Is the 2019 Ford Ranger a bad year?
272 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 92, 9.2× a quiet Ranger year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 16k–74k miles, where you are now.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2019 Ranger owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 56,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 92 (34%) | 16k–74k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 41 (15%) | 8k–44k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Engine | 31 (11%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 24 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 21 (8%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 20 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 14 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 12 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 56,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 272 complaints: 13 mention a crash · 2 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 7 say the car was towed.
51 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
While coming to a complete stop, the truck surges forward. It has happened 6+ times within 16,000 miles, every time it feels like I was just rear ended by the vehicle behind me.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 56,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2019 Ford Ranger: 11
The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in. An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse. A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. 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.
The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The service replacement Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor that was installed may have an improper clearance between an electrical terminal and the conductive base plate that may result in an resistive electrical short. A resistive electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
The inline electrical connector terminals for the rear lights may be misaligned or not properly seated, potentially causing the rear lights to function intermittently or not at all. Intermittent or inoperative tail lamps can result in loss of stop, turn, rear position, and reverse lamp functions, which reduces the vehicle's visibility and may not fully alert other drivers that the vehicle is braking, turning…
The Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) blower motor may electrically short. An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
The front passenger seat belt may have been improperly assembled. Improperly assembled seat belts may not adequately restrain occupants in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
The fasteners that attach the transmission shifter cable bracket to the transmission may loosen allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position. If the gear shift lever position does not match the actual transmission gear, the vehicle may move in an unexpected direction.
In some of these vehicles, the transmission shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position without the key in the starting system and without depressing the brake pedal. As a result, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection." If the vehicle can be shifted out of Park without the brake applied, the vehicle may unexpectedly move. Unintentional vehicle movement can increase the risk of injury or crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Ford: 136
Repair instructions Ford sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2019 Ford Ranger. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Some of the vehicles listed in the Model statement above may exhibit an incorrectly illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code…
Some vehicles may exhibit an illuminated MIL with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0011, P0012, P0014, P0015, P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0021, P0022…
Detected with the CDF clutch cylinder following this article, technicians should carefully inspect and replace other transmission components and flush…
Some vehicles may exhibit a whine noise at idle and/or while driving
Neighbouring years
2020 Ranger: 131 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Ford Ranger year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Ranger years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Contour · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2019 Ford Ranger a bad year?
272 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 92, 9.2× a quiet Ranger year. At 56,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 16k–74k miles, where you are now.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Ford Ranger?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (92), electrical system (41), engine (31), visibility and wipers (24), suspension (21). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 16k–74k miles.
How many recalls does the 2019 Ford Ranger have?
11 recall campaigns list this model year: Equipment (NHTSA 25V-685), Backup camera (NHTSA 25V-572), Backup camera (NHTSA 25V-442), Equipment (NHTSA 23V-379) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.