Model year record

2021 Ford Ranger

6 recall campaigns on file for this model year. 164 owner complaints on file.

Ford Ranger, 2019–2023 generation
Pictured: the 2019–2023 generation. F. D. Richards from Clinton, MI, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 25V685000

Equipment: electrical: engine block heater

Component
Equipment: electrical: engine block heater
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
59,006
Reported to NHTSA
2025-10-10

Defect description

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 and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Safety risk

An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

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 block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.

Recall campaignNHTSA 25V442000

Back over prevention: software

Component
Back over prevention: software
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
200,237
Reported to NHTSA
2025-06-27
Owners notified
2025-09-04

Defect description

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 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

Safety risk

A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

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 for this recall is 25S72.

Recall campaignNHTSA 23V379000

Equipment: other: labels

Component
Equipment: other: labels
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
29,607
Reported to NHTSA
2023-05-26
Owners notified
2023-07-21

Defect description

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 such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Safety risk

An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

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 installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V982000

Forward collision avoidance: sensing system: radar

Component
Forward collision avoidance: sensing system: radar
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
839
Reported to NHTSA
2021-12-16
Owners notified
2022-01-21

Defect description

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.

Safety risk

A misaligned radar module may prevent the vehicle from maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles when adaptive cruise control is active. In addition, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system may react slowly, or not react at all, during a pre-collision assist braking event. Any of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

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 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S52.

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V811000

Seat belts: front: webbing

Component
Seat belts: front: webbing
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
47,683
Reported to NHTSA
2021-10-15
Owners notified
2021-12-22

Defect description

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 requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

Safety risk

A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Manufacturer remedy

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 not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Dealers will inspect the front row outboard seat belts and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C25.

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V765000

Child seat: vehicle latch anchor

Component
Child seat: vehicle latch anchor
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Vehicles affected
37,625
Reported to NHTSA
2021-09-30
Owners notified
2022-03-17

Defect description

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 child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage System."

Safety risk

An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

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 restraints, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C24.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

ComponentComplaintsMedian mileage
Power train6076,000 mi
Service brakes1419,408 mi
Engine139,952 mi
Unknown or other13—
Electrical system735,600 mi
Fuel/propulsion system7—
Vehicle speed control73,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control319,000 mi
Structure: body3—
Air bags219,000 mi
Back over prevention250,000 mi
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera2—
Engine and engine cooling25,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance211,000 mi
Lane departure: warning2—
Seats2—
Steering2—
Structure: body: door2—
Suspension2—
Tires214 mi
Wheels214 mi
Back over prevention: warnings1—
Electrical system: adas: autonomous/self driving114,850 mi
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: crankcase (PCV)1—
Exterior lighting1—
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking1—
Forward collision avoidance: warnings1—
Forward collision avoidance: software: pedestrian/cyclist/object/obstacle/ recognition17,200 mi
Fuel system, gasoline1—
Service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages14,500 mi
Structure1114,000 mi
Structure: body: door: handle: interior1—
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems1—
Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal14,500 mi

The 2020 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2022 model has 3 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Other Ford Ranger model years

All Ford Ranger recalls by year

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.