1999 Ford Ranger Problems, Recalls & Reliability
966 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Ford Ranger, alongside 10 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Wheels & tires leads the reports, typically around 104,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1999 Ford Ranger sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1990–1991, 2009–2010, 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 1999 sits among all Ranger years
What owners report
“Tire shredded when i was going down highway( dot number: tire size: 225/75r15 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
“Master cylinder, calipers and wiper switch failed but consumer unable to have repairs made due to lack of parts.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
“Frame and frame supports have rusted quickly over the last few years. More than i would expect.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
“No deployment of the driver and passanger side air bags during vehicle collision. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
“The windshield wipers come on by themselves and to cut them off i had to put them on level 4 of the delay switch. It also will not work when i want it to or i have to wiggle the switch to get it to work.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
“The automatic trans slips when cold while engaging in drive. The other day when i backed out of my driveway and put it in drive, transmission took over 10 seconds to engage. The truck continued backwards until i hit the brakes, and waited for the transmission to engage. This happens every time when…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 Ranger
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 280 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 95,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 56,570 and 127,642 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (10)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL…
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK CONNECTORS MAY NOT FULLY SEAT WITH THE TUBE…
Fix: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: FORD IS REPLACING ALL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT 15, 16, AND 17 INCH TIRES MOUNTED ON FORD TRUCKS AND…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON MARCH 31, 2002. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS CAN CONTACT FORD AT 1-877-917-3673 OR GO ON-LINE TO WWW.FORD.COM FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
TIRE DESCRIPTION: FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT, SIZE P235/75R15, PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR, ILLINOIS TIRE PLANT AND ALL FIRESTONE RADIAL ATX AND RADIAL ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15. OPERATION OF THESE TIRES AT LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, HIGH SPEED, AND IN HOT…
Fix: THE REPLACEMENT/REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN EXPIRED ON AUGUST 29, 2001. HOWEVER, CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT FIRESTONE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-465-1904 FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THE TRANSAXLE MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH THE PARK DETENT SPRING MISALIGNED. IF THE SPRING IS MISALIGNED, THE PARK MECHANISM MAY NOT ENGAGE WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSAXLE AND ANY WITH MISALIGNED PARK DETENT SPRINGS WILL BE REPLACED.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE REPLACEMENT CABLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ADVISED NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS WITH 3.0L ENGINE. AN 'O'-RING SEAL IN THE FUEL INJECTION PULSE DAMPER TO FUEL RAIL JOINT COULD BE DAMAGED ALLOWING FUEL LEAKAGE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PULSE DAMPER.
Technical service bulletins
301 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1999 Ford Ranger. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1999 Ranger TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Ford Ranger reliable?
The 1999 Ford Ranger drew 966 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 1999 Ford Ranger problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Ford Ranger are wheels & tires (202 complaints), brakes & stability (105), and body & structure (90).
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Ranger problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Ford Ranger problems around 95,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 56,570 and 127,642 miles.
Does the 1999 Ford Ranger have recalls?
10 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Ford Ranger. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.