Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Takata recall. I crashed my 1996 Ford Ranger in 2010. Both airbags deployed. My collision shop replaced the airbags with unknown year Ford Ranger airbags, buying some new parts from Ford to complete the install. There is no way to know if these are recalled Takata airbags without an inspection. My local Ford dealership, varsity Ford in ann arbor mi, is refusing to do anything without a recall notice. Any inspection, even if these are recalled airbags, will be at my cost because this is a 1996 truck. I called Ford's recall line and explained the situation, and they referred me to my local dealership. There seems to be no plan to track down dangerous Takata airbags installed after manufacture, even if they were originally installed in another vehicle that would have been recalled.
Tl*- the contact stated that hit a deer on 09/24/06, with the 1996 Ford Ranger extended cab while driving at 35 MPH. The weather was clear and dry. The contact's vehicle hit the deer on the driver' front side , and the air bag didn't deploy. He pulled the vehicle to the side of the road, put on the hazard lights, and before getting out of the vehicle another vehicle came by and hit the vehicle from the back at the speed of 55-60 MPH. The contact stated that's is when the air did bag deployed. The contact stated that there has never been any indication that there was a problem with the air bags. The failure mileage and the current mileage were both 97,000. There were two injuries as a result of the crash.
I hit a small deer doing about 35 miles per hour and pulled over to the side of the road about three minutes later another auto came up from behind and rear ended me my air bag deployed then. Why did it deploy then and not when I hit the deer. The only damage I did to the front end to my truck was cracked the gill and others around it. The damage that the other auto did was bent the bumper under my truck along with the brackets too, the impact from the other auto was loud and was heard from about a mile away. The auto that rear ended me was going about 55 to 60 miles per hour.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Ford Ranger. While driving down a hill at less than approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a tree. None of the air bags deployed. The driver sustained minor bruising, which did not require medical treatment. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure months later. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Airbag deployed on 2/13/01 without cause at vehicle speed of est. 10 MPH, truck hit Land embankment along side of the road.there is no visible damage to vehicle. Vehicle is drivable with exception of airbag. Airbag caused critical injury to 47 yr old driver including: crushed sternum, cracked ribs, damaged lungs, bruised heart, injury to liver & kidneys, extensive internal bleeding, ruptured gallbladder resulting in peritonitis. Driver was hospitalized 4 times in less than 60 days for a total inpatient admission of 28 days. Each admission was listed as critical with last admission of 4/2/01 to 4/13/01 resulting in major surgery . Patient recovery expected to last 7 to 12 months. …
The drivers side airbag deployed in a rear end crash that pushed my vehicle into another vehicle. When the airbag deployed something was aparently was ejected from the bag assembly that struck the interior roof of truck doing noticable damage to the headline and roof. The servicing dealer, berge Ford in mesa az is not willing to admit that the damage was caused by the airbag. I do not agree with that.
While driving at approximately 45mph & was entering intersection when another vehicle ran the red light. Ranger "t" boned the vehicle. Upon impact with other vehicle, neither air bag deployed. Took vehicle to dealer & was informed by mechanic vehicle did not hit the right area. Mechanic would check the air bag sensors.
Consumer was involved in a side impact collison in which the air bag deployed, causing consumer to sustain 2nd to 3rd degree burns. Also driver's side shoulder belt might have malfunctioned, causing her to sustain an injuries to the head.
Another vehicle ran Ford off road, hit construction sign, going about 25 MPH, air bag deployed and filled vehicle with chemicals which burned hands & part of neck, plastic piece cut hands wedged between steering wheel and horn went off.
After truck was involved in an intersectional crash, driver went to get out of the truck and the air bag on the driver's side deployed, and burned driver's right arm. The air bag will be replaced.
Airbag complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1996 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the air bags of the 1996 Ford Ranger, 6% of the model year's 413 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Ford Ranger airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1996 Ford Ranger, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford Ranger airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 97,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 19 crashes, 0 fires and 18 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.