no report yet
Vehicle speed control
Risk. A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
2002 Ford RangerProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 346 owner complaints about the 2002 Ford Ranger, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 2, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2002 Ford Ranger has problems
346 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
61Power train2 crash/fire/injury
51Vehicle speed control9 crash/fire/injury
49Structure1 crash/fire/injury
39Engine and engine cooling4 crash/fire/injury
37Air bags23 crash/fire/injury
36Suspension
29Tires7 crash/fire/injury
20Service brakes, hydraulic
17Electrical system
8815 other systems14 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 61 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 51 | 9 |
| Structure | 49 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 39 | 4 |
| Air bags | 37 | 23 |
| Suspension | 36 | 0 |
| Tires | 29 | 7 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 20 | 5 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 4 |
| 15 other systems | 88 | 14 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
2002 Ford Ranger recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Vehicle speed control
Risk. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
no report yet
Driveline: differential unit
Risk. DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURES COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN WHEEL LOCK-UP.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
51kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 42 power train complaints. 83% were reported before 100,000 miles.
12under 30k miles35under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2002 vs. every other Ranger year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Ranger median. How we score
11122735508973105132189232438321413411576755670515346243405289272270326169156235111272131119391999469
'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'14'16'17'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2002 Ford Ranger safety ratings
2002 Ford Ranger Regular Cab in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Ranger owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
DRIVING TO WORK REAR END LOCKED UP AND EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING. MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2002 FORD RANGER FX2 AXLE BUT ONLY FOR MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN RESEARCH SHOWS IT DOES IT ON AUTOMATIC ONES TO. LOOKED UP RECALL DOCUMENTS AND SYMPTOMS AND EVERYTHING WAS THE EXACT…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MPH, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. EBY FORD LINCOLN (LOCATED AT 2714 ELKHART RD, GOSHEN, IN 46526, [PHONE]) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT…
THE VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY ROLLS AFTER BEING PUT IN PARK. TOLD THAT THE PARKING PAWL MAY BE DEFECTIVE CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE VEHICLE ROLLING IN PARK.
Own a 2002 Ranger?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.