FORD RANGER · model year

1999 FORD RANGER

966 NHTSA complaints, 110 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999FORDRANGER carries 966 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 110 crashes, 17 fires, 75 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 RANGER is tires with 98 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (69) and air bags:frontal (54). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1999 RANGER, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

966
Complaints
110
Crashes
17
Fires
75
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

966 filings

Crashes Reported

110 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
TIRES98
TIRES:TREAD/BELT69
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL54
SUSPENSION46
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL43
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER41
STRUCTURE:BODY39
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP38
UNKNOWN OR OTHER28
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS25
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION23
AIR BAGS21
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM16
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS16

Recent Complaints

20211022SUSPENSION

I was driving to the store around 1 month ago and I noticed the truck was trying to tail to the side as I was driving. I thought nothing of it until my Uncle Bobby noticed my rear shock was scraping the ground. We looked underneath to investigate and found both shock mounts completely rusted off and the frame in terrible shape. The truck itself barely has any rust other than the tailgate and bed floor. Also thought I should include that the hose that connect the gas tank and where you pump the gas is rusted to where every time I pump gas, a little drips out onto the floor. I was trying to find videos on how to fix it but came across a page that says Rangers have been recalled from the years 1995 to 2000 because of Toyota starting to make frames for them. *EDIT* Also would like to mention that the frame where the bumper attaches to on the driver side has cracked and now the bumper is sagging down .

20211022SUSPENSION:SUBFRAME/MOUNTING BRACKET

I was driving to the store around 1 month ago and I noticed the truck was trying to tail to the side as I was driving. I thought nothing of it until my Uncle Bobby noticed my rear shock was scraping the ground. We looked underneath to investigate and found both shock mounts completely rusted off and the frame in terrible shape. The truck itself barely has any rust other than the tailgate and bed floor. Also thought I should include that the hose that connect the gas tank and where you pump the gas is rusted to where every time I pump gas, a little drips out onto the floor. I was trying to find videos on how to fix it but came across a page that says Rangers have been recalled from the years 1995 to 2000 because of Toyota starting to make frames for them. *EDIT* Also would like to mention that the frame where the bumper attaches to on the driver side has cracked and now the bumper is sagging down .

20210724STRUCTURE:BODY

When washing the truck I noticed a crack in the left rear frame just aft of the forward leaf spring shackle.Vertical crack approx, 6" long and separating, frame severely rusted while the rest of the body has minimal rust.

20210624ENGINE

Motor rattling, knocking in transmission, exhaust sounded louder than usual, motor cut off and unable to start

20210412STRUCTURE:BODY

MY VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION BUT TRY IS FRAME IS VERY WORRISOME. THE RUST MAKES ME AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE CONFIDENTLY.

Mileage: 208,991

20210309UNKNOWN OR OTHER

FRAME AND CROSS MEMBERS ALONG WITH THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER ALL ROTTED OUT?, AS DO ALL THE FORD RANGERS AND FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AT LEAST TOYOTA CAME TO THE PLATE FOR THEIR OWNERS. GREAT TRUCK EXCEPT FOR THE ROTTING FRAME ISSUES. FOUND THIS OUT BY HEARING A CRACK ONE DAY AND WHEN CHECKING FOUND A CRACK IN FRAME BY LEFT REAR WHEEL , AND ALSO WHEN LOOKING FOUND A CRACK AND HOLE BY LEFT REAR SHOCK MOUNT, WHEN PULLING THIS APART TO FIX IT, ALSO FOUND A GAS TANK STRAP BROKEN OFF, AFTER PULLING TANK DOWN IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WHOLE CROSS MEMBER WAS ROTTED AND ALSO THE LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE LEFT REAR FRAME RAIL.

Mileage: 115

20201229STRUCTURE:BODY

I WAS DRIVING WAS ABOUT 20 MPH AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE. I HEARD A LOUD POP BANG NOISE AND THE LEFT SIDE OF TRUCK DROPPED ABOUT 2 OR 3 INCHES. I THOUGHT THE FRONT END FELL OFF. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUNCH HOLES IS THE FRAME WITH A SCREW DRIVER, THE DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR HAS COLLAPSED DUE TO RUST ON THE FRAME THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE, THE CROSSMEMBER TO TRANSMISSION IS BARLEY HOLDING TRANSMISSION UP, THE SPARE TIRE AREA IS RUSTED IN HALF, ALL MAIN CROSSMEMBERS ARE RUSTED IN HALF AND THE FRAME IS RUSTED IN HALF BEHIND FUEL TANK. TRUCK HAS 127K MILES AND THE BODY BODY HAS LITTLE TO NO RUST, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE UNSAFE FROM RUST. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE BODY CAN BE SO GOOD BUT FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS COMPLETELY RUSTED TO NO RETURN.

