210 of the
10,502 complaints filed about the Ford Ranger
are about the steering —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2000.
The vehicle went into BAJA Mode 4wd high then 4wd low range out of nowhere while driving. It shot me off the road , and ive been researching it. There is a 6 page thread about new rangers and ranger raptors doing this on 6G ranger forum, tons of people with the same issue. Super scary. Fear injury or fatality will happen from this as it shoots you hard off the road
NHTSA complaint #11752831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Several times while driving at highway speed, my vehicle transmission will shift all by itself into baha 4wd mode, or 4wd mode causing my truck to become a hazard on the road. Should someone be following me and my transmission implodes due to this issue, people could be seriously harmed or killed.
NHTSA complaint #11751297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Ford dealership completed repairs on my vehicle and returned it by parking it in front of my garage. I have a long driveway and additional parking and needed to park the vehicle somewhere else (maybe 20-30 feet away). I reversed the truck ~20 feet and when I tapped the gas lightly to turn the car left to pull into the parking space it accelerated rapidly. I pressed the brakes repeatedly and the car didn't stop and barely slowed down after noticing that continuing to turn the steering wheel to the left did nothing. I tried cutting the wheel and the tires seemed unresponsive and the vehicle didn't stop until it hit a small tree on the right side of the parking area. Upon trying to move the vehicle back to the original parking space the vehicle seemed to only allow steering to the right and hit a tree on the right passenger front door. The airbags, part of the service work previously completed from another recall, didn't deploy despite having an 85lb passenger in the vehicle. The dash flashed with many sensors when I initially tried to stop the vehicle when it was in drive. The vehicle is available for inspection. The safety of myself and my passenger were at risk. I was transported to the ER. The problem was not confirmed by anyone yet. The vehicle was inspected by police visually and damages documented in the police report. I have not spoken to the dealer as I'm now weary of their service center practices since this occurred the first time I drove the vehicle after they made the repairs for the passenger airbag and brake recalls.
NHTSA complaint #11741145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VIN: [XXX] Recall data refreshed on Aug 09,2025 0 Unrepaired Recalls associated with this VIN Please Amber alert the following for NATIONAL BROADCAST NHTSA 2025 Ranger Safety Recalls* Inspect seat bolt presence and torque - recall is unable to be performed at this time. Please check the fsa landing page for more details. Recall incomplete Front upper control arm to knuckle ball joint loose or missing fastener Recall incomplete Instrument panel cluster configuration Recall incomplete INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11679494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ive had 2 seperate issues with my 2024 for ranger one is a steering assist fault the other is a electric fault on the speedometer jumping up and down while its in park and causing an issue
NHTSA complaint #11676873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Several warning lights, which included: ABS failure, Parking Assist Failure, Lane Avoidance Failure, Traction Control Failure, as well as having steering difficulty. ( mileage 24500 ). The problem was found by dealer to be an eletrical connector underneath the vehicle at the mid point, with their belief that it was corrosion, which I believe to be a defective component and design. I contacted Ford but they were not interested in retrevale of the connector, so as to diagnose the failure. ( I am keeping the connector )
NHTSA complaint #11668605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I flew down to Anchorage Alaska this brand new 024 FORD RANGER XL on [XXX] sight unseen and no test drive from KENDALL FORD Dealership. After buying the truck I started it, engaged 4 wheel drive and slippery/ icy setting. On the way back to Fairbanks the steering was hard to turn and got progressively harder the faster I drove and the colder it became. About half way home it became exhausting to steer requiring a lot of force to turn the steering wheel that actually resisted with real force being turned. I didn’t know the lane keeping would turn on with the cruise control but it did and resisted me even more. The roads became black ice and it was freezing rain. The phone charge port lost power, the dash blanked out, there was no radio and the rear power port I had switched to lost power and my phone died. I was driving about 30 to 40 mph on the 2 lane undivided snow covered black ice covered highway. In a curve in the road where the highway maintenance snow plows had stopped plowing I believe the truck mistook the snow line for the painted line and unexpectedly and surprisingly actually turned the steering wheel towards the double solid dividing centerline and I turned back into my lane. This slight movement caused the truck to totally slide out of control and cross the double solid dividing centerline and the truck went into opposite highway oncoming lane! Luckily there was no traffic coming the other way or it could have been a horrible accident. I hit the brakes and the truck actually stopped good, and then I got back into my lane and pulled over at the first chance. My phone was dead so I had no flashlight because I flew down I carried nothing but my coat. I tried to inspect the steering but it was all dark and below zero so I continued on towards Fairbanks another hundred miles to the North. The truck also had a bunch of other problems like refusing to start that can leave a person to freeze to death quickly in the Arctic below zero temperatures. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC
NHTSA complaint #11648482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Ranger equipped with Bridgestone Tires, Tire Line: Dueler HT685, Tire Size: 255/70/R16, DOT Number: 1VN0KDH2 3422. The contact stated that the driver’s side front inner tire was excessively worn. The contact noticed that the steel belts were showing through. The contact replaced the tire with a spare. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed him that the alignment bolt s could not be adjusted. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle and tire failure mileage were approximately 38,000.
