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Model Year Problem Record

Ford Ranger 1997 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 1997 Ford Ranger: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

411Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
1Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
2Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
53Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Fuel and Propulsion System70 complaints

70 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires58 complaints

58 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Brakes51 complaints

51 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting48 complaints

48 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train43 complaints

43 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility36 complaints

36 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System28 complaints

28 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension25 complaints

25 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure25 complaints

25 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control23 complaints

23 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 09V399000.

Air Bags22 complaints

22 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering22 complaints

22 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Engine19 complaints

19 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Equipment14 complaints

14 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats12 complaints

12 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Unknown Or Other9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Latches, Locks and Linkages4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Wheels3 complaints

3 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Trailer Hitches and Towing1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Driver Assistance and Stability Systems1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

09V399000Reported October 13, 2009 - 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected

Vehicle Speed Control. Recall covering the vehicle speed control system, reported to NHTSA on October 13, 2009. The campaign covers an estimated 4,500,000 vehicles across all affected models.

Defect Investigations

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.

DP00005Opened October 2, 2000 - Closed May 15, 2001

FRONT SEAT BELT. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

PE99045Opened July 6, 1999 - Closed October 29, 1999

STEERING KNUCKLE SEPARATIONS. No recall campaign resulted from this investigation.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

199720
199831
199953
200076
200157
200228
200319
200417
200513
200611
20074
20089
200911
201016
201114
20129
20133
20142
20158
20161
20174
20183
20201
20211
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.