1990 Ford Ranger problems
NHTSA has received 141 complaints about the 1990 Ford Ranger, and 16% of them involve electrical system. After that come wipers, windshield & visibility (11%) and tires (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 141 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 10 and 16
- Injuries and deaths
- 5 and 2
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 20 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 9 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 0 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 0 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 2 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Among the 20 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 60,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 10 complaints mention a crash; 16 complaints mention a fire; 5 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported. Its complaints are more severe on average than those of 86% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1990 ranks 23rd most-complained-about out of 28 model years of the Ford Ranger with enough data (49 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Ford ranger mid 1990. State troopers said that the fuel shut off did not work, after my brothers truck hit two small trees, and then went across the road and hit a bail of hay, which is where they said the fire started. I have pictures, and possession of the truck in ohio.
Left rear axle broke, including wheel assembly coming off truck while being driven 50 MPH. Leaf springs hit the asphalt, causing truck to roll. The vehicle rolled over and came to a rest on its top. The victim, driver was ejected from the vehicle and came to rest several feet from the vehicle. The driver tried to correct the vehicle causing the vehicle to skid left. This is what caused the vehicle to roll.
While driving at 45 MPH steering wheel detached by itself and came off. Vehicle was not controllable and was involved in a crash. Dealer contacted, and could not remedy problem. Problem still exists. Provide further information.
Tl*the contact owns a 1990 ford ranger. The contact has been experiencing clutch pedal failure in the vehicle. He was unable to switch gears while driving 25 MPH. He took the vehicle to the reapir shop they stated that the push rod falls off of the pedal, which prevents the vehicle from switching gears. The mechanic replaced it with a new master cylinder with a push rod. The replacement part met factory requirements, but had a plastic push rod.
When vehicle is either stationary or in motion the passenger head lamp melts, something is causing that one light to over heat and has melted the entire head unit. I have very little visibility with head lamps on. Battery is constantly corroded, no mattet how much I clean it. Ac/defrost does not work. Right blinker does not stay on, shuts off with the slightest movement of steering wheel. Gauges do not function properly nor do the light indicators.