NHTSA complaint #11622476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle displays “Steering Assist fault-Service required”. Failure of power steering while driving could result in loss of control of the vehicle. The earliest available appointment for the dealer to check the problem is 11/20/24.
NHTSA complaint #11621817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Presently, my mileage is approximately 42770. It has started to exhibit vibration throughout the cab. It wasn't as prevalent during the cold and would only last about 30 seconds, after warm up, and around 70 mph. Now that it has gotten warmer, it is happening after warm up at all speeds. I haven't take it to the dealership yet, but have read reports of the problem with the same model year.
NHTSA complaint #11569621 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I just purchased a vehicle from Autex Mazda of Keene. (1/2/24) A 2020 Ford Ranger with 36K miles and extended warranty. When driving on the highway at 60MPH my steering wheel started shimming very bad as I was passing a school bus that I felt I might of hit because it startled me and never felt a steering wheel shimmy so bad like that. Called dealer and they balanced the tires and leaving to return home the shimmy was back almost out of the lot. Are there any recalls on this issue and my backup camera is barely visible. I feel I was taking advantage of knowing there was a problem with this vehicle. I'll be calling Ford Service next but wanted to know about recalls and to report this before someone gets killed because of the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11565694 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11533082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. Additionally, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.
NHTSA complaint #11507483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist failed with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact called the dealer and was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The contact called an independent mechanic and was also given an estimate for the repair. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the rack and pinion steering assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired.
NHTSA complaint #11507027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that they had received a notification on the main control computer screen and the vehicle's notifications app indicated that there was an electrical failure occurring with the steering. The contact then stated at the same time the vehicle began to self-direct causing an excessive amount of force required to steer the vehicle. The brakes became difficult to depress causing an excessive amount of pressure to be applied on the brake pedal in order to get the vehicle to come to a stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 16,000.
NHTSA complaint #11500810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The failed component is a small wheel speed sensor on the rear axle. The sensor is designed in a way where it inserts into the axle and sits close enough to the gears that it can be hit by the gears during bumps/potholes/etc. The issue puts myself and others at risk as when the sensor malfunctions or breaks, it disables multiple safety features of the truck including: Antilock brakes, traction control, power steering, hill assist, and collision avoidance system. Other systems affected include cruise control. The problem has been reproduced with three separate speed sensors, two OEM sensors and one after market. I have had the vehicle inspected by a Ford dealership for the issue. Issues prior to the first replaced sensor was the sensors have issues with cold climate. When snow or ice is on the roadway, the sensors have issues and disable all the above features. Appears the design cannot withstand the cold weather.
NHTSA complaint #11492703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Popping, and loose feel in steering wheel on bumps. Popping felt in steering wheel when coming to a stop, and on accelerating from a stop. Intermediate steering shaft defect and/or design flaw. Dealer refuses to replace due to no TSB from Ford.
NHTSA complaint #11469983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING WAS ABOUT 20 MPH AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE. I HEARD A LOUD POP BANG NOISE AND THE LEFT SIDE OF TRUCK DROPPED ABOUT 2 OR 3 INCHES. I THOUGHT THE FRONT END FELL OFF. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUNCH HOLES IS THE FRAME WITH A SCREW DRIVER, THE DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR HAS COLLAPSED DUE TO RUST ON THE FRAME THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE, THE CROSSMEMBER TO TRANSMISSION IS BARLEY HOLDING TRANSMISSION UP, THE SPARE TIRE AREA IS RUSTED IN HALF, ALL MAIN CROSSMEMBERS ARE RUSTED IN HALF AND THE FRAME IS RUSTED IN HALF BEHIND FUEL TANK. TRUCK HAS 127K MILES AND THE BODY BODY HAS LITTLE TO NO RUST, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE UNSAFE FROM RUST. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE BODY CAN BE SO GOOD BUT FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS COMPLETELY RUSTED TO NO RETURN.
NHTSA complaint #11385534 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE SPARE TIRE RACK FELL FROM THE TRUCK. SINCE THE EVAP CANISTER FROM THE GAS TANK IS ATTACHED TO THE SPARE TIRE RACK IT TO WAS DAMAGED WITH THE CANISTER BEING BROKEN OPEN WHILE THE RACK SCRAPPED ON THE ROAD. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FRAME IT WAS FOUND THAT THE GAS TANK SUPPORT BRACKETS HAD FALLEN COMPLETELY OFF LEAVING ONLY A THIN STRAP SUPPORTING THE GAS TANK. THE FRAME ALSO SHOWED EXTENSIVE CORROSION ON THE FRONT CROSSMEMBER WHICH SUPPORTS THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS. BRAKE LINE SUPPORT TABS ON THE FRAME WERE ALSO FOUND TO HAVE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AT THE WELD. THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY AND THE TRUCKS SHOULD BE RECALLED. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.
NHTSA complaint #11350244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.