There are 5 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2005 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V306000 (Air Bags) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list because the vehicle was totaled. The local dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted.
MALFUNCTION/FAILURE OF VEHICLE ABS UNIT. FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN PERMANENTLY IN THE FALL/WINTER OF 2014. VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD BUT HAD LESS THAN 30 THOUSAND MILES, AND HAS BEEN GARAGED FOR ITS ENTIRE OPERATIONAL LIFE. IT TOOK SEVERAL MONTHS FOR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE NEW OEM ABS UNIT, IMPLYING THAT MANY OTHER VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS UNIT FAILURE. NARROWLY AVOIDED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO BRAKES LOCKING UP DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING. RECEIPT FOR REPAIR IS ATTACHED.
WHEN APPLING BRAKES, JUST BEFORE YOU COME TO A STOP THE BRAKES MAKE A NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL SPONGES AT THE END OF THE STOP, PULLING TO THE RIGHT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 5 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE. IN ORDER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE BRAKE BOOSTER, ROTORS, AND FRONT DISC WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 46,000.
PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES ON 2003 THROUGH 2005 FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCKS. I HAVE OWNED A BRAND NEW 2003 FORD RANGER EDGE STANDARD CAB PICKUP AND NOW OWN A 2005 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB PICKUP. BOTH PICKUPS I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES. THE 2003 FORD RANGER, THE READ BRAKE SHOE LININGS CAME DETACHED FROM THE SHOE CAUSING DAMAGE AND HAVING TO HAVE THE BRAKE COMPONENTS REINSTALLED AT MY COST. THE 2005 FORD RANGER HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUES BUT WITH HARDWARE FAILURE OF THE SPRINGS AND TENSIONERS. BOTH SITUATIONS THE BRAKES FAILED AND ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE 2003 FORD RANGER, I WAS SHOWN THE SHOES BY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN AND TOLD THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE LASTED AT LEAST UNTIL 50,000 MILES BUT THE "SALT" FROM NY WINTERS EATS AWAY THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE SHOE LININGS TO THE SHOE AND CAUSES IT TO SEPARATE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES WITH FORD BRAKES ON ALL MODELS DUE TO THE WINTER SEASON. IN BOTH CASES, I HAD MY BRAKES SERVICED THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND PAID TO HAVE THEM "CLEANED, INSPECTED, AND LUBRICATED" PER THE SERVICE MANUAL. I HAVE SPENT LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY WITH PROBLEMS ON MY BRAKES EVERY YEAR ON BOTH OF THESE VEHICLES THAT I OWNED. I NO LONGER OWN THE 2003 FORD RANGER BUT I CURRENTLY OWN THE 2005. IF THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED DURING DRIVING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH A VERY LARGE SUM OF MONEY TO REPLACE BRAKES THAT CONTINUE TO BE PROBLEMS ON THIS MODEL. MOST OF MY DRIVING IS HIGHWAY AND VERY LITTLE OFF ROAD. THE PARTS IN THE BRAKES APPEAR TO BE OF LOW QUALITY AND OF MANUFACTURER DEFECT (GLUE NOT HOLDING, SPRINGS BREAKING, PARTS BREAKING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS). I THINK THERE IS SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PARTS TO INCLUDE SPRINGS, TENSIONERS, PADS AND SHOES ON THE 2003 TO 2005 FORD RANGERS ENOUGH TO CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE OR LOSS OF LIFE DUE TO FAILURE OF COMPONENTS. *JB
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 May 4, 2026