2021 Ford Ranger Problems, Recalls & Reliability
158 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Ford Ranger, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 16/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 77,500 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2021 Ford Ranger has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2021 sits among all Ranger years
What owners report
“Vehicle shifts hard between 3 and 5th gears. The dealer currently has the vehicle in for repairs and there are metal shavings in the transmission reservoir”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Ranger
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 30 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 36,300 miles. Half of those reports fall between 13,000 and 79,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack…
Fix: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023…
Fix: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As…
Fix: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.
Fix: Dealers will adjust the angle of the cruise control radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
Fix: Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do…
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Ranger Super Cab vehicles equipped with rear seats containing fixed head restraints. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the…
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Separately, dealers will replace the non-removable head restraints with removable head…
Technical service bulletins
112 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2021 Ford Ranger. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2021 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 2021 Ford Ranger reliable?
The 2021 Ford Ranger drew 158 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 16/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2021 Ford Ranger problems?
The top reported problems for the 2021 Ford Ranger are transmission & drivetrain (56 complaints), brakes & stability (15), and driver assistance (15).
At what mileage do 2021 Ford Ranger problems show up?
Owners most often report 2021 Ford Ranger problems around 36,300 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 13,000 and 79,000 miles.
Does the 2021 Ford Ranger have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 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.