FaultScore

1990 Ford Ranger transmission problems

11 of the 141 complaints about the 1990 Ford Ranger are about the transmission — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 60,000 miles.

F

11

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 3 27.3%
Manual Transmission 2 18.2%
Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch 2 18.2%
Axle Assembly 2 18.2%
Power Train 1 9.1%
Driveshaft 1 9.1%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Ford Ranger year

1988 11 1.3%
1990 11 1.3%
1991 14 1.7%
1992 14 1.7%
1993 21 2.5%
1994 51 6.0%
1995 24 2.8%
1996 31 3.7%
1997 44 5.2%
1998 68 8.0%
1999 74 8.7%
2000 71 8.4%
2001 57 6.7%
2002 64 7.5%
2003 17 2.0%
2004 27 3.2%
2019 92 10.8%
2020 47 5.5%
2021 56 6.6%
2022 17 2.0%
2024 25 2.9%
2025 12 1.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 60,000 miles Bonafay, FL

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING CLUTCH PEDAL FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE. HE WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REAPIR SHOP THEY STATED THAT THE PUSH ROD FALLS OFF OF THE PEDAL, WHICH PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM SWITCHING GEARS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED IT WITH A NEW MASTER CYLINDER WITH A PUSH ROD. THE REPLACEMENT PART MET FACTORY REQUIREMENTS, BUT HAD A PLASTIC PUSH ROD. THE CONTACT WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE METAL PUSH ROD BEING REPLACED WITH A PLASTIC PUSH ROD. HE BELIEVES THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 60,000. UPDATED 2/2/09 *CN UPDATED 02/04/09.

NHTSA complaint #10251793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Salt Lake City, UT Crash 1 killed

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

LEFT REAR AXLE BROKE, INCLUDING WHEEL ASSEMBLY COMING OFF TRUCK WHILE BEING DRIVEN 50 MPH. LEAF SPRINGS HIT THE ASPHALT, CAUSING TRUCK TO ROLL.*AK THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND CAME TO A REST ON ITS TOP. THE VICTIM, DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAME TO REST SEVERAL FEET FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TRIED TO CORRECT THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID LEFT. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL.

NHTSA complaint #8016895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Portsmouth, VA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

TRUCK ROLLED WHEN IN PARK.

NHTSA complaint #765470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Windsorheight, IA Crash

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH

VEHICLE MOVED OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED DOWN A HILL AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE CROSSWAYS ON TOP OF A HILL. LATER ON VEHICLE WAS NOT THERE, VEHICLE MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THIS MAY APPEAR TO BE COVERED UNDER RECALL 91V189, DATED 30 OCT 91. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #827169 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Frisco, TX

POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY

REAR AXLE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #517822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Circle Ville, UT

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION ON A HILL, THE ENGINE WAS OFF, THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED DOWN THE HILL.

NHTSA complaint #803716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reno, NV

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

JUMPS GEAR FROM PARK TO REVERSE.

NHTSA complaint #803340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisburg, PA

POWER TRAIN

DRIVESHAFT STRAP DISCONNECTED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED 0F 40MPH, CAUSING LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #800413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Harrisburg, PA

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

DRIVESHAFT STRAP DISCONNECTED WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED 0F 40MPH, CAUSING LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #800413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EAU Claire, WI

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #490561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Santa Cruz, CA

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION LEAKS DUE TO A CRACK IN THE TRANSMISSION. TT

NHTSA complaint #965284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1990 Ford Ranger problems

← Full 1990 Ford Ranger report