Ford Ranger years to avoid— and the best years
5 Ranger model years ranked on what NHTSA holds for each one: recalls and owner complaints per year on the road, with critical recalls and standing advisories ahead of everything else. The current model year is left out, as are the 2024, 2025, 2026: too new for a record. This ranks the paperwork, not the car in front of you — a specific car’s history and service record still decide it.
_1X7A6776.jpg){kind=link}
Every Ranger model year, ranked
Source: NHTSA recalls, complaints and crash ratings; the arithmetic in each rowCleanest record first. /yr is the count divided by the years that model year has been on sale (2026 minus the model year, at least 1), because raw counts condemn the oldest year on the page for having been around longer.
The Ranger year to check hardest
last of 5 ranked years2023 Ford Ranger
The 2023 Ranger: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 4 recalls in 3 years on the road (1.3 a year, 2 critical: equipment, wheels) — also back over prevention; 18 owner complaints to NHTSA, 6 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (5) and engine (3)); owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
The Ranger years the record favours
first 2 of 52020 Ford Ranger
The 2020 Ranger: 7 recalls in 6 years on the road (1.2 a year, 1 critical: equipment) — also back over prevention ×2, seat belts; 128 owner complaints to NHTSA, 21 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (48) and engine (18)); owners reported 6 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injured; NHTSA investigation RQ21002 (open, back over prevention); NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
2021 Ford Ranger
The 2021 Ranger: 6 recalls in 5 years on the road (1.2 a year, 1 critical: equipment) — also back over prevention, forward collision avoidance; 116 owner complaints to NHTSA, 23 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (58) and engine (16)); owners reported 6 crashes, 3 fires, 9 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars.
How this ranking is made
Source: the same rule the nameplate page has used since v0.28- For each model year, NHTSA’s recall campaigns and owner complaints filed against it are counted from the public files, as on its own page.
- Each count is divided by the years the model year has been on sale (2026 − model year, at least 1): a 2019 has had 7 years to collect filings, a 2023 only 3.
- The years are then ordered: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory first, then the number of critical recalls, then recalls per year, then complaints per year; a newer year wins a tie.
- The current model year and any year under 3 on the road are left out — a half-finished record should not win a ranking on a blank sheet.
What it cannot know: whether a given car had its recalls done (NHTSA’s VIN lookup and the maker’s own settle that), its mileage, its trim, or how it was kept. A recall is a repair at the maker’s expense, not a verdict on the design; a complaint is an owner’s unverified report. Every figure above links to the page that lists the filings behind it.
Common questions about Ranger years
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhat Ford Ranger years should I avoid?
On the filed record the 2023 ranks lowest of the 5 Ranger model years WhichTrim can rank (2019–2023): the 2023 — a standing advisory, 4 recalls in 3 years (1.3 a year), 2 critical, 18 complaints (6 a year). The year pages list every campaign, its severity and whether a repair exists.
What is the best Ford Ranger year to buy used?
The 2020 Ford Ranger has the cleanest record of the ranked years: Safety Signal D, 1.2 recalls a year on the road and 21 complaints a year. The 2020 Ranger: 7 recalls in 6 years on the road (1.2 a year, 1 critical: equipment) — also back over prevention ×2, seat belts; 128 owner complaints to NHTSA, 21 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (48) and engine (18)); owners reported 6 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injured; NHTSA investigation RQ21002 (open, back over prevention); NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars. That ranks paperwork, not condition.
Is the 2023 Ford Ranger reliable?
WhichTrim does not score reliability; it counts what was filed. The 2023 Ranger: a standing park-outside or do-not-drive advisory, which outranks every other figure here; 4 recalls in 3 years on the road (1.3 a year, 2 critical: equipment, wheels) — also back over prevention; 18 owner complaints to NHTSA, 6 a year (most often transmission and drivetrain (5) and engine (3)); owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injured; NHTSA overall crash rating 4 of 5 stars. That is the weakest record on this page once the counts are put on a per-year footing. A specific car with its recalls done and a service history can be a sound buy; the record says what to check.
How many recalls does the Ford Ranger have?
Across the 5 ranked model years (2019–2023) NHTSA has posted 33 recall campaigns against the Ford Ranger, and owners filed 567 complaints. Across every model year on file (2019–2026) the nameplate page carries the full count.
Why divide by years on the road?
Recalls and complaints accumulate with time: a 2019 has had 7 years to collect filings and a 2023 only 3, so raw counts condemn the oldest year every time. Dividing by the years on sale puts them on one footing. A standing advisory and critical recalls still come first, because no rate makes those smaller.