1998 Ford Ranger: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 744 complaints
744
Total Complaints
100,000mi
Median Mileage
TIRES
Top Issue
85
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

50,000 25th Percentile
100,000 Median Mileage
147,475 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

TIRES
83
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
51
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
47
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
24
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
23
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
23
SUSPENSION
22
INTERIOR LIGHTING
19
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
15

Severity Assessment

85
Crashes
38
Fires
44
Injuries
7
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM IN THE STEERING MECHANISM IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING LOUD NOISES WHEN MAKING A TURN OR COMING TO A STOP, A NYTHING TO DO WITH THE LOWER FRONT END. DEALER SAID WILL CALL AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT VEHICLE. *AK"
"CLUTCH PEDAL IS SPONGY. TRAVELS HALF ITS NORMAL DISTANCE WHEN DWPRESSED BEFORE ENGAGING TRANSMISSION."
"WHILE DRIVING ON A FLAT, STRAIGHT SURFACE, HEARD A CLICK UNDER VEHICLE. VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT LOSING CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CLASH/INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28