Mileage: 127,642

20201229STEERING

I WAS DRIVING WAS ABOUT 20 MPH AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE. I HEARD A LOUD POP BANG NOISE AND THE LEFT SIDE OF TRUCK DROPPED ABOUT 2 OR 3 INCHES. I THOUGHT THE FRONT END FELL OFF. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUNCH HOLES IS THE FRAME WITH A SCREW DRIVER, THE DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR HAS COLLAPSED DUE TO RUST ON THE FRAME THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE, THE CROSSMEMBER TO TRANSMISSION IS BARLEY HOLDING TRANSMISSION UP, THE SPARE TIRE AREA IS RUSTED IN HALF, ALL MAIN CROSSMEMBERS ARE RUSTED IN HALF AND THE FRAME IS RUSTED IN HALF BEHIND FUEL TANK. TRUCK HAS 127K MILES AND THE BODY BODY HAS LITTLE TO NO RUST, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE UNSAFE FROM RUST. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE BODY CAN BE SO GOOD BUT FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS COMPLETELY RUSTED TO NO RETURN.

Mileage: 127,642

20201229SUSPENSION

I WAS DRIVING WAS ABOUT 20 MPH AND HIT A SMALL POT HOLE. I HEARD A LOUD POP BANG NOISE AND THE LEFT SIDE OF TRUCK DROPPED ABOUT 2 OR 3 INCHES. I THOUGHT THE FRONT END FELL OFF. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUNCH HOLES IS THE FRAME WITH A SCREW DRIVER, THE DRIVER SIDE TORSION BAR HAS COLLAPSED DUE TO RUST ON THE FRAME THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE, THE CROSSMEMBER TO TRANSMISSION IS BARLEY HOLDING TRANSMISSION UP, THE SPARE TIRE AREA IS RUSTED IN HALF, ALL MAIN CROSSMEMBERS ARE RUSTED IN HALF AND THE FRAME IS RUSTED IN HALF BEHIND FUEL TANK. TRUCK HAS 127K MILES AND THE BODY BODY HAS LITTLE TO NO RUST, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS ARE UNSAFE FROM RUST. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE BODY CAN BE SO GOOD BUT FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS COMPLETELY RUSTED TO NO RETURN.

Mileage: 127,642

20191220UNKNOWN OR OTHER

REPLACED REAR SHACKLES DUE TO ROT, SPARE TIRE FRAME ROTTED OFF AND SPARE FELL OUT, WAS FIXING TRUCK AND NOTICED ROT HOLE IN FRAME BY LEFT REAR SHOCK WHEN REPLACING, SO THAT WAS REPAIRED AND ALSO NOTICED CRACK IN FRAME AND GAS TANK STRAP BROKEN. TOOK DOWN GAS TAK AND THE WHOLE FRAME ON LEFT SIDE WAS ROTTED AND READY TO BREAK IN HALF AND THE CROSSMEMBER IS ALL ROTTED OUT.

Mileage: 115,000

20190921FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FRAME IS VERY RUSTED AND BIG HOLES IN THE FRAME. I THINK THERE IS A GAS LEAK AS WELL BUT THE FRAME IS VERY BAD.

20190921SUSPENSION

FRAME IS VERY RUSTED AND BIG HOLES IN THE FRAME. I THINK THERE IS A GAS LEAK AS WELL BUT THE FRAME IS VERY BAD.

20190921UNKNOWN OR OTHER

FRAME IS VERY RUSTED AND BIG HOLES IN THE FRAME. I THINK THERE IS A GAS LEAK AS WELL BUT THE FRAME IS VERY BAD.

20190409UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I AM UPSET THAT THIS TIRE SHOP SOLD ME TIRES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED. I PAID 312.00 FOR TWO TIRES AND WHEN I WENT TO BUY TWO MORE I WAS TOLD THEY WERE DISCONTINUED. THEIR IS NO WARRANTY EXCEPT A MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. I WANTED TO GET ALL 4 THE SAME. THAT IS MY COMPLAINT

Mileage: 250,000

20190314UNKNOWN OR OTHER

RUSTED OUT STRAPS AND MOUNTS TO THE GAS TANK AND OTHER MAJOR RUST DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF TRUCK DO NOT KNOW IF SHOULD REPAIR OR NOT

20190131FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD AND FLAMES SURROUNDING THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED AND WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000. *BF.* CONSUMER STATED FIRE IGNITED UNDER THE HOOD IN BOTH CASES DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. FOR ODI 11173289 AND 11173291. CONSUMER HAS FILED A LAWSUIT.*JB

Mileage: 200,000

20190103STRUCTURE:BODY

I HAVE A 1999 FORD RANGER AND THE FRAME IS SHOT STARTING TO CRACK IT'S SO THIN AND LIKE POST I CAN ALMOST BEND IT WITH MY HANDS .

Mileage: 199,455

20181113STRUCTURE:BODY

SPARE TIRE FELL OFF IN STREET, THEN GAS TANK, WHOLE FRAME IS ROTTEN, WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD,

Mileage: 156,000

20180824POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S YARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BORMAN AUTOPLEX (470 W BOUTZ RD, LAS CRUCES, NM 88005, 575-525-4500) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

20180820STRUCTURE:BODY

THE FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. BOTH LEAF SPRING SHACKLES RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH, MUFFLER HANGERS ALL RUSTED OFF LOST MY MUFFLER ON A ROAD.

Mileage: 150,000

Compare 1999FORDRANGER to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 FORD RANGER have?
The 1999 FORD RANGER has 966 NHTSA complaints, 110 crashes, 17 fires, 75 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 FORD RANGER?
The most-complained component for the 1999 FORD RANGER is TIRES with 98 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1999 FORD RANGER safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.