There are 36 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 2005 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ENGINE STALLED OSTENSIBLY FOR LACK OF FUEL. FIRST ENGINE STALL EPISODE OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS TURNING LEFTWARD INTO DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 2 MPH AND AT APPROX 5 DEGREE ANGLE OF INCLINATION. VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM WHERE IT CAME TO REST TO REPAIR SHOP WHERE DIAGNOSIS WAS FUEL PUMP FAILURE RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL PUMP (FORD OEM PART.) VEHICLE PERFORMED RELIABLY THEREAFTER FOR A PERIOD OF APPROX 39 MONTHS WITHOUT STALLING. SECOND EPISODE OCCURRED AFTER VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND RESTING ON FLAT DRIVEWAY SURFACE OVERNIGHT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING ENGINE CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT FIRE OR START. AGAIN TOWED TO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE DIAGNOSIS WAS AGAIN FUEL PUMP FAILURE HOWEVER UPON ATTEMPT TO RESTART FOLLOWING PUMP REPLACEMENT, ENGINE WOULD NOT FIRE OR START. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED FUEL INERTIA SWITCH REQUIRED RESET AFTER WHICH ENGINE STARTED, SYSTEM TESTED OK AND VEHICLE PERFORMED SEEMINGLY PROPERLY FOR NEXT 10 DAYS. MOST RECENT (3RD) STALLING EPISODE OCCURRED AT TRAFFIC CONTROL LIGHT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY UPON ACCELERATION FROM FULL STOP ON LEVEL SURFACE AND ATTEMPTING TO TRAVEL DIRECTLY FORWARD WITH NO TURN OF THE WHEEL. FOLLOWING REMOVAL FROM ROADWAY, ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED UNTIL AFTER FUEL INERTIA SWITCH WAS RESET. VEHICLE THEN RAN UNDER ITS OWN POWER ADDITIONAL 2 MILES TO HOME WHERE IT REMAINS PENDING FURTHER TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIR.
THE GAS ACCIDENT CUT OFF SWITCH CUT OUT RANDOMLY DURING DRIVING ON A SMOOTH FLAT ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEED AS WELL AS AROUND TOWN AT SLOWER SPEED. A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER COULD HAVE HAD A DEADLY. ACCIDENT. I RESET IT SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD TO REPLACE IT. FORD SHOULD HAVE HAD A RE-CALL ON THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I HAVE THE OLD SWITCH IF IT IS NEEDED.
LEAKING GAS FROM FUEL PUMP FUEL PUMP HAS BIG CRACK IN PLASTIC WHERE FUEL LINE COMES OUT
FORD RANGER 2005 4 CYLINDER FUEL CUTOFF SAFETY SWITCH CUTS OFF WITHOUT WARNING, FIRST TIME IN 2012 WHILE OUT OF STATE, TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH, TRIED TO PULL OVER, BUT NOT MUCH OF A ROAD SHOULDER. I HAD IT TOWED 11 MILES TO AN UNFAMILIAR GARAGE THAT, REPLACED THE SWITCH FOR $360. IN 2015 SWITCH FAILED, TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND REPAIRED. I BELIEVE THEY RESET THE SAFETY SWITCH AND CHARGED $70 DOLLARS. RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS, FOUND OUT THE SWITCH IS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE AND CAN BE RESET. I CANNOT START MY VEHICLE MORE THAN THREE TIMES WITHOUT RESETTING THE SWITCH. THE FORD DEALER WANTED TO REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP FOR $850. I DOUBT THAT IS THE PROPER FIX. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY AGGRAVATING AND QUITE DANGEROUS. I DON'T KNOW WHY FORD IS TURNING AWAY FROM THIS PROBLEM OTHER THAN THE NUMBER OF OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. I LOVE MY TRUCK, I HATE THE INCONVENIENCE. THERE ARE OTHER MODELS EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE CUTOFF CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME, WHILE IN MOTION OR STANDING STILL.
