Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1984 Ford Ranger
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
216.7%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Brakes
216.7%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Electrical System
216.7%
0 crashes, 2 fires
Engine & Cooling
216.7%
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 135,000 mi
Other & Unspecified
18.3%
Equipment & Accessories
18.3%
Seat Belts
18.3%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Fuel & Propulsion
18.3%
0 crashes, 1 fires
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 1996peak 1Apr 2003
NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Ford Ranger
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP85008Opened 4 Jan 1985Closed 26 Apr 1985ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
STALLING
STALLING
Recalls on the 1984 Ford Ranger
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 198409021,448 units in Canada
VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 301 - FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY.
Recall 198311437,431 units in Canada
THE UPPER TORSO RESTRAINT D-RING WHICH ATTACHES THE SHOULDER BELT TO THE B PILLAR, UNDER CERTAIN TEST CONDITIONS, SEPARATED FROM ITS ANCHORAGE, AND MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 210 - BELT ANCHORAGE.
Recall 1983095111 units in Canada
THE NYLON AUXILIARY FUEL TANK SENDING AND RETURN LINES MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY BY THE LEFT FRONT FASTENERS WHICH ATTACH THE NO. 5 FRAME CROSSMEMBERS TO THE FRAME SIDE RAILS. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE NO. 5 CROSSMEMBER FASTENERS MAY BE LOOSE OR MISSING ON A FEW SHORT-WHEELBASE TRUCKS. THE NO. 5 CROSSMEMBER PROVIDES THE FRONT ATTACHMENT FOR THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAPS. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING FASTENERS MAY NOT ADEQUATELY RETAIN THE CROSSMEMBER AND THEREFORE THE FUEL TANK, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR FUEL TANK DAMAGE.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Bellwood, PACrash2 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #722565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairview Hieghts, ILFire
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
NOTICED IN LOCAL PAPER CONCERN OVER FIRES IN HEATING/VENTILATING SYSTEM OF FORD VEHICLES. BURNING OF LEAVES CAUGHT IN HEATER DUCTING WHICH WAS IGNITED BY HEATER MOTOR SPEED CONTROL RESISTANCE COILS LOCATED IN HEATER DUCTWORK HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES ON MY 1984 FORD RANGER PICKUP. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN THE LATE 1980'S IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER AND THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS OCTOBER OF 1997. HORTOCULTURIST AT BOTANICAL GARDEN WHERE I VOLUNTEER HAD A SIMILAR FIRE IN JANUARY OF 1999 IN A 1980'S FULL SIZED FORD PICKUP (DON'T KNOW EXACT YEAR). ALTHOUGH THIS TYPE OF FIRE IS SHORT AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO DO A GREAT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE; IT IS VERY DISTURBING AT THE TIME. YOUR VISIBILITY IS CLOUDED, YOU IMMEDIATELY GET OFF OF ROAD TO GET OUT OF 'BURNING' VEHICLE AND FOR SOME TIME VEHICLE HAS ASHES BLOWING FROM VENT SYSTEM AND ODOR OF SMOLDERING LEAVES LEFT IN VEHICLE. THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC SAFETY OCCURANCE IF TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS LOST OR ONCOMING TRAFFIC HIT VEHICLE AS IT WAS BEING STOPPED TO CHECK SOURCE OF THE 'FIRE'. I NOTICE THAT THE 1992 FORD E-150 VAN WHICH WE OWN HAS A FINER MESH SCREEN BELOW THE VENT AIR INTAKE IN FRONT OF THE WINDSHIELD; WHEREAS, THE 1984 (AND OTHER) FORD VEHICLE DOES NOT. WHEN I CAN REMEMBER EACH YEAR, I REMOVE THE HEATER CONTROL SWITCH FROM THE DUCTING AND FISH OUT THE LEAVES WITH A PIECE OF WIRE THROUGH THE SMALL ACCESS HOLE. DON'T REMEMBER TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR--AND I EXPECT MOST OWNERS DON'T OR DON'T KNOW HOW AND FORD DEALERS PROBABLY ARE NOT AWARE THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #703638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE OPEN WIRE WOUND MOTOR SPEED CONTROL RESISTOR BLOCK ALLOWS FOR DEBRIS TO COLLECT RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO CONSUMER. (ATTORNRY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA complaint #536262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Springs, CAFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
STARTED SMOKING FIRST AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD BECAUSE OF A GAS LEAKAGE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #804836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Longview, WACrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
