2021 Ford Ranger Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the message "Trailer Connected" was displayed; however, there was no trailer connected to the vehicle. The contact pressed OK and messages indicating that the driver's side and the passenger's side trailer bulbs were faulty were displayed. The contact pressed OK, and the message "Trailer Disconnected" was displayed, then disappeared after the contact pressed OK. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring intermittently while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall, and he would be charged a repair fee. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,600.

10 speed transmission issues: hard shifts, feels like slipping while in gear and driving, transmission "lunged" at a STOP sign jerking the truck forward, transmission "bangs" during some upshifts, transmission "bangs" at a full stop feeling like being rear-ended. Erratic shifting and unexpected forward lunging are a safety issue of myself and other drivers. Have not asked dealer to investigate yet. No warning lamps or messages. Unable to reliably replicate the issues.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been involved in a crash due to unintended acceleration, which caused the contact to rear-end another vehicle. The vehicle had body and paint repairs performed; however, the vehicle later experienced jerking, and the transmission was seized while driving. The transmission warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

A few day ago I noticed a knocking sound coming from the read driver side suspension when driving over speed bumps. After a visual inspection nothing was found. After a few days of the issue continuing, the vehicle was taken to a garage with a hydraulic lift. The vehicle was lifted and a full inspection of the suspension system was done. What was discovered was a bit nerve racking. The front mount of the driver side leaf spring assembly was connected to the frame of the vehicle with a single bolt and nut. The bolt was hanging lose roughly 3/4 of the way out from it's original position and not nut was in sight. I checked the passenger side leaf spring mount and discovered that the bolt and nut were in place but the nut was finger tight. I was able to unscrew the nut off the bolt with no tools. If the bolt would have come completely lose and fallen out, this would cause the leaf spring/ rear axle to disconnect from the frame of the vehicle. The results of that could be mild to catastrophic. That would all depend on the speed the vehicle would be travelling at during the failure. This vehicle is factory original. No after market work/parts have been installed on this suspension. No off road driving was done on this vehicle.

The surface of the drivers side interior door handle has peeled and created a dangerously sharp edge that WILL cause physical harm to the drivers hand. The middle finger on my left hand was sliced open on 06/15/2023. I made an appointment with the dealer to have to handle inspected/replaced and a service done. The vehicle is available for inspection and I have photos of the faulty door handle and my injury. I came across a post on the internet that shows ford has had an issue with this on other vehicles. I read GM also had an issue with this as well. https://blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/54795-ouch-peeling-fusion-doorhandle-cuts-me-deep/ In 42 years on this earth, I have never had a vehicle do this. The handles are clearly made of poor quality materials.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while reversing, the back over prevention system failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the message to “See the Dealer for Repair” was displayed. The back over prevention camera system had displayed a black screen. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear-aide back-over camera. The contact was informed that the back over prevention camera system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact leased a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a cloud of white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact then stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. Additionally, the contact stated that while shifted into drive(D) or reverse(R), he heard a clunking sound and while shifted into park(P), the vehicle rolled several inches further than normal. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the contact was not informed of what needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed a cloud of white smoke coming from the exhaust. No warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the vehicle was then towed from the residence back to the dealer where the contact was then informed that the transmission was previously replaced. The vehicle was then towed to a different dealer where it remained. The contact stated that service was denied. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

It wearing tires on the inside quicker the it should. The dealer aligned and said it was with in specs.

The backup camera on my truck washes out at night when the lights are turned on and backing up, rendering it useless. The washout is not as severe with just putting in reverse without lights, but still dangerous. The local Ford dealer states this is inherent in all Rangers, Broncos and other vehicles.

On Monday 15th of May the ford ranger was involved in a front end collision. The air bags did not deploy and the engine compartment caught fire. I was un able to open door and other doors would not unlock from inside switch. Finally able to kick door open will the truck filled with smoke and people put out fire.

