Data: NHTSA recall, complaint and investigation filesUpdated
Year to avoidBest year
The 2010 and 2011 Ranger is the earlier compact pickup. Ford sold no Ranger in the US for 2012 to 2018; the Ranger that returned for 2019 is a larger midsize truck.
8 safety recalls for the 2026 Ford Ranger
Grouped by the part recalled, largest group first, newest first within each part. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for what is wrong, the fix and the full notice.
Risk: An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
Fix: 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, were mailed September 3, 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.
10,427 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles.
Risk: A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 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.
1,536 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles.
Risk: Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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."
Fix: 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.
Fails federal standard 226 (ejection mitigation) · 100,900 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles.
Risk: A rearview camera image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The screen may lose power and fail to display the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Fix: The remedy is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed October 7, 2026. Additional letters will be sent when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 25, 2026.
Fails federal standard 111 (rear visibility) · 11,405 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10.1-inch center stack screen.
NHTSA listing: RANGER. Components: Backover prevention and rearview camera: display function; Equipment: electrical, infotainment. Ford campaign 26C42.
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.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The sun visor or headliner wiring harnesses may be improperly positioned or have excessive tape thickness, which can result in damaged wires.
Fix: 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 October 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.
140,201 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles.
NHTSA listing: RANGER. Components: Electrical system; Body structure: interior panels, sun visor. Ford campaign 26S29.
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.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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."
Fix: 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.
Fails federal standard 108 (lighting) · 4,381,878 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026F-150,2022-2026F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles.
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.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
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."
Fix: 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.
Fails federal standard 110 (tire and rim labeling) · 268 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles.
Risk: A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
What's wrong, the fix and the full notice
The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
Fix: 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.
179,698 vehicles.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles.
NHTSA listing: RANGER. Ford campaign 26S30.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2026 Ford Ranger.
What owners report
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Ranger. Below, they are sorted by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Powertrain3 · 33%
Brakes2 · 22%
Electrical system2 · 22%
Seats2 · 22%
Engine1 · 11%
Exterior lighting1 · 11%
Wheels1 · 11%
Unknown or other2 · 22%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Ford Ranger recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2026 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Ranger drew the most (68).
Owner complaints
2026: 9 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Ford Ranger
Model year
Complaints
2010
156
2011
235
2019
272
2020
131
2021
119
2022
39
2023
19
2024
99
2025
46
2026
9
Safety recalls
2026: 8 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Ford Ranger
Model year
Recalls
2010
8
2011
5
2019
11
2020
7
2021
6
2022
5
2023
4
2024
13
2025
13
2026
8
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Ford Ranger earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2026 Ford Ranger?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2026 Ford Ranger.
How do I check if my Ranger has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Ford dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: RANGER.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.