There are 5 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
MY PARENTS 2009 FORD RANGER HAS HAD AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS NOT WORKING. THEY INSTALLED IT AND IT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM! ON DAY TWO, THEY CAME UP WITH A NEW DIAGNOSIS THAT THE TONE/EXCITER RING WAS DAMAGED BY A PREVIOUS MECHANIC/BRAKE JOB. THE TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 35,000 MILES. THEY WANTED ANOTHER $400 TO REPLACE THE TONE RING. I DECLINED BECAUSE IT WAS WAY TOO MUCH MONEY AFTER PAYING $300 FOR THE SENSOR. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T WARRANTY THEIR WORK, AFTERWARDS, I BEGAN TO RESEARCH FORD BRAKE ISSUES, AND SPECIFICALLY ABS & TONE RING ISSUES. IT TURNS OUT, THAT AFTER LOOKING AT VARIOUS YOUTUBE VIDEOS, FORD FORUMNS, ARTICLES, ETC. I LEARNED THAT FORD HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT ABS ISSUES ESPECIALLY IN 2008 AND 2009. EVEN MORE INTERESTING WAS THE FACT THAT MANY MODELS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS (FOCUS AND ESCAPE) AND HAVE MAY HAVE BEEN RECALLED. NOT 100% SURE, BUT THE RANGER HAS NOT. BASICALLY, THE TONE RING IS ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL HUB/AXLE AND SPINS WITH THE TIRE. THIS CREATES A MAGNETIC FIELD WHEREIN THE SENSOR DETERMINES THE SPEED OF THE WHEEL. IF THE TONE RING IS DAMAGED, THE SENSOR SENDS VARIOUS ERROR CODES TO THE ECM AT WHICH POINT THE ABS BRAKE WILL DISENGAGE THE BRAKES ON THE WHEEL AFFECTED. AND THEN IT WILL ENGAGE THE BRAKES, AND REPEAT THIS UNTIL THE VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP. ESSENTIALLY, THE ABS SYSTEM OVERRIDES THE BREAK PEDAL AND YOU LOSE BRAKING ABILITY ON THAT WHEEL. NOT ONLY THAT, WITH MY VEHICLE, THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS HAVE NEVER COME ON; EVEN AFTER THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR. THE VEHICLE IS GETTING WORSE. AT EVERY STOP IT'S MAKING NOISES AND IT'S HARDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE THEORY IS THE CORROSION OF THE AXLE IS BREAKING THE RING, WHICH IS ANOTHER NON RUSTING METAL, I'M PRETTY SURE THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT EXAMINE THE RING. HELP!!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONTACT HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE ROTORS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ROTORS WERE CHANGED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.
I BROUGHT MY 2009 RANGER TO THE DEALER FOR A SAFETY INSPECTION AND OIL CHANGE AND DURING THE INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAD SUBSTANTIAL PITTING AND SCORING ON THE IN-BOARD SIDE OF THE ROTOR. THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ROTORS. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PADS SHOWED ONLY 30% WEAR AND THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 27159 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE SERVICE. I HAVEN'T FOUND ANY OTHER MENTION OF THESE FACTORY ROTORS FAILING IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND NEVER IN ALL THE FORD AND OTHER VEHICLES I'VE OWNED WOULD THE ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER SO FEW MILES WITH SO LITTLE WEAR ON THE PADS. I HAD THE PARTS SAVED AND THERE ARE PIECES MISSING FROM THE SURFACE THAT LOOK TO ME LIKE LARGE FLAKES OF THE SURFACE HAD WORN AWAY FROM THE ASSEMBLY. I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ANYONE ELSE WITH THIS BRAND OF FACTORY INSTALLED ROTORS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ROTORS WOULD NEED TO BE TURNED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE AND BUBBLING THROUGH THE HEAD GASKET WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE STEERING FAILURE BUT ADVISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET AND COOLANT FAILURE WAS NORMAL AND DID NOT NEED REPAIRING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1500.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING 2009 RANGER XLT, NOTICED EXCESSIVE DIRT ON FRONT WHEEL RIMS. COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO DEALER FIRST TIME I TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, ALSO COMPLAINED THAT I WASN'T GETTING MILEAGE EXPECTED. WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST BRAKE DUST, IT WOULD EASILY COME OFF WITH TIRE CLEANER & HOSE, & TRUCK NEEDED TO BE BROKEN IN FOR MILEAGE IMPROVEMENT. I KEPT COMPLAINING THAT BRAKE DUST SEEMED EXCESSIVE TO ME, NEVER HAD PROBLEM BEFORE. INSTALLED CERAMIC BRAKE PADS, DIDN'T HELP. WITHIN FIRST YEAR NOTICED STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING & DEALER SAID I HAD TO HAVE NEW PADS & ROTORS $400. I COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG WITH BRAKES. I DON'T DRIVE DUSTY ROADS, DON'T RIDE THE BREAK, DON'T DRIVE EXCESSIVE MILES (72,000 IN 5 YRS.). WITHIN 6 MONTHS NOTICED STEERING WHEEL VIBRATING WHEN STOPPING, SOON NEEDED PADS & ROTORS AGAIN. HAVE HAD TO HAVE 5 BRAKE JOBS IN LAST 5 YEARS COSTING ME OVER $2000. HAVE TAKEN IT TO FORD DEALERS & INDEPENDENTS EACH TELLING THEM I WANT IT SOLVED, NOT JUST TO SLAP ON NEW PARTS. NO ONE BOTHERS TO LISTEN TO ME, CHARGE ME OVER $400 EACH TIME & 3-6 MONTHS LATER THE ROTORS ARE WARPED AGAIN AND BRAKE PADS WEAR OUT SOON AFTER. "BRAKE DUST" HAD RUINED RIMS ON THE TRUCK.
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