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Ford · NHTSA safety record

2021 Ford Ranger

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

112

Complaints

6

Crashes

3

Fires

9

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2021 Ford Ranger have filed 112 safety complaints with NHTSA between March 2021 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 56 of them (50%). The typical failure was reported at 32,800 miles, the median across the 26 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 6 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (6)

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER

25V685000 · October 10, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
The risk
An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Ford Motor Company · up to 59,006 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

25V442000 · June 27, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
The risk
A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Ford Motor Company · up to 200,237 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

23V379000 · May 26, 2023

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.

Ford Motor Company · up to 29,607 vehicles across all model years covered

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: RADAR

21V982000 · December 16, 2021

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
The risk
A misaligned radar module may prevent the vehicle from maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles when adaptive cruise control is active. In addition, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system may react slowly, or not react at all, during a pre-collision assist braking event. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will adjust the angle of the cruise control radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S52.

Ford Motor Company · up to 839 vehicles across all model years covered

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

21V811000 · October 15, 2021

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
The risk
A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Dealers will inspect the front row outboard seat belts and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C25.

Ford Motor Company · up to 47,683 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

21V765000 · September 30, 2021

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Ranger Super Cab vehicles equipped with rear seats containing fixed head restraints. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage System."
The risk
An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Separately, dealers will replace the non-removable head restraints with removable head restraints, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C24.

Ford Motor Company · up to 37,625 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 112.

POWER TRAIN 56 50%
SERVICE BRAKES 14 13%
ENGINE 12 11%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 12 11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 7%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 7 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 6%
STRUCTURE 6 5%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 5 4%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 3%
AIR BAGS 2 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 30.

2021 2025 2026
2021 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 injured

Chrome metal on 3 door handles sticking up. Cut my daughter's fingers and my fingers. Was reported to Ford and local dealer but Ford said I would have to pay out of pocket to replace full handle assemblies. Ford offerred a discount, but it was still expensive. Truck was too new for the chrome to be coming off. I rarely use the back seat/doors, and those handles are peeling up just like front handles.

NHTSA complaint 11755129. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 injured

Chrome metal peeling up on 3 door handles. Started peeling around 39K miles. Cut my fingers and my daughter's fingers. Brought it to local dealer who filed a repair request and Ford said I would have to pay for ful door handle assemblies out of pocket. Truck was too new and well taken care of for me to feel comfortable paying out of pocket.

NHTSA complaint 11755134. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 injured · fire · towed · 5,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11454650, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 injured · crash · towed

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.

NHTSA complaint 11471269. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

59,000 miles

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and shifting gear, the transmission shifted hard. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the transmission was operating as designed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recalls on the VIN associated with the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.

NHTSA complaint 11756983. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
2021 ford ranger 98160 millas firts time buy 01 19 2022 transmition went out 7 2 2026, my factory defect

NHTSA complaint 11755738. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Transmission hard shifts in low gear and sometimes slips gears or revs up engine without accelerating then slams into gear lurching forward. Had transmission oil checked by dealer and they said it looked great. Happened 29 July several times and again 5 Aug all throughout the day.

NHTSA complaint 11755122. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission and the gear-shift linkage module are defective, and the truck remains available for inspection. Our safety is constantly put at risk because the transmission exhibits an extremely violent, highly intermittent powertrain lunging jolt during deceleration and stopping. The impact is so severe that it sounds and feels like a loud gunshot firing right next to the cabin occupants. Furthermore, the transmission simultaneously exhibits severe throttle hesitation and gear-skipping. This causes the vehicle to drop gears and completely fail to move when attempting to accelerate at busy stoplights, trapping us as a sitting duck in active traffic. Earlier in

NHTSA complaint 11753464, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Ford Ranger

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 34 13 —
2024 69 13 —
2023 18 4 —
2022 37 5 —
2020 125 7 —
2019 264 11 —
2011 235 5 —
2010 156 8 —

Other 2021 Ford models

F-150 979 Bronco Sport 675 Explorer 411 Mustang Mach E 340 Escape 332 Ecosport 256 F-150 Hybrid 247 Expedition 228

Every Ford on this site — 348 vehicles, 1210 recall campaigns and 10 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst