There are 15 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2004 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY, MY VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. WAS VERY SCARY BECAUSE IT WAS AT NIGHT. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER WAS LOST. PULLED OFF FREEWAY INTO GAS STATION. CHECKED FLUIDS, ETC.. UPON TRYING TO LEAVE, VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING WITH NO COMPRESSION. I DID NOT THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT HOME. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I TRIED AGAIN, THIS TIME GIVING VEHICLE MORE GAS. IT SEEMED TO DO A LITTLE BETTER. BUT, EVERY TIME I HAD TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP FOR A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT. WAS VERY NERVE RACKING, AS I WAS AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED BY CARS THAT WERE BEHIND ME. NOW EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN TO WHERE VEHICLE IS IN IDLE, IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL OUT ON ME, WHICH MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS. HAD A MECHANIC INSTALL NEW PLUGS, NEW INJECTOR, COIL PACKAGE AND VEHICLE IS STILL DOING BADLY AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON AFTER HAVING ALL THESE NEW PARTS INSTALLED. MECHANIC ALSO RECOMMENDED USING A GAS ADDITIVE AND FILLING TANK WITH PREMIUM GAS, WHICH I DID. STILL RUNNING ROUGH. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, HAVE FOUND OUT THAT FORD RANGERS, YEARS 2004 THROUGH 2006 ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 66,362 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE KEPT MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS BUT HAS NOT DONE A RECALL YET. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. EITHER I WILL HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE OR A NEW VEHICLE, WHICH I CAN NOT AFFORD. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL AND PAY FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AS THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW ENGINE OR NEW VEHICLE, WHEN MY 2004 RANGER HAS LOW MILEAGE AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED THE WHOLE TIME THAT I HAVE HAD IT. IT IS THE 3.0 VULCAN ENGINE. PLEASE HELP.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK IN AN OPEN POSITION. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED NUMEROUS TIMES WITHOUT A RESPONSE. IMMEDIATELY, THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE ANTI-THEFT LOCK WARNING LIGHT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER REPEATED PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE WAS DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY HAZARD REGARDING THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,978. UPDATED 09/28/10. *LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SURGE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN WHICH THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 07/20/11*LJ THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWTICH. UPDATED 02/06/12
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. HE RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTIFICATION IN AUGUST 2007. EVERY MONTH THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE THE FOLLOWING MONTH. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS 04/2000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. IN AUGUST OF 2007, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE DEALER DID NOT RECEIVE THE PARTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR HIS VEHICLE. EACH TIME THE CONTACT CALLS THE DEALER, HE IS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS ARE STILL UNAVAILABLE. IN JANUARY OF 2009, HE RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE, WHICH STATED THAT HE DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE FIRST NOTICE. ON FEBRUARY 4, 2009, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN IDLE, THE ENGINE REVVED AND LURCHED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 6-15-06 THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT IS ON. DEALER LUBED THE LOCKS AND LATCHES. *TT
WHILE COMING TO A STOP (TWICE) THE FORD RANGER ENGINE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY TO A POINT IT COULD NOT BE COMPLETELY STOPPED WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM. HAD ANY TRAFFIC BEEN COMING I WOULD BE A DEAD MAN. I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON ACCELERATOR NOR ARE THERE ANY FLOOR MATS IN THIS TRUCK TO GET STUCK UNDER THE ACCELERATOR. I'M SCARED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AND I KNOW THAT IF I BRING IT TO THE FORD GARAGE THAT ITS GOING TO COST TONS OF MONEY AND THEY ARE GOING TO SAY THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH A CONTROL MECHANISM SOMEWHERE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. ONCE AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT A MILE. THE SECOND TIME (TODAY) AFTER DRIVING FOR HOURS. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME OUT I REALLY AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS TRUCK. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THIS OCCURRED 4-5 TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE STOPPING AT AN INTERSECTION 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO GAIN SPEED EVEN THOUGH THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE. THE CONTACT SHIFTED THE VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL AND IT BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED.
(1) WHEN I (THE DRIVER) HAVE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE (A 2004 FORD RANGER WITH AUTOMATIC V-6), THE THROTTLE FAILS TO DISENGAGE AND EVEN APPEARS TO BE WORKING TO OVERCOME THE BRAKES. THIS HAS OCCURRED (3) TIMES SINCE THE VEHICLE'S PURCHASE ON JULY 30, 2005. (2) WHILE THE OCCURRENCES APPEAR RANDOM IN NATURE, THE ENGINE RACES, TIRES SPIN/SQUEAL EVEN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED EACH TIME WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM AND ALWAYS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP AT LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS AT A STOP SIGN OR IN A PARKING LOT. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED YET, HOWEVER, THIS WAS PURELY A MATTER OF LUCK AND TIMING. (3) THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TWICE AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE, AS THE DEALERSHIP CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE RANDOM EVENT. *JB
AFTER MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND A TOW TRUCK PICKED THE VEHICLE UP AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DETERMINED. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH. THE CONSUMER HIT A WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. *JB
THE ENGINE CONTROLLER TENDS TO HOLD THE ENGINE SPEED BETWEEN 2000 AND 2500 RPM WHEN MY FOOT IS NOT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS BEHAVIOR IS MOST OBVIOUS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED WHILE CHANGING GEARS. THE ENGINE RPM IS HELD ARTIFICIALLY HIGH (WAY ABOVE NORMAL IDLE) FOR AS LONG AS I DEPRESS THE CLUTCH, UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS COASTED ALMOST TO A COMPLETE STOP. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER ALSO DOES THIS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS ENGAGED. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I REMOVE PRESSURE FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO COAST WITH THE CLUTCH ENGAGED WHILE IN THIRD GEAR ON A LEVEL ROAD, THE VEHICLE NEVER SLOWS DOWN BELOW APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH (CORRESPONDING TO APPROXIMATELY 2000 ENGINE RPMS). ALSO, WHILE DESCENDING A HILL IN A LOW (2ND/3RD) GEAR USING ENGINE BRAKING (NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL), I CAN FEEL THE TRUCK SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATE. I FIRST TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER FOR THIS COMPLAINT ON 10/22/04. THE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE BEHAVIOR, INSPECTED VARIOUS SENSORS, PROBED THE COMPUTER FOR ERROR CODES, AND EVENTUALLY RESORTED TO RESETTING THE COMPUTER IN HOPES THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD MAGICALLY DISAPPEAR. THIS OF COURSE DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, SO I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 11/16/04 WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. THEY RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT IT IS A "NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC" OF THE VEHICLE, SUPPOSEDLY ADDED TO THE COMPUTER PROGRAM TO IMPROVE EMISSIONS. ASIDE FROM BEING ANNOYING, I BELIEVE THAT THIS "FEATURE" COULD POSE A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE IT REDUCES THE EFFECTIVENESS AND PREDICTABILITY OF ENGINE BRAKING ON DOWN-HILL GRADES. ENGINE BRAKING IS VERY IMPORTANT IN MY AREA BECAUSE OF THE STEEP, FREQUENTLY SNOW-COVERED ROADS.*AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE ACCELERATOR WILL REMAIN OPEN EVEN AFTER CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, AND THE RPMS WILL HOLD AT 3,000 RPMS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS DESIGNED TO REDUCE FUEL EMISSIONS. THIS DEFECT OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *SC
REPEATEDLY HIT THE ACCELORATOR PEDAL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THIS SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED MORE THAN THIRTY TIMES SINCE OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. FOUR DIFFERENT DEALERS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND NONE OF THEM COULD FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
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