I WOULD BE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHOLE VEHICLE WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN. THIS HAPPENED 3 OR 4 TIMES JUST GOING AT 25 TO 35 MPH. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS A CLOGGED FUEL LINE SINCE IT WOULD SOMEHOW RESET ITSELF AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC SO I REPLACED THE FILTER EVEN THOUGH I COULD SEE NOTHING WRONG. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON A BACKCOUNTRY ROAD THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE FUEL PUMP SO I HAD THE WHOLE THING REPLACED. IT HAPPENED ONE MORE TIME AFTER THAT, I WAS PULLING ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND HAD JUST GOTTEN UP TO SPEED 55 MPH AND THERE WAS A TRACTOR-TRAILER BEHIND ME WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN AGAIN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. LUCKILY I HAD ENOUGH MOMENT BUILT UP I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE GETTING HIT BY THE TRACTOR-TRAILER. I FINALLY LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED THE SAME PROBLEM IT MAY BE THE INERTIA SWITCH. I CALLED UP A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HAD ASKED THE PARTS PERSON IF THE HAD A REPLACEMENT AND IF HE HEARD ANY PROBLEMS ABOUT IT. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF THEM, THEY HAD SOLD A FEW IN THE PAST MONTHS. WHEN I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM I WAS TOLD OH YES WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT THAT HAPPENING BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. I EXPLAINED HOW IT COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT IT MUST NOT BE HAPPENING ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE A RECALL. I RECENTLY FOUND THIS SITE AND HAVE SEEN THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAD THIS HAPPEN SO AT LEAST I KNOW I WASN'T CRAZY. *TR
FIRST TIME WE WERE SHOPPING, WHEN WE STARTED THE CAR IT WOULDN'T START. WE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP? WHEN IT HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME WE WERE DRIVING WHEN ENGINE SHUT OFF,WE WERE ON A DIRT ROAD HAD NO POWER STEERING,NO POWER BRAKES ONLY GOING 20 MPH.THE SHOP TOLD US THAT IT WAS THE FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE IN CASE OF A CRASH. I PURCHASED THE RANGER 5/30/13 FROM A FORD DEALER.OVER THE PAST YEAR THE ENGINE HAS STOPPED 8 TO 10 TIMES.WE ON A WENT TRIP LAST WEEKEND IT HAPPEN TWO TIMES ON I 84 IN IDAHO WE WERE GOING 75 MPH. I DID GET THE TRUCK OFF THE FREEWAY BUT WONDER WHAT IF WE WERE IN BOISE OR SALT LAKE WITH ALL OF THE TRAFFIC WHAT MITE HAVE HAPPEN.HAS THIS HAPPEN TO OTHER RANGERS ????? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SWITCH THAT SENT FUEL TO THE ENGINE HAD A SHORT AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
WHILE TURNING A CORNER THE TRUCK JUST SHUT OFF AND DIED. HAD TO PUSH IT OVER TWO LANES AND INTO A PARKING LOT ONLY TO FIND OUT THE FUEL PUMP INERTIA SWITCH WAS POPPED. RESET IT AND THE TRUCK STARTED FOR A FEW MINUTES BUT WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE OFF IT DIED AGAIN. RECHECKED THE INERTIA SWITCH AND THIS TIME IT WAS NOT POPPED. PULLED THE CONNECTOR OFF OF THE SWITCH AND JUMPED THE CONNECTOR AND THE TRUCK RAN FINE ALL THE WAY HOME. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS SWITCH HAS GIVEN ME TROUBLE. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO IT DID THE SAME THING BUT THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND REPLACED A $400.00 FUEL PUMP ONLY TO FIND OUT LATER THAT THE FUEL PUMP INERTIA SWITCH HAD POPPED. THIS SWITCH SEEMS TO POP IN SOME ODD AND BAD LOCATIONS WITH NO APPARENT REASON. NO BUMPS IN THE ROAD, NO HARD BRAKING, OR HARD ACCELERATION ETC. THIS TIME WHEN I PULLED THE SWITCH I FOUND THE CONNECTOR SLIGHTLY MELTED AND REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE CONNECTION IN THE SWITCH ITSELF. HAD TO ORDER A SWITCH KIT WHICH RELOCATES IT INTO THE FUSE PANEL KICK PLATE OF THE TRUCK. FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS AS IT IS A GOOD WAY TO CAUSE AND ACCIDENT IF THE TRUCK WAS GOING HIGH SPEED AND ALL THE SUDDEN STALLS AND YOU LOOSE ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES ETC. COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED. THANKFULLY I CAUGHT MINE BECAUSE I AM A MECHANIC AND KNOW A LOT ABOUT FORDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED O BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,400.
DRIVING ON FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MINUTES AT 55-70MPH AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITH NO WARNING. PULL OVER WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND ENGINE STARTS. DRIVE ANOTHER 30 TO 40 MINUTES AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. PULL OVER WAIT A FEW MINUTES - ENGINE STARTS. WENT TO PUT GAS IN TRUCK AND ENGINE WOULD NOT START. RESET FUEL INERTIA/SHUT DOWN SWITCH AND TRUCK STARTED. *TR
DRIVING ON FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 MINUTES AT 55-70 MPH AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITH NO WARNING. PULL OVER WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND ENGINE STARTS. DRIVE ANOTHER 30-40 MINUTES AND ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. PULL OVER WAIT A FEW MINUTES ENGINE STARTS. *TR
TWO TIMES IN 2 DAYS I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED/SHUTOFF. FORTUNATELY BOTH TIMES I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC. IT FELT LIKE MY PEDAL WENT DEAD, I LOST MY POWER STEERING AS WELL. SINCE I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE INTERNET THROUGH MY PHONE I WAS ABLE TO SEARCH "FORD RANGER SUDDENLY DIES WHILE DRIVING." AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF RESULTS INDICATED TO RESET MY INERTIA FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH. I FOUND IT, RESET IT AND THE TRUCK STARTED AGAIN. AFTER THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED I RESEARCHED FORD RANGER RECALLS, ONLY TO FIND THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THEM. I FEEL VERY APPREHENSIVE ABOUT DRIVING MY TRUCK, NOT KNOWING WHY IT SUDDENLY DECIDES TO TRIP THE FUEL SHUTOFF SWITCH. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER EDGE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STALLING WAS CAUSED BY THE RESET BUTTON BECOMING TOO HOT AND STOPPING THE FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE SECOND FUEL PUMP BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THERE WERE NO FURTHER REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
FUEL INERTIA SWITCH MALFUNCTION, SWITCH SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE INERTIA SWITCH WOULD TRIGGER AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL SUPPLY TO THE TRUCK, THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 25TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW, THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS SITTING STILL IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC AND IT JUST SHUT OFF. I REACHED UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASH BOARD TO RESET IT AND COULD FEEL THE HEAT FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE. I QUICKLY SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND THE FIRE DIED OUT. THE SAFETY SWITCH IS TOTALLY FRIED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL CUTOFF SWITCH CONTINUOUSLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESET THE SWITCH AND RESUME DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.
