is a proprietary Ford powertrain indicator. Furthermore, the wrench light clears upon restarting the vehicle, despite the violent shifting and burning smell remaining. Ford Corporate agents claim there are "no known issues" and have refused to assist with towing, despite an active NHTSA Engineering Analysis (PE 24-001) regarding this exact 10R80 transmission. Safety Risk: This defect creates an extreme safety hazard. Violent downshifting into low gears at highway speeds can cause a loss of vehicle control or a rear-end collision. The burning smell indicates internal friction and fluid oxidation, posing an immediate fire risk or the potential for a catastrophic mechanical lock-up.

Truck looses gear when pulling into traffic. It will shift out of gear and only allow coasting. At speeds of 40 MPH and higher it will down shift causing dramatic reduced speed with no brake warning to other drivers behind. It will also randomly loose power. It will have delayed shifts squealing tires upon shifting and excessive jerking that is uncontrollable.

The climate control system on my 2019 Ford Ranger has a recurring failure that prevents the vehicle from properly adjusting temperature or directing air through the vents. The failure causes a constant clicking/snapping noise behind the dashboard, and the blend door does not move when the temperature is changed. This malfunction matches Ford’s published SSM 49264, which identifies a known defect in 2019–2020 Rangers built on or before 7/30/2020 and states that the entire HVAC housing assembly must be replaced. This issue creates a safety hazard because the truck cannot reliably defrost the windshield in cold or wet weather. Loss of defrosting capability severely limits visibility and makes safe operation of the vehicle difficult. The issue is reproducible every time the temperature is adjusted. The problem began when the vehicle was still within the original mileage window of the factory warranty, but the dealership did not repair it. Ford has confirmed the malfunction is caused by the blend door system, yet they have refused goodwill coverage for a repair that requires full dash removal and replacement of a known defective part. There were no warning lights, but the clicking noise and loss of temperature control began well before the warranty expired. The vehicle continues to experience the defect, and it poses an ongoing visibility and safety risk. Ford has acknowledged this exact failure mode in writing (SSM 49264), but has not issued a recall or safety campaign.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the temperature failed to adjust as needed. The contact stated that the damper was stuck. The heater was continuously blowing out hot air on the driver's side. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V726000 (Visibility). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 25,152.

The brakes failed within hours of owning the Certified, WARRANTIED VEHICLE. ALMOST had an accident. Within <5 weeks of owning this warrantied certified vehicle, was stranded on Rine Ridge Indian Reservation and on the highway. Engine jerk so bad feels like I a derby car. Then just stalls. The dont comply with their own 172 point certified inspection. They claim two keys for specified vehicle. They gave me two 1 starts the vehicle the other errors no key in ignition when you insert into ignition. NOW I have to pay bills to get a warrantied certified vehicle repaired plus loaner car because Ford McKie k owing sold an Unsafe vehicle under deceptive pretense. Multiple engine and brake failures which was supposedly certified inspected.

Unintended Aceleration Veheicle experienced normal stop with no anomaly. Upon release of brakes, experienced reported Wide Open Throttle" Brakes were ineffective. Vehicle accelerate thru intersection striking guardrail with significant damage. WOT stopped by shutting of engine. Vehicle currently in repair. Reported event to local dealer service dept, Insurance Rep and Ford referencing 2010 Class Action Lawsuit for similar events, All claim no knowledge of such an event. Vehicle had no previous reports of similar events

Weak steel from connection point of rear leaf springs failed, leaving the springs unconnected at front eye of connection point

I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2019 Ford Ranger because I discovered what I believe to be a serious safety defect involving the rear leaf spring mounting system. My vehicle has approximately 55,000 miles and has been used primarily as a commuter vehicle for driving to and from work in the city. The truck is originally from Virginia and has very minimal rust exposure. While replacing my rear brake pads, I noticed that the area where the rear leaf spring connects to the body/frame of the truck had broken away and was no longer properly attached. This was completely unexpected. A critical suspension component such as the leaf spring mounting point should not fail on a relatively low-mileage vehicle with only 55,000 miles, especially one that has not been subjected to severe corrosion or extreme use. Had I not been performing brake maintenance myself, I likely would not have discovered this defect. I fear that many other Ford Ranger owners may be driving their vehicles unaware that they could be experiencing the same dangerous condition. A failure involving the leaf spring mounting system has the potential to affect vehicle stability, handling, braking, and overall control. This creates a significant safety risk not only for the driver and passengers of the affected vehicle, but also for everyone sharing the roadway. I respectfully urge your agency to investigate this issue and determine whether a broader defect exists involving the rear leaf spring mounting components on 2019 Ford Rangers. If warranted, I ask that Ford be required to issue a recall to inspect and repair affected vehicles before a catastrophic failure results in serious injury or loss of life. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your efforts to protect the safety of the driving public.

