Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Air bags.. Deflating, unserviceable, demand useless, only on passenger side, drivers side dislodged horn fuel/propulsion.. With fuel tank filled, first half(1/2) tank having excessive fuel consumed. Second (1/2) of fuel consumed at owners manual specifications of city and highway miles per gallon. Throttle pedal stiff, sticks, after normal daily warm up, extra foot pressure needed to dislodge pedal and cable, real sluggish as if not receiving enough fuel to injectors, even after regular maintenance completed.. Seat belts.. Drivers side hookup retaining latch malfunctions and " will not remain latched", several attempts need to be made before getting a strong seatbelt clip to latch locked on
Looked under my Ford Ranger and saw that both of the metal straps that hold the fuel tank to the vehicle had rusted through and broken in half. I saw that there was a recall for the same issues on my year, but only for the Ford f150, not the Ford Ranger, even though the issue is the same.
Ford Ranger 4x4 xlt 4.0l has had problems from the beginning front tires two out , fog lights, air conditioning, transmission shift points , check engine light when new and to this day gas mileage not as stated on window sticker ,also windows motor and controls
During fueling of vehicle a strong smell of gas was occurring at each fueling. I first noticed what appeared to be moisture under the truck and being in a high temp/humidity environment thought it was ac condensation. Recently while not running the ac noticed the leakage and crawled under the truck and smell the liquid. It was gas. I am very concerned since the leak is very close to the exhaust system and as well as being an environmental (epa) hazard. It is amazing the ECM module fuel evaporative emission sensor does not detect the defect in the closed loop emission system and set an emission error fault code. I would like to know how many gallons of fuel leaked due to this conditions. It is important we have 'no ozone action days' where refueling is restricted but allow known defects. …
Tl contact owns a 1997 Ford Ranger. The contact experienced a major fuel leak and smelled a strange odor in the passenger compartment. Two independent mechanics confirmed that there was a failed fuel filler tube. The mechanics also stated that he would have to pay $800 to have the fuel filler tube replaced. The contact stated that fuel leaks from the fuel tank every time he adds fuel to the vehicle. The failure has occurred ever since the vehicle was purchased and has since become progressively worse. The manufacturer stated that there were no recalls on his vehicle and the failure was his responsibility. The contact is concerned that a fire May occur at any time. He has photos if needed. The vehicle does not have cruise control. The failure mileage was 96,000 and current mileage was 97,479.
Safety defect: the gasoline refill hose to the gas tank is cracked at both ends. Recently, I totally filled the gas tank, and gasoline spilled under the hot vehicle and catalytic converter. I discovered that 3 cracks in the refuel hose caused the spill. My truck is a 1997 Ford Ranger; however, even after 8 years this hose should not have such large cracks. My Ford Ranger is typical, and I would suspect that others have this same defect but perhaps in a more moderate way. I visually inspected the cracks at both ends and they are located at the connection point to the gas tank and the external gas input port. Note: the gasoline spill stopped after refueling and after the gasoline inside the hose had spilled to the ground. I have not yet replaced the hose.
1997 Ford Ranger xlt ,date is approximate since filler hose slowly cracked and got worse, smelled fuel constantly since 80,000 miles and had to eventually spend 600.00 to get it fixed at Ford dealership for what looked like a small rubber hose, I would have replaced myself but could not locate OEM replacement anywhere else including all auto stores (dealer only part), this was a very dangerous situation, I considered it a timebomb. Thankfully nothing dangerous happened before I took it to dealer, though doing a internet search revealed a common problem for the certain years of Ford rangers which some people due to cost are replacing with a common rubber hose which is very dangerous and has static that could make it go up in flames.
Plastic fuel line split at the input of the fuel filter that is located behind the engine attached to the vehicle frame. When the ignition is turned on gasoline sprays from this crack piece of plastic line. This is due to the fact that the fuel pump is electric and energizes anytime the ignition is on the pump is located in the gas tank at the rear of the truck . This is potentially very dangerous as the spraying gasoline could easily hit the catalytic converter or exhaust system when the vehicle is in motion. Fortunately I noticed the leak under the vehicle when I was warming up the car on as cool morning. As a result no real damage was done. Will cost about $350 to repair.
The gasoline hose from the filler cap to the tank is cracking. This is a common problem, as seen on Ranger web forums. This causes gasoline to leak from the hose as the tank fills. The fuel spills on the ground or very near the catalytic converter. The entire scenario could cause a major fire incident. Additionally, this hose cracking occurred years ago when the vehicle was newer, but not reported until now. This cracking should not occur and could cause serious damage if gas fumes were to ignite. The cracking occurs mostly at the corner where the hose enters the gasoline tank. It is virtually impossible to repair without major costs due to its location.
Last year I started noticing a gas smell when filling. Beginning of this year I noticed gas leak on ground when filling. I am now in the process of replacing the gas fill pipe, it has deteriorated to an unusable condition. Whether this is because of the gasohaul used in mn. Or poor quality in the manufacturing I couldn't tell you,but when I ordered the part they told me the same thing happened to their delivery truck. I believe this is an unsafe condition and should be looked into before there is an explosion or fire in a gas station while someone is filling their truck. Please contact me if more information is needed or what is being done with this matter.
Fuel System complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1997 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1997 Ford Ranger, 16% of the model year's 411 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly › filler pipe and cap (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Ford Ranger fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 1997 Ford Ranger, though it has 1 recall 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 1997 Ford Ranger fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 101,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion system 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.