TRAVELING ON WILLOW GROVE ROAD, SWERVED TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE, CROSSED CENTER LINE AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESPOND, ALLOWING DRIVER TO BE PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #804846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pine City, MNFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #506871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 135,000 milesClariton, PA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #10015609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aniwa, WI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA complaint #733666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bellwood, PACrash2 injured
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #722565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairview Hieghts, ILFire
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
NOTICED IN LOCAL PAPER CONCERN OVER FIRES IN HEATING/VENTILATING SYSTEM OF FORD VEHICLES. BURNING OF LEAVES CAUGHT IN HEATER DUCTING WHICH WAS IGNITED BY HEATER MOTOR SPEED CONTROL RESISTANCE COILS LOCATED IN HEATER DUCTWORK HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES ON MY 1984 FORD RANGER PICKUP. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN THE LATE 1980'S IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER AND THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS OCTOBER OF 1997. HORTOCULTURIST AT BOTANICAL GARDEN WHERE I VOLUNTEER HAD A SIMILAR FIRE IN JANUARY OF 1999 IN A 1980'S FULL SIZED FORD PICKUP (DON'T KNOW EXACT YEAR). ALTHOUGH THIS TYPE OF FIRE IS SHORT AND DOES NOT APPEAR TO DO A GREAT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE; IT IS VERY DISTURBING AT THE TIME. YOUR VISIBILITY IS CLOUDED, YOU IMMEDIATELY GET OFF OF ROAD TO GET OUT OF 'BURNING' VEHICLE AND FOR SOME TIME VEHICLE HAS ASHES BLOWING FROM VENT SYSTEM AND ODOR OF SMOLDERING LEAVES LEFT IN VEHICLE. THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT TRAFFIC SAFETY OCCURANCE IF TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS LOST OR ONCOMING TRAFFIC HIT VEHICLE AS IT WAS BEING STOPPED TO CHECK SOURCE OF THE 'FIRE'. I NOTICE THAT THE 1992 FORD E-150 VAN WHICH WE OWN HAS A FINER MESH SCREEN BELOW THE VENT AIR INTAKE IN FRONT OF THE WINDSHIELD; WHEREAS, THE 1984 (AND OTHER) FORD VEHICLE DOES NOT. WHEN I CAN REMEMBER EACH YEAR, I REMOVE THE HEATER CONTROL SWITCH FROM THE DUCTING AND FISH OUT THE LEAVES WITH A PIECE OF WIRE THROUGH THE SMALL ACCESS HOLE. DON'T REMEMBER TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR--AND I EXPECT MOST OWNERS DON'T OR DON'T KNOW HOW AND FORD DEALERS PROBABLY ARE NOT AWARE THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #703638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE OPEN WIRE WOUND MOTOR SPEED CONTROL RESISTOR BLOCK ALLOWS FOR DEBRIS TO COLLECT RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE AND INJURY TO CONSUMER. (ATTORNRY FOR CONSUMER).
NHTSA complaint #536262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lorain, OH
TRAILER HITCHES
TRAILER HITCH SNAPPED, DISCONNECTING TRAILER, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
NHTSA complaint #518585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Springs, CAFire
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
STARTED SMOKING FIRST AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD BECAUSE OF A GAS LEAKAGE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #804836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Longview, WACrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
TRAVELING ON WILLOW GROVE ROAD, SWERVED TO AVOID AN ONCOMING VEHICLE, CROSSED CENTER LINE AND LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESPOND, ALLOWING DRIVER TO BE PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM VEHICLE. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #804846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pine City, MNFire
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #506871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gainesville, GA
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
FAILURE OF THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL FREELY.
NHTSA complaint #984044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Depot BAY, ORFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND THE SOURCE IS UNKWON. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MT Airy, NCFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #979223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.