2004 Ford Ranger: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 462 complaints
462
Total Complaints
66,803mi
Median Mileage
AIR BAGS
Top Issue
47
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

30,000 25th Percentile
66,803 Median Mileage
110,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS
186
STRUCTURE:BODY
35
SUSPENSION
24
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
14
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
14
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
13
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
10
POWER TRAIN
9
TIRES
9

Severity Assessment

47
Crashes
3
Fires
42
Injuries
3
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE FISH-TAILED AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH AND FLIPPED ON IT'S LEFT SIDE. THE DRIVER RECEIVED MINOR SCRAPES AND BRUISES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE DRIVE SHAFT ON THE REAR END WAS ..."
"WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 4..."
"CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING UP A HILL IN ARIZONA AT 70-75 MPH AND HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR TIRE. LATER, DISCOVERED THAT DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRES TREAD CAME OFF. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID AND FLIP OVER. BOTH CONSUMER AND WIFE SUSTAINED INJURIES. *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