vehicle has a hard shift and jerks when shifting up and down

Ford Ranger XLT VIN [XXX] Ford File CAS [XXX] opened 02/08/23 Contact: [XXX], [XXX] Ext [XXX] Acceleration Incidents on trips between Mobile and Dallas. 1. Vehicle purchased March, 2021. Current mileage 6400 +/- 2. In July, 2022, after driving 6 hours at interstate speeds using cruise control, we exited interstate and drove secondary streets to hotel. On entering parking lot we idled toward parking space and I applied brake to slow and throttle went wide open. I braked and shifted to neutral to stop forward motion. No recurrence on remainder of trip to Mobile or in subsequent city driving. 3. On 02/04/23, after driving 6 hours at interstate speeds using cruise control, we exited interstate and drove secondary streets to hotel. On entering parking lot, we paused with engine running to punch in gate number. When gate opened, we idled forwarded toward parking space. I touched brake to slow and throttle went wide open. I applied brakes and shifted into neutral. 4. On 02/05/23, we left hotel and stopped for gas. We drove four hours at interstate speed, intentionally without using cruise control. After exiting interstate, we drove to apartment and stopped at entrance with engine running before idling through parking lot gate. I touched brake to slow and throttle went wide open. Applying brakes did not stop truck and I shifted into neutral and turned off ignition. At least three nearly identical incidents found reported on internet dating from 10/2020, at least one of which Ford opened file on. Dealer Five Star Ford, Dallas, Tx. could not duplicate SUA but did not drive vehicle for 4-6 hours at interstate speeds to duplicate conditions. Ford closed file on warranty claim. Vehicle sold to dealer. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Excessive fuel in the oil. Oil smells of gas and is diluted. Almost a quart high at 3000 mile mark. Dealer and Ford admit this may be an issue on some engines but it is supposed to be normal??? We installed a pcv catch can and it will fill up with fuel in about 800-1000 miles. That is almost 8 ozs. The included photo shows oil at about 4000 miles. The second hole you see in the dipstick is above the full mark.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal on four separate occasions, with the check engine warning light illuminated. Despite the failure, the contact managed to drive the vehicle to a local dealer where a mechanic discovered a misfire in one of the cylinders; caused by water found in the spark plug well. The dealer managed to drain the water from the spark plug well; however, corrosion was found in the spark plug well. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was given a case number. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 9,952.

I nearly hit the back another vehicle stopped for a red light when my foot caught the edge of the gas pedal. The brake pedal depresses passed the height of the gas pedal. I understand this is a commonly reported Ford ranger issue . I understand a brake bleed software procedure will fix the problem . There apparently is a Ford TSB regarding soft brake pedal issue. I bought the truck new in 2021 and have less than 6000 miles on it. I thought the braking was normal . The bumper to bumper warranty I'll not cover brake issue due to the 36000 3 year coverage.

There is gasoline in my oil. I had an oil analysis from a lab, and they confirmed there is too much gasoline in my oil.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the Pre- Collision warning light illuminated, and the vehicle would abruptly decelerated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that during the failure, there were no objects or vehicles nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions and the ECM and PCM were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 11,000.

2021 FORD RANGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SAFETY RECALL RELATED TO CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. THE CONSUMER FEELS AS THOUGH THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE PUTS HIM TOO CLOSE EVEN IN THE 4BAR RANGE SETTING .

On multiple occasions the transmission has slipped when changing gears .This has happened when trying to merge into traffic . One time almost causing someone to rear-end me . It also fails to downshift some times when stopping , causing me to brake much harder than normal . I will be taking it to the dealer soon , to see if this can be fixed . These issues can be a little scary at times . There have been no warning lights or messages . This has happened at least a dozen times now . The first incident with the transmission I think started in 10/2022 . it was sporadic at first , but seems to happen almost daily now .

Tire Failed on highway, at approx 60 MPH. Tire pressure instantly went to zero. No debris, or road issues. Tread completely separated from sidewall. Original tires that came from factory. No nails or damage noted to tread Unknown tire size, tire and vehicle at dealership, should be standard for that truck

The backrest (back seat) no longer latches unless you very firmly push it backwards. I called the Ford dealer. The service person told me that he had the the same problem with his Ranger and that it was a common problem with the Ranger. In his words, he told me to slam the backrest backward - -which I did and then it latched. This a safety issue. Very easy to think that it is latched unless you pull the backrest forward. I checked the Internet. Other people have had the same problem. Especially after placing some weight on the seat cushion. My problem began after my 8 year old grandson simply sat on the seat.

As I was pulling out of Zip's Car into a parking spot to vacuum truck. I was barely moving when the truck accelerated at a high rate of speed and hit the wall in front of me. It was like the truck had a mind of its own. I just knew I wasn't doing it. If someone had been walking in front of me it would have killed them. My air bag did not come out. My chest hit the steering wheel very hard. The police showed up and did a report. I did not get a ticket. The truck was towed and looked over. There was so much damage to the truck it was totaled. I can't believe this happened to me. I wouldn't want this to happen to anyone. It was a very scary experience.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving in the morning at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal would depress below the gas pedal. The contact stated that the brake pedal was soft while attempting to slow down and stop the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, but the mechanic found the brakes tested within Ford recommended specifications(Mechanics can only test per Ford prescribed method). The contact continued to experience failure. The contact took the vehicle to another local dealer: Varsity Ford (3480 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103: (734) 996-2300) but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact continued to experience a failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 19,408.