My complaint isn't about my vehicle. My complaint pertains to pickup truck and SUV lighting. The lighting on these vehicles have become so bright that they blind oncoming drivers. In addition, I was recently blinded by the lights on a lifted pickup truck, that was following behind me. The lights on these vehicles have become so bright that they present a hazard to other drivers. This hazard is made worse when the vehicles are lifted (body or big wheels). Please consider taking action to address this problem.

After hookup of any type of trailer to electrical on vehicle, left turn signal fails to operate on vehicle or trailer, and warning message is displayed on panel. After disconnection of trailer operation of all turn signals in vehicle resume as designed.

My 2019 Ford Ranger 4x4 was bought new in April of 2019 and has approxiamatly 73,400 miles. Over time a slight glitch in the transission got to be more frequent. When first starting out within the first mile of operation, the vehicle would hang between gears and act like it ran out of fuel for a few seconds at low speed, as in pulling out from a stop sign or accelerating from a dead stop. My guess is inbetween first and second or second and third gear. It just wouldn'd go. Fortunatley I was not involved in any accidents. I can see where this could easily cause a mjor accident. There are several TSB's for this transmission and I believe Ford and General Motors use this same transmission. I have had my truck at the dealer for almost a month after it got scary to drive it got scary to drive. They are repairing this and contributing to the cost. I feel ike they no there is a problem and probably should have done a recall before someone gets killed.

When turning on to another road and accelerating, engine will suddenly loose all power. releasing accelerator will regain some power until vehicle speed increases. Throttle control is often erratic and transmission shifting is inconsistent resulting in hard clunks during shift. Pulling into traffic with a sudden loss of power leaves me vulnerable to a collision.

I HAD NOTED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THAT THE BACK OS THE BACK SEAT WOULD NOT LATCH LEAVING IT TO SWING FORWARD WHEN COMING TO A STOP AND SLAMMING BACK WHEN ACCELERATING. WHEN I CHECKED THE LATCH I COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I BROUGHT MY TRUCK INTO CAPITAL FORD IN CARSON CITY FOR SOME OTHER PROBLEM AND ASKED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE SEAT PROBLEM. AFTER OTHER REPAIRS WERE DONE, MY SERVICE ADVISOR, JOSEPH CONROY ADVISED ME THAT THE REPAIR OF THE SEAT WOULD COST APPROX. $400-$500. CONROY ALSO RELATED THAT THE LATCH PART WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PART TO FAIL AND HE REPLIED BY SAYING THAT THE PART HAD GONE THROUGH A RE-DESIGN AND A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE REPAIR WAS SENT OUT TO DEALERSHIPS. WHEN I SAID THAT THIS APPEARED TO BE A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE AND THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF THE PART REDESIGN, HE TOLD ME TO CONTACT FORD. I CONTACTED FORD AND WAS ASSIGNED TO "LAPORTIA" AS MY ADVISOR AND SHE IS WORKING TOWARDS SECURING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, BUT NO INTEREST IN THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE COMPLAINT. MY TRUCK'S ORIGINAL WARRANTY ENDED JUST THIS PAST DECEMBER BUT IS STILL COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-40 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor detected. The contact stated that the front driver’s side heated seat had burned a two-inch hole into the seat, the upper back rest, and heating pad. The contact also noticed that the heated seat was inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. There were no blown fuses. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, a service date was not available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact repaired the seat himself. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred him to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Restraints indicator lamp warning. Air bag warning is on due to a problem with the front passenger side airbag. The front passenger airbag may not function.

Airbags: passenger rear and front side airbags did not deploy after being struck on the passenger side by another vehicle. Seatbelts: were ineffective Vehicle was sold due to system failures and equipment issues. Safety: Head and body trauma due to non deployment. Inspection: Unknown No system messages before collision

The steering wheel is loose. I tried to get my truck aligned and was told they weren’t able to do it because of the steering wheel being loose

Owner, who had bought the truck new approx. 3 1/2 years earlier, had driven about three miles on dry, paved, residential, hilly, roads and was returning to where he was staying when he came upon a waiting line of cars. He turned around to go a different way. Coming to a slight curve the power steering (EPAS) went out. Struggling to make the curve, the power assist kicked in and jolted him off the right side of the road. Had the curve been to the left, the truck may have been thrust into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Owner then slowly soldiered on, with the truck making an intermittent noise as if trying to activate the power steering, which it sometimes did, causing the truck to swerve side to side. Owner did not mention any warning sign or alarm or message occurring during this episode. At his destination he called for help and the truck was towed to the dealer. The repair order (RO) indicates diagnostics first being done on 6-8-23, which verified the lack of power steering, and showed DTCs C1B00, U0415, and U3003. My research showed the first pertains to a steering angle sensor in the steering column, and the next two having to do with the ABS. The tech notes indicate he did pinpoint test BC1 (NO), BC2 (YES), and BC3 (YES). Next, the tech reported that the steering gear assembly had a malfunction and needed to be replaced. He added that he retrieved RVC code RA5VUMN131GXQ. Not having the steering gear assembly KB3Z3504A in stock, the replacement was not made until July. The RO said nothing about the battery, but it was learned that it had also been replaced under separate RO, which dealer has yet to provide. The dealer service rep said that even after they charged the old battery, it did not have enough power to activate an essential component; probably the new part, but I can't recall for sure. With the new battery, the DTCs, none of which I believe went to the steering gear, disappeared and the power steering apparently works. Truck is still with dealer.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while his wife was driving from a complete stop and releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate unintendedly until the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated the vehicle experienced hard shifts from first gear to third gear. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving in the higher gears. Additionally, the contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop on a hill, the vehicle rolled backwards upon depressing the accelerator pedal, nearly causing a crash. The driver turned off and restarted the vehicle, and shifted into drive(D), and the vehicle responded as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission fluid was replaced; however, the failure got progressively worse. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed; however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