MY 19 YEAR OLD SON OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER WE PURCHASED THROUGH A DEALER LAST YEAR. FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO HE HAD TO RESET THE FUEL PUMP INERTIA SWITCH TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE ONE TIME HE WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY GOING 65 AND THE TRUCK TURNED OFF ON HIM. IT'S HAPPENED TO HIM ABOUT 5 TIMES AND NOW HE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. DON'T KNOW IF THE INERTIA SWITCH IS BAD OR IF SOMETHING ELSE IS CAUSING THIS. I HATE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SINCE THEY TEND TO THROW PARTS AT IT AND NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I THINK THIS IS SO DANGEROUS IT SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE FORD DEALER. *TR
DRIVING EAST ON I-10 NEAR ONTARIO, CAL AT 70 MPH 5/22/2010 9PM, TRUCK DIED THE INERTIA FUEL SWITCH WAS OPEN . HAD TO DRIVE WITH SON HOLDING DOWN ON THE BUTTON TO KEEP TRUCK RUNNING TO GET OFF FREEWAY AT 4TH ST. INERTIA SWITCH IS DEAD USED A PAPER CLIP ON WIRES TO DRIVE HOME. ALSO THE WIRE CONNECTOR TO THE INERTIA WAS MELTING SOME. FIRST TIME THIS HAPPEN IS IN OCT 14 2005 AND 4 OR 5 TIMES SENSE. *TR
THE TRUCK WOULD SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING. IT OCCURRED RANDOMLY, SOMETIMES WEEKLY, SOMETIMES MONTHLY, I NEVER KNEW WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN. IT WOULD EVENTUALLY RESTART. AFTER REPLACING THE FUEL FILTER AND THE FUEL PUMP (TWICE) TO NO AVAIL, I ASKED MY NEIGHBOR TO LOOK AT THE INERTIA SWITCH (FORD WOULD NOT; THEY SAID THAT "COULDN'T BE THE PROBLEM"). THE SWITCH WAS ALL FRIED OUT INSIDE, AND THE CONNECTOR AND THE WIRE LEADING TO IT WERE MELTED. APPARENTLY, THE CONNECTOR WAS BAD. HE SAID THAT IT SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE ALREADY. HE REPLACED THE SWITCH AND PUT IN A DIFFERENT CONNECTOR AND I'VE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT, AS I MOSTLY DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AND IN THE MOUNTAINS. *TR
THE INERTIA SWITCH ON MY 2005 FORD RANGER CUT THE FUEL SUPPLY AT 55 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. AFTER PULLING THE SWITCH OUT AND PULLING OUT THE CONNECTOR, I FOUND EVIDENCE OF TEMPERATURES HIGH ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC. THIS PROBLEM FIRST STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2008 AND HAS GOTTEN STEADILY WORSE SINCE THEN. THIS EVIDENTLY A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY FORD. *TR
MY 2005 FORD RANGER STALLED ON ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 65MPH AND HAS DONE THIS BEFORE DRIVING AROUND TOWN WHENEVER THE FUEL KILL SWITCH IS BUMPED BY SOMEONE'S FOOT WHILE SITTING IN PASSENGER SEAT. WHENEVER FUEL KILL SWITCH GETS BUMPED IT STOPS THE FUEL PUMP THEN TRUCK STALLS.(VERY DANGEROUS SOMEONE'S GOING TO GET HURT IF NOT FIXED) THE FUEL KILL SWITCH IS LOCATED ON PASSENGER SIDE FIRE WALL WHERE YOUR RIGHT FOOT IS. IF YOU STRETCH YOUR LEG YOU WILL HIT THE SWITCH. FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS PROBLEM. RELOCATE SWITCH BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AND YOUR TRUCK STALLS CAUSE SWITCH GETS BUMPED. IT DON'T TAKE MUCH TO SET SWITCH OFF. I HAVE BEEN TO TASA FORD IN R.I. AND EXPLAINED THIS PROBLEM TO THEM AND THEY SAID THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES AND FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT HAD A RECALL!! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. HOPE YOU CAN HELP THANK YOU. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 36 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