CSR

Ford · NHTSA safety record

2026 Ford Ranger

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

Owners have filed 5 safety complaints about the 2026 Ford Ranger with the US government. Of those, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 7 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 2 complaints, 40% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers March 2026 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

5 complaints on file

5

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
POWER TRAIN 2 · 40%
SEATS 2 · 40%
ENGINE 1 · 20%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 · 20%
WHEELS 1 · 20%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 5.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2026 Ford Ranger. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

7 on file

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

26V548000 · August 25, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
The risk
An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, are expected to be mailed September 4, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 10,001 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

26V343000 · May 27, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
The risk
A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed June 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in November 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 1,536 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

26V335000 · May 26, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The vehicle specifications listed on the tire placard and safety certification labels may be incorrect, including the VIN, capacity weight, seating capacity, front and rear gross axle weight rating (GAWR), tire and rim dimensions, and recommended cold tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims" and 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
The risk
The incorrect tire size, tire pressures, and GAWR listed on the labels can allow the vehicle to be overloaded or have improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the certification and TREAD labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C24. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 28, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 268 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

26V268000 · April 28, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
The risk
A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S30. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning April 30, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 179,698 vehicles across all model years covered

STRUCTURE:INTERIOR PANELS:SUN VISOR

26V238000 · April 14, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles. The sun visor or headliner wiring harnesses may be improperly positioned or have excessive tape thickness, which can result in damaged wires.
The risk
Damaged wires can create an electrical short and cause a fire in the A-pillar area, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect the wiring for damage and update the body control module software. Damaged wiring harnesses will be replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 5/31/2026. Phase 2 will include 2026 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2024 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 6/29/2026 for Phase 2 and the week of 7/27/2026 for Phase 3. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed May 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in August 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 17, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 140,201 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INTEGRATED TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL

26V104000 · February 20, 2026

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 17, 2026.

Ford Motor Company · up to 4,381,878 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

25V541000 · August 22, 2025

The defect
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles. The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
The risk
Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will install protective shields, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C41.

Ford Motor Company · up to 100,900 vehicles across all model years covered

Compare

Other years of the Ford Ranger

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 35 13
2024 74 13
2023 18 4
2022 37 5
2021 112 6
2020 126 7
2019 264 11
2011 235 5
2010 156 8

Other 2026 Ford models

Every Ford on this site — 357 vehicles, 1222 recall campaigns and 11 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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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