Your vehicle report
1997 Ford Ranger
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 411
- Received Mar 1997 to Feb 2021
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline56 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Tires blow out or tread separates51 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail23 complaints · 5.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #09V399000Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-250 sd through F-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 E-150 through E-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 F53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 40 crashes, 8 fires, 44 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
- Front brake rotors warp and wear early
1 more problem
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 20 |
| 1998 | 31 |
| 1999 | 53 |
| 2000 | 76 |
| 2001 | 57 |
| 2002 | 28 |
| 2003 | 19 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 16 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 9 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 411 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 56 | 14% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 51 | 12% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 23 | 5.6% | – | |
| Door ajar light stays on when closed | 21 | 5.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 20 | 4.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 16 | 3.9% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 14 | 3.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 12 | 2.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 10 | 2.4% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 2.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 9 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 8 | 1.9% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 8 | 1.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 4 | 1.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #09V399000October 13, 20094,500,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-250 sd through F-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 E-150 through E-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Ranger, and 1994 F53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Remedy
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1997 Ford Ranger.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN