2011 Ford Ranger problems, complaints & recalls

2011 Ford Ranger recalls (5)

• Recall 21V158000Mar 10, 20212,602,668 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

  Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.

• Recall 21V081000Feb 16, 20211,067 vehicles
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

• Recall 19V001000Jan 7, 2019782,384 vehiclesDo not drive
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

  Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.

• Recall 16V384000May 31, 20161,892,343 vehiclesDo not drive
  AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

  Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

  Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

• Recall 11V352000Jul 13, 201126,715 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

  Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.

  Risk: Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.

  Remedy: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on august 15, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.

Recent 2011 Ford Ranger complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Jun 15, 2026NMAirbags

   I received a letter from FORD identifying my Ranger as in need of an airbag replacement under recall, for free installation and parts. I called the only Ford dealer in town, Capitol Ford, Santa Fe, NM, and was told they were unable to replace my airbag because they did not have the parts for it and did not know when they would get the parts. That was about 4 years ago. Recently, I called the same FORD dealer and made an appointment via a text message to get the airbag…

   NHTSA complaint #11744306 · source
2. Filed Jul 2, 2025FLAirbags

   I'm looking to buy this truck from a private sale. If I do, and the recall has not been completed, will the manufacturer still fix it for free?

   NHTSA complaint #11670841 · source
3. Filed Oct 7, 2024110,000 miFLElectrical SystemLightingVisibility & Wipers

   High beam lights failed on, the hi-lo beam switch in turn, hazard, wiper combo switch later overheated, burn up, smoke in cabin causing complete loss of lamps, wipers at night in rain. Clearly a common issue based on web. If you are going to send full load current with no control relays force a higher standard on design margins and and mttf. You have (4) head lamps on a car no reason a design should be allowed to cause all (4) to failure. Force multiple relays, modules, and…

   NHTSA complaint #11618410 · source
4. Filed Jul 24, 2024235,000 miMDCrashAirbags

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags) however, the dealer wanted to charge the contact to complete the repair because the air bag was deployed. The contact stated that prior to the recall appointment, he had a crash with a deer which deployed the driver's side front air bag. The contact stated that he was driving at approximately 20 MPH during the impact. The contact stated that the deer crashed…

   NHTSA complaint #11604223 · source
5. Filed Jul 18, 2023161,484 miTNAirbags

   The contact owns a 2011 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer informed the contact that the system needed to be reset. While driving, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken…

   NHTSA complaint #11532929 · source
6. Filed May 25, 2023NYCrash1 injuredTowedAirbags

   The airbags did not deploy during accident. I was injured. No, the problem was not reproduced or confirmed by dealer or independent service center yet. The vehicle was inspected by police. There were no prior warnings.

   NHTSA complaint #11523837 · source
7. Filed Feb 20, 2023RIAirbags

   Took my 2011 Ford Ranger to the local dealer for the mandatory airbag and knee plate replacement pick up the vehicle they gave me paperwork saying the parts have been replaced happened to be working under the dash yesterday and found that parts were not replaced bolts were missing whether or not they removed anything or not I would doubt it and highly doubt that the airbags were replaced being as the main structural replacement wasn't replaced as the repair order says it was…

   NHTSA complaint #11508157 · source
8. Filed Nov 27, 2022NJWheels & Tires

   The spare tire fell off the vehicle, including the hoist, while driving down the road. The frame crossmember holding the hoist is rotted through, with virtually no other rust anywhere else on the body and frame. Yes, you can come see it at any time. I have not bothered taking it to a dealership. Since no property damage occured, I did not call the police. Unable to find a replacement crossmember- this vehicle is now out of service, as only the bumper and bed mounts are…

   NHTSA complaint #11495059 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 10, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology