There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2002 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. EBY FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 2714 ELKHART RD, GOSHEN, IN 46526, (574) 534-3673) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V035000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. *TT CONSUMER STATED REAR END LOCKED UP AND BLEW HOLES THROUGH THE COVER AND DESTROYED IT. *JB
DRIVING TO WORK REAR END LOCKED UP AND EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2002 FORD RANGER FX2 AXLE BUT ONLY FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN RESEARCH SHOWS IT DOES IT ON AUTOMATIC ONES TO. LOOKED UP RECALL DOCUMENTS AND SYMPTOMS AND EVERYTHING WAS THE EXACT SAME! I DO HAVE RECALL NUMBER 02S32. HAD TO BE TOWED HOME...
THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY ROLLS AFTER BEING PUT IN PARK. TOLD THAT THE PARKING PAWL MAY BE DEFECTIVE CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE VEHICLE ROLLING IN PARK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER STEERING FUNCTIONALITY AND BRAKING ABILITY. USING AN OBD DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLAN VIGIL FORD OF FAYETTEVILLE, INC (LOCATED AT 275 GLYNN ST N, FAYETTEVILLE, GA 30214, (770) 461-1151) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PCM NEEDED TO BE FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
CV JOINT PROBLEMS
WHILE SLOWLY BACKING UP THE THROTTLE UNEXPECTEDLY WENT TO WIDE OPEN THROWING GRAVEL, DIGGING HOLES AND LEAVING RUBBER BURN PATCHES. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL BEFORE HITTING A PARKED CAMPING TRAILER. LATER THE SAME DAY WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE AT A BANK THE SAME THING OCCURRED BUT MY FOOT WAS ALREADY ON THE BRAKE AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP IT. WHEN I GOT HOME AND WAS PARKING IT HAPPENED AGAIN, IN REVERSE, ALMOST RAMMING THE GARAGE. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT SINCE THIS HAPPENED . FORD 2002 RANGER 4X4 AUTOMATIC TRANS.W
VIOLENT MISSING, CHUGGING, JERKING UPON ACCELERATION. ACCELERATING ONTO HIGHWAY, ACCELERATING ON HIGHWAY, APPROX. 2500 - 3000 RPM. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 3.0 V6. NHTSA #10018746 ONLINE WITH MANY OTHERS REPORTING SAME PROBLEM. TRUCK WILL NOT ACCELERATE. INSTEAD JERKS AND HESITATES VIOLENTLY. *TR
THIS IS THE SECOND RANGER I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE GEARS IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ARE GRINDING AND THE PINS ARE LOOSE. I HAD SHOP TAKE OFF REAR DIFF COVER AND THEY VERIFIED METAL SHAVINGS/SHARDS IN OIL AND LOOSE DIFFERENTIAL PINS. IF THE PINS/GEARS LOCK UP THE REAR WHEELS COULD LOCK UP AND CAUSE WRECK. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE THIS ISSUE FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODEL RANGERS BUT NOT AUTO TRANSMISSION MODELS. LOOK AT CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND YOU WILL SEE OTHERS WHO HAVE SAME ISSUE WITH AUTO TRANS MODELS (I AM SURE OTHER SOURCES HAVE SAME COMPLAINTS). LOOKS LIKE SAME PARTS WERE USED IN BOTH MODELS BUT ONLY ONE WAS RECALLED. *TR
DRIVESHAFT THUMP CLUNK ON LIGHT ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR WHEN BRAKING AND COMING TO A STOP. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 FORD RANGER 2.3L 4 CYL AN WHEN I START TO DRIVE MY CAR WILL SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND SO ROUGH THAT MY CAR JUMPS FORWARD AND THEN MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND THEN EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS FROM STOPPED IT SHIFTS VERY ROUGH. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM AND SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. ALSO WHEN I TAKE OFF THERE IS A LOUD VIBRATION SOUNDING LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE DASH OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT BUT FIGURED I WOULD ADD THAT IN. *TR
2002 FORD RANGER, AUTOMATIC, EXTENDED CAB. SLOWING DOWN TO PULL INTO PARKING SPOT AND REAR TIRES LOCK UP, SENDING TRUCK INTO SKID. ONCE STOPPED, CANNOT MOVE TRUCK, EVEN IN NEUTRAL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CRACKED, CAUSING THE REAR AXLE TO LOCK UP. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 02V035000 (POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT) AND NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT DUE TO THE VIN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE FAILURE DUE TO IT BEING IDENTICAL TO THE FAILURE ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON AN ICY ROAD, THE VEHICLE SKIDDED, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD SOUND OF SPINNING TIRES. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LUNGE FORWARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND CONTINUE DRIVING TO HER DESTINATION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SIX HOURS AND RESTARTED, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAUSE THE WHEELS LOCKED. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND UNLOCKED THE WHEELS. THE BRAKES WOULD NOT FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AFTER THE WHEELS WERE UNLOCKED. ALSO, THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WOULD NOT OPERATE UPON ENGAGEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A RECALL DEFECT UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V035000 (POWER TRAIN: DRIVELINE: DIFFERENTIAL UNIT). THE RECALL PERTAINED TO MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS WHICH RESULTED TO THE VEHICLE NOT BEING INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
IT SHIFTS THE FIRST GEAR EXTREMELY HARD, ONCE THIS HAPPENS, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT BLINKS..AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I UNDERSTAND THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR FORD RANGER
2002 FORD RANGER O\D LIGHT FLASHES AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AND INCONSISTENTLY. *TR
I, AMONG OTHERS OWN A FORD RANGER XLT 4.0 LITER. I RECENTLY REPLACED MY BATTERY AND LOST MY FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. AFTER SOME INVOLVED RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH FELLOW 2001, 2002 RANGERS. FORD'S REFUSAL TO CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ENGINEERING FLAW IS UNSAFE, UNFAIR, AND UNACCEPTABLE. FORD IS MAKING A FORTUNE FROM THIS UNFORTUNATE SITUATION AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THIS IS CRIMINAL! *TR
MY FORD 2002 RANGER EDGE PICK UPS AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILS TO SHIFT GEARS UNDER ACCELERATION SUCH AS TAKING OFF FROM A LIGHT OR MERGING ON INTO TRAFFIC. THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT FROM ONE GEAR THAN NOT GO INTO GEAR LEAVING VEHICLE ON OF GEAR AND WITHOUT FORWARD MOTION. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING ACROSS INTERCEPTIONS AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY. HAVE TO REMOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR FOR SEVERAL SECONDS FOR TRANSMISSION TO FIND A GEAR TO SHIFT INTO. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS SOME SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING SHIFTING ISSUES BUT FALL WAY SHORT OF CORRECTING THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS AND IS AN ON GOING ISSUE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. *TR
THE RIGHT REAR AXLE FLANGE SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, STARTING A GREASE FIRE IN THE AXLE HOUSING, AND DAMAGED THE REAR BODY PANEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 FORD RANGER, SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING REALLY HARD INTO SECOND GEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED AND THE AIRBAG SWITCH WAS BAD.. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION SINCE IT CAME OUT. IT IS A SEALED TRANSMISSION, IN THAT,THE FLUID CANT BE CHECKED. IT'S VERY POORLY DESIGNED AND FORD DOESN'T WANT TO DO A RECALL EVEN THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.... *TR
AT APPROX. 26,500 MILES VEHICLE MADE POPPING/CLUNK SOUND ACCOMPANIED BY A JERKING MOVEMENT WHEN TURNING. ESPECIALLY SLOW TURNS AFTER MAKING A STOP. SOUND CAME FROM REAR END. 1 OR BOTH REAR TIRES WOULD BIND IN SLOW CORNERS AND SKID. FORD DEALER CONFIRMED BROKEN GEARS IN DIFFERENTIAL. 2002 RANGER EXT. CAB WITH MANUAL TRANS, 4 CYL, 2WD. $1,650 TO REPAIR. FORD WILL NOT ASSIST IN PAYING FOR ANY PART OF THIS. EVIDENTLY FORD IS SATISFIED WITH THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER TRUCKS FAILING SO QUICKLY. THIS IS HOW THEY LOSE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE, BY NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES. TOO MANY REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE FOR IT NOT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY FORD. VERY ANGRY, FORD, YOUR HUGE LOSSES ARE WELL DESERVED. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026