See attachment for complaint

Restraints indicator lamp warning. Air bag warning is on due to a problem with the front passenger side airbag. The front passenger airbag may not function.

Airbags: passenger rear and front side airbags did not deploy after being struck on the passenger side by another vehicle. Seatbelts: were ineffective Vehicle was sold due to system failures and equipment issues. Safety: Head and body trauma due to non deployment. Inspection: Unknown No system messages before collision

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for a tire rotation, the contact was informed that the tires were unable to be rebalanced due to swollen lug nuts. The vehicle was then taken to Goodyear, who was also unable to rotate the tires. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

The spare tire is held tight against the under body of the pickup bed with a chain crank. The gear mechanism that raises and lowers the tire slowly released the tire to the point that edge of the tire (presumably due to bumps in the road) contacted the pavement. The tire became almost vertical and at a right angle to the direction of the vehicle. An estimated 4 miles was drive before the driver became aware of the problem when an observant motorcyclist motioned the vehicle over. The tire was very hot where it contacted the pavement but had not yet ignited. The tire was roped to the frame to keep it off the pavement to safely drive to a service center. The photo of the tire under the truck shows its approximate position during the incident. The actual position was almost vertical. The photo of the tire chain clamp bracket shows it's position without the tire. The crank mechanism was damaged to the point that the chain could not raise or lower the bracket. A tire fire would have resulted if the vehicle was driven much further. The manufacturer will be contacted.

Hood/cowling along the windshield allows water to leak under the hood of the vehicle and wets the coils and plugs causing the engine to mis fire and shutter violently. This engine mis fire and sudden lack of power can cause the vehicle to obstruct the flow of traffic resulting in an accident. Problem was reproduced by the dealer and they replace coils, plugs, and installed an accessory engine cover to prevent the issue in the future. All at my cost. The problem remains that there are many Ford Rangers on the road unaware of this problem. This problem is documented in a Ford TSB but a more aggressive approaching is needed to resolve this issue.

CORROSION PROBLEMS ON THE CHASSIS WILL BE CORRECTED BY DELAER. IT IS NOT THE FIRST VEHICLE OF THIS MODEL THAT I SEE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE MORE PHOTOS.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the heated seat overheated to the point where the contact received severe burns along the back down to the back of the legs. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

As I was driving down the road I began I started to smell something unusual - in a way it smelled like burning plastic and/or anti-freeze. I then began to feel quite a bit more heat than usual on my lower back, so much I knew something was wrong. I pulled my truck over, got out and as soon as I got out my heated seat started producing smoke where I believe the main heated seat coil is. Within seconds a flame burst out from the seat. I luckily had a drink in my cup holder that I reached over to grab & pour out on the flame. It kept smoking after I dumped the liquid on it. I then grabbed a water bottle from my back seat & was able to put the fire out completely. In conclusion, my 2019 Ford Ranger Lariat Crew Cab heated seat caught fire while it was turned on, on 9/15/2022 at approx. 9:00a.

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger equipped with Dunlop Tires. Tire Line: AT2O, Tire Size : 265/65R17 110HI, DOT number DAAH D31R. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the passenger-side rear tire blew out. The thread separated and was on the roadway. The contact was able to continue to drive. The contact called a tire center, but they failed to respond. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The tire mileage was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 FORD RANGER EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE TIRES, TIRE LINE: DESERT DUELER II, TIRE SIZE: 255/65/17, DOT NUMBER: (UNAVAILABLE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE TIRES, HE NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL AND TREAD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. MYERS FORD CO INC LOCATED AT 13959 SPOTSWOOD TRAIL, ELKTON, VA 22827, (540) 298-1271) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE MANUFACTURER DECIDED TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES, DUE TO ALL FOUR TIRES SHOWING SIMILAR ISSUES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH SIMILAR BRIDGESTONE TIRES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE NEW SET OF TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED ANOTHER CASE REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS OFFERED A PRO-RATED COST FOR THE TIRE REPLACEMENT. THE TIRES WERE NOT YET REPLACED DUE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE CONTACT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,500. *DT