When using the steering wheel button to go from AM/FM/USB/Bluetooth/Sirius, the display stops at the first Sirius station asking to either subscribe or close. This causes the driver to have to take his/her eyes off the road to close the screen. It happens three times in a row, once for each Sirius band, and has caused me to hard brake twice so far. Sirius says it's a Ford issue and Ford does not deny it but does not have a solution. Customer perception is that Ford cares more about the kickback they get from Sirius that they do about customer safety. It has not caused an accident yet, but if others have the same issue then it's hard to believe that no one else is complaining. Shame on Ford.

Popping, and loose feel in steering wheel on bumps. Popping felt in steering wheel when coming to a stop, and on accelerating from a stop. Intermediate steering shaft defect and/or design flaw. Dealer refuses to replace due to no TSB from Ford.

The contact owns the 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, he started to smell smoke inside the vehicle. While stopped at a traffic light, the contact noticed smoke coming from under the hood, and then flames started rising from underneath the hood. Another driver also had pulled up to notify him that his vehicle was on fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to safely pull off the roadway and he and his passenger exited the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. The contact’s girlfriend experienced smoke inhalation however, no medical treatment was needed. There were no physical injuries to either the driver or passenger. A fire report was filed. The contact stated that the fire originated on the opposite side of the battery and most likely was not caused by an electrical failure. The vehicle was towed to a body shop and then to the local dealer. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was not yet deemed a total loss. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there was no open recall on the vehicle. The failure approximate mileage was 5,000.

The brake pedal is mushy when applied. When you have to press the brake pedal hard, then the brake pedal is about 0.75 inches below the accelerator pedal. I took it to the ford dealer and he said it is working fine.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, causing the accelerator pedal to depress simultaneously, due to the brake pedal being positioned very close to the accelerator pedal. While both the brake and accelerator pedals were depressed, it caused the rear tires to squeal and create smoke. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that there was no failure and that the vehicle was up to specification. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,500.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, the pre-collision assists beeping alarm engaged while there were no vehicles or objects around. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving and the pre-collision assist beeping alarm would not stop. The forward collision warning light then illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. The contact then drove the vehicle to his residence. The contact stated that while reversing, he noticed a pedestrian behind the vehicle through the rearview mirror; however, the pre-collision assists and pedestrian recognition failed to engage. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 7,200.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while his wife was pulling into a parking space at approximately 5 MPH with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into the building. The contact stated that there was a camera view which showed that the brake lights were illuminated during the failure. The contact stated that the driver’s side air bag deployed. There were no injuries sustained. The contact was concerned that the Forward Collision Avoidance System failed to operate as designed. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the body damage needed to be repaired before a failure cause could be determined. The contact was concerned that if the sensors were replaced prior to the diagnostic test that possible codes would be erased. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,000.

After driving a 700 mile round-trip, I got home and parked my vehicle in my garage. It have a strong smell of fuel and oil mix what's your is exceedingly strong the next morning when I woke up and went into the garage. I pulled the oil dipstick out, the level was 2 inches higher than normal and it reeked of gasoline. I went to my local Ford dealer at Palmbay Florida service manager told me Ford is aware of this problem and has no idea what is causing it but they will replace some stuff on the vehicle but I'm not certain that will fix it. There are a number of Ford Ranger owners at https://www.ranger5g.com/ who have fuel in the oil issues. This issue goes back to the 2019 models.

The engine has a squeaking noise, unknown where it is from. The noise is upon start up and while driving, I do not know if the issue will lead to engine failure. Which if the engine locks up and cause drivability failure.

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY SOFT. IT NEEDS 1 OR 2 PUMPS TO GET IT TO WHERE MY FORMER VEHICLES WERE.

I am, yet another of numerous Ford Ranger owners with the same brake issue. I completely concur with the November 3, 2023 complaint (NHTSA ID Number: 11553431) and everything stated in it. I must add that a few times I got pretty scared that I would not be able to stop in time as planned. The brake pedal travels (literally falls) far deep to the floor before ANY, however slight, breaking effort is achieved. Disturbingly, if I don’t keep the brake pedal firmly pressed the truck will move forward!

