2019 Ford Ranger Reliability Report

The brake pedal travels too far, sinks toward the floor at a stop, or drops below the accelerator. Drivers end up pressing both pedals, and the truck lunges forward. Two crashes into walls and signs came from this, some in trucks with very few miles. Dealers often cannot reproduce the problem or call it normal. Some drivers have to pump a spongy pedal, and a few say only automatic emergency braking stopped the truck. Rear pads also wear unevenly, and rotors pit early.

Most of these complaints involve recall 19V-839, which covers a faulty connector that can knock out the brake lights, taillights, and rear turn signals. The repair parts were back-ordered for weeks, so many owners waited with an unrepaired truck. Some trucks passed the recall inspection and then lost every rear light at night. Other owners had the same symptoms but were told their VIN was not included. Intermittent rear blinker failure after 30 to 60 minutes of driving also shows up.

Rainwater gets into the spark plug wells and cylinders and stalls the engine at highway speed, sometimes while towing. Several reports blame the missing upper engine cover. Dealers replace plugs, boots, and coils and then sell the cover separately. Oil leaking from the timing cover can foul the crank position sensor and shut the engine off at 65 mph. Power steering and braking aids go with it. Other complaints mention a gas smell after parking, stalling when shifting out of Park, and a check engine light that reprogramming does not cure.

The climate control housing fails, and the defroster stops clearing the windshield. Drivers hear clicking, popping, or a loud crack under the dash, and then the vents blow the wrong temperature or no heat at all. Failures cluster between 26,662 and 46,000 miles. Some drivers lost heat in freezing weather and had to wipe the glass by hand. Dealers typically diagnose a failed actuator, blend door, or distribution box, and many owners are told their VIN is not part of any recall.

The rear leaf springs crack and break at the front eye where the spring mounts to the frame. Sometimes both sides break. Many drivers notice nothing until a mechanic finds the break during an oil change, tire repair, or state inspection. Others hear a clunk or see the rear sit lower on one side. Failures occur with an empty bed and no towing, as early as about 21,000 miles. Owners are told there is no recall.

Heated seats overheat, short circuit, and melt the cover and foam. One seat caught fire while the truck was moving, and another left the driver with severe burns. The rear seatback latch also fails to lock or takes extreme force to close. An unlatched seatback swings forward under hard braking. Owners cite a service bulletin and a redesigned latch part, with repairs quoted at several hundred dollars.

The truck surges forward unexpectedly, usually at low speed while braking or coming to a stop, and sometimes after cruise control was used on the highway. One surge ended in a crash. Cruise control can also keep accelerating past the set speed until the brake is pressed. Other reports describe false crash detection and pre-collision alerts with no traffic nearby, and a pedal layout that makes it hard to move from gas to brake.