- The problem
- Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- The risk
- A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
- The fix
- Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Vehicle safety record
1997 Ford Ranger Problems, complaints & recalls
No owner complaints about the 1997 Ford Ranger have been filed with NHTSA. It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in October 2009 for the vehicle speed control.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Ranger year, for its age
- Complaints
- 0
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
1997 Ford Ranger recalls 7
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
- The problem
- K2 motor is recalling 1,921 aftermarket headlamps of various models sold for use on the above listed vehicles. These headlamps are missing the amber side reflex reflector which fails to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber side reflex reflectors, the lighting visibility may be affected, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- K2 motor will notify owners and offer a full refund. The recall began on decemeber 17, 2008. Owners may contact k2 motor at 1-909-839-2992.
- The problem
- Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
- The fix
- Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
- The problem
- This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Equipment description: ford is replacing all firestone wilderness at 15, 16, and 17 inch tires mounted on ford trucks and suvs. Ford reports tread separation can occur due to a combination of the sensitivity of the tire design to stress, aging, and manufacturing differences between plants. Ford is replacing these tires to prevent possible premature tire failure. Vehicle description: the vehicles listed below may have been originally equipped with firestone wilderness at tires or may have had wilderness at tires installed during the firestone recall launched in august 2000. Certain 1991 throught 2002 ford explorer Certain 2001 throught 2002 explorer sport, and sport trac Certain 1997 through 2002 mercury mountaineer Certain 1991 through 2001 ranger Certain 1999 through 2001 expedition Certain 1991 through 1994, and 1997 model year f-series Certain 1991 through 1994 bronco Note: both original equipment and replacement tires are affected.
- The risk
- Should the tread separate at highway speeds, a vehicle crash could occur, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
- The fix
- The replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on march 31, 2002. However, customers can contact ford at 1-877-917-3673 or go on-line to www.Ford.Com for possible assistance.
- The problem
- Tire description: firestone wilderness at, size p235/75r15, produced at the decatur, illinois tire plant and all firestone radial atx and radial atx ii tires, size p235/75r15. Operation of these tires at low inflation pressures, high speed, and in hot weather, can contribute to separation of the tire tread.
- The risk
- If the tread separates from the tire, the driver can lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash causing injury or death.
- The fix
- The replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on august 29, 2001. However, customers should contact firestone customer service at 1-800-465-1904 for possible assistance.
What owners say
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No complaints about the 1997 Ford Ranger yet
No owner has filed a complaint about this vehicle with NHTSA. If yours has a problem, share it here and report it to NHTSA.
Ford Ranger: every year compared
All Ranger years1997 Ford Ranger vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 Ford Ranger | 0 | 7 | C | |
| 1997 Toyota Tacoma | 134 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 1997 Ford Contour | 234 | 8 | C | Compare |
| 1997 Ford Aspire | 76 | 0 | C | Compare |
| 1997 Ford Aerostar | 63 | 5 | A | Compare |
| 1997 Ford Club Wagon | 44 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 1997 Ford Aeromax | 3 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 1997 Ford B700 | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1997 Ford C Series | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1997 Ford Ranger
Does the 1997 Ford Ranger have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 1997 Ford Ranger: vehicle speed control (October 2009); headlights (May 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009); headlights (August 2008) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
How many complaints has the 1997 Ford Ranger had?
None have been filed with NHTSA so far.
Is the 1997 Ford Ranger a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 55 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Ford Ranger year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
What should I do if my 1997 Ford Ranger has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data