Lane departure features is excessive. I've twice now had to make an emergency lane change to avoid an accident occurring in front of me and the lane keep assist almost forced me back into the lane and potentially causing me to get in an accident. I have had to turn this feature off entirely, which means I do not benefit from it in normal conditions. The only way to deactivate the lane keep assist when changing lanes is to use a turn signal. You cannot use a turn signal in emergency situations where it's either you quickly change lanes or you get in an accident at high speed on the highway. No, I'm not tailgating... the reality is this stuff happens and these "safety" solutions that take control of the steering wheel are not safe if they cannot tell there's an emergency situation happening. I cannot have the steering wheel resisting my input when I'm avoiding an accident. I need full control. This is poorly designed.

Brake pedal travel is excessive, similar to a much older vehicle. Brakes to not slow the vehicle until you press past the gas pedal, which introduces significant risk as the driver often simultaneously presses the gas pedal when making emergency or even normal stops and because this requires you to sit closer to the steering wheel than normal so you can reach the very long travel of the brake pedal, even if you are tall like me. Braking with even a moderate weight trailer requires very heavy depressing of the brake pedal to the point where you expend all travel and still don't feel as if you're slowing down as quickly as a modern vehicle should. My 2002 Chevy Tahoe with 210K miles had better brake performance than this 2021 truck. Brake pedal has heavy resistance during initial travel but no stopping power until 1/2 way through full travel range and there is almost no fidelity for slow, controlled braking after that. Worst of all, the brake pedal, which is electronically connected to trail management features, has a tendency to want to sink to the floor when you've stopped and/or there's a feeling that something is vibrating or trying to control the pedal when you are stopped. Additionally, even slight movement of the brake pedal causes the engine to start even though there's no reason for doing so as the vehicle is still stationary. THIS BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT SOMETHING YOU GET USED TO. I FEEL UNSAFE AND HAVE ALMOST REAR ENDED VEHICLES NUMEROUS TIMES... EVENTUALLY IT WILL HAPPEN! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL IMMEDIATELY!!!

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while reversing or making a turn, the front driver's side tire would rub the inside of the wheel well. The contact works for the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to file a complaint with NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 14.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that at first there were no warning lights illuminated; however, after a while the "Power Train Malfunction - Reduced Power" message was displayed. The dealer and an independent mechanic were notified of the failure and acknowledge that the defect was a common failure. The contact was provided an estimate for a new transmission. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and the contact was offered financial assistance if the vehicle was serviced by a Ford dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the brakes were inspected. The dealer informed the contact that the brakes were in good condition; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

It is quite easy to depress the brake pedal in such a way that one's foot also engages the accelerator pedal. This has happened to me several times, causing the truck to lurch forward rather than stopping dead as is my intention. Looking online, I see this has also happened to many others on Ford trucks. I have been driving for over 50 years and this has never happened on any other vehicle.

On numerous occasions, the "rear drivers side door ajar" warning shows on the dash and the lights inside the truck stay on even when i have not used the rear drivers side door but only the front drivers side door. Vehicle currently has 754 miles on it. Bought brand new.

Door ajar warning stays on despite checking and ensuring the doors are all closed. Indicating front passenger door only at this time

Driver side rear door constantly shows as ajar and triggers alarm, even when firmly closed. Unsure if cause is improperly fit body work or electrical components but nothing fixes it and dealer doesn't have time to look at it. I am unable to lock the truck or the alarm WILL sound and drain my battery because of the left passenger door.

The critical level of FUEL DILUTION (Fuel% = 5.5) in the motor oil of this vehicle's 2.3L EcoBoost engine poses a Safety Hazard due to its system's Fuel Leaks and Fire Danger probability existing since the vehicle purchase. I am concerned for the safety of everyone because this vehicle has been evaluated to be a Fire Hazard with 104.5C via ASTM D93 Closed Cup Flash Point. The Motorcraft's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is listed as >185C. Ford Motor Company (FMC) inspected the vehicle numerous times but safety issues remain. For this reason, I took it out of service and parked at my residence until this problem would be resolved entirely in according with the law. The vehicle mustn't be driven on its power.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2021 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, EXCESSIVE EFFORT WAS NEEDED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WEST HERR FORD OF HAMBURG (5025 CAMP RD, HAMBURG, NY 14075) WHERE A SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THE BRAKE FAILURE AND STATED THAT HE WOULD ALERT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REACH THE MANUFACTURER HIMSELF HOWEVER, HE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.*DT CONSUMER SAYS THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT TAKES AT LEAST 2 INCHES BEFORE THE BRAKES APPLY. THIS CAUSES THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO BELOW THE GAS PEDAL. ALSO, CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE CAN BE SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING APPLIED. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD.