2019 Ford Ranger problems, complaints & recalls
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
Owners have filed 251 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Ford Ranger, most often about transmission & drivetrain. There are 11 recalls for this model year.
- Complaints
- 251
- Recalls
- 11
- Crashes
- 9
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 6
- Median mileage
- 27,241 mi at time of problem
Key facts
- Transmission & Drivetrain is the most-reported problem area, named in 89 of 251 complaints (35%).
- Electrical System (38) and engine (29) follow.
- Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 27,241 mi.
- Owners reported 9 crashes, 2 fires and 6 injuries.
- The 2019 Ford Ranger has 11 recalls on file.
- It ranks 2nd of 15 Ford Ranger model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
2019 Ford Ranger problems by category
- Transmission & Drivetrain · 2 crashes89 complaints
- 38 complaints
- Other / Unknown · 2 crashes30 complaints
- Engine · 1 crash29 complaints
- 23 complaints
- Suspension18 complaints
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech · 1 crash15 complaints
- Brakes · 1 crash14 complaints
- Seats & Seat Belts · 2 crashes13 complaints
- Lighting13 complaints
- Acceleration & Cruise Control · 1 crash10 complaints
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion · 1 crash8 complaints
- Wheels & Tires5 complaints
- Steering5 complaints
- Airbags · 2 crashes4 complaints
- Body & Structure3 complaints
A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.
Most-reported components
| Component (as filed with NHTSA) | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power train | 85 |
| Electrical system | 35 |
| Unknown or other | 30 |
| Engine | 25 |
| Suspension | 17 |
| Exterior lighting | 13 |
| Service brakes | 13 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 |
When problems happen (mileage)
2019 Ford Ranger recalls (11)
- EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
- BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.
- BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
- EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.
- SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Dealers will inspect the front row outboard seat belts and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C25.
- VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles previously repaired under recall 19V-726. The service replacement Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor that was installed may have an improper clearance between an electrical terminal and the conductive base plate that may result in an resistive electrical short.
Risk: A resistive electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the HVAC blower motor, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 6, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S12.
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger trucks. The inline electrical connector terminals for the rear lights may be misaligned or not properly seated, potentially causing the rear lights to function intermittently or not at all.
Risk: Intermittent or inoperative tail lamps can result in loss of stop, turn, rear position, and reverse lamp functions, which reduces the vehicle's visibility and may not fully alert other drivers that the vehicle is braking, turning, or reversing, increasing the risk of crash.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the inline connector for loose terminals and replace the connectors, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 5, 2020. A renotification was sent on July 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S43.
- VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles. The Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor may electrically short.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HVAC blower motor production date, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S34.
- SEAT BELTS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ford Ranger vehicles with a SuperCab body style. The front passenger seat belt may have been improperly assembled.
Risk: Improperly assembled seat belts may not adequately restrain occupants in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the right front seat belt assembly, free of charge. The recall began July 29, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S23.
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles. The fasteners that attach the transmission shifter cable bracket to the transmission may loosen allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.
Risk: If the gear shift lever position does not match the actual transmission gear, the vehicle may move in an unexpected direction. Additionally, despite selecting 'Park', if the parking brake is not applied before the vehicle is exited, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario increases the risk of crash or injury.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the transmission shift cable bracket fasteners as necessary, and verify the proper transmission shift operation, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S15.
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. In some of these vehicles, the transmission shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position without the key in the starting system and without depressing the brake pedal. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."
Risk: If the vehicle can be shifted out of Park without the brake applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move. Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the transmission floor shift selector interlock assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19C02.
NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Ford Ranger Super Cab PU/EC 4x2 | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | ★★★☆☆ |
| 2019 Ford Ranger Super Cab PU/EC 4x4 | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | ★★★☆☆ |
| 2019 Ford Ranger Super Crew PU/CC 2WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
| 2019 Ford Ranger Super Crew PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
Recent 2019 Ford Ranger complaints
Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
- Filed Oct 7, 2026ILElectrical System
Rear Camera - Back Over Prevention - I took it to the dealer, they said there is no recall for my vehicle. It is currently available for inspection but I will need to get it fixed. Safety risk is elevated due to inability to fully see surroundings/people/children/pets, etc. behind the vehicle. The dealer saw that it is not working but I did not pay them to diagnose or inspect so they did not. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. The…
NHTSA complaint #11769608 · source - Filed Sep 26, 2026VAVisibility & Wipers
Defective heat/ac blend box assembly. No heat or, more importantly, windshield defroster. Appears to be a common issue on this vehicle model.
NHTSA complaint #11767201 · source - Filed Sep 22, 2026ILSuspension
Driver side rear leaf spring cracked at front mount. This happened with low mileage 20k and no towing or off-road driving. In town driving only.
NHTSA complaint #11766034 · source - Filed Sep 4, 2026NYTransmission & Drivetrain
My 2019 Ford Ranger with 10 speed transmission has been harsh shifting and will not always find the right gears. It will sometimes Surge forward or at other time not respond to acceleration. It has 100,000 miles. Never used it for towing or hawling heavy items.
NHTSA complaint #11762203 · source - Filed Sep 3, 2026PATransmission & Drivetrain
My 2019 Ford Ranger, VIN [VIN removed], experienced a major transmission failure at approximately 35,000 miles. I took the vehicle to a Ford dealership for diagnosis and was advised that the transmission required major repair/replacement, with an estimated cost approaching $9,000. I also obtained an independent transmission repair estimate of approximately $6,700–$7,000. Given the extremely low mileage and the repair cost relative to the vehicle’s value, repairing the truck…
NHTSA complaint #11761924 · source - Filed Aug 13, 2026NMElectrical SystemEngineOther / Unknown
The cooling fan clutch control wire is supported by a "wire support hose" between the engine block and the fan clutch. the cooling fan clutch control freely rotates on a raceway on the drive shaft. The purpose of the support hose is to prevent the fan clutch control from freely rotating, but allows the control a limited range of movement as the drive shaft changes speed with engine RPM. The idea is that this hose prevents undue stress on the control wire. Hose is normally a…
NHTSA complaint #11756686 · source - Filed Aug 5, 2026OHTransmission & Drivetrain
Auto transmission is failing to shift when taking off from a stop or hesitating to shift to next year causing traffic behind me to get close to rear bumper.
NHTSA complaint #11755076 · source - Filed Jul 25, 2026NCTransmission & Drivetrain
1st I reported to Ford that when my truck was in park and off, it started rolling down a hill. I jumped in and stopped it. Ford said they see nothing and everything looks fine. Since then I use the emergency break every time. 2nd, you feel the transmission shifting hard. Jerks truck. Also, if you drive around 25 mph, the truck starts jerking like it cant make up its mind what gear to be in.
NHTSA complaint #11752783 · 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