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 2000 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, a deer jumped into the road causing the contact to crash into it. The air bags did not deploy. The driver and the front passenger side seat belts did not retract during the impact. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 00V228001 (seat belts). The driver sustained neck and back pains which required medical treatment. The front passenger sustained pains due to the seat belt not securing and knee pains. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was to be towed to a dealer to determine why the air bags did not deploy. The approximate failure mileage was 143,600.
Tl* the contact owned a 2000 Ford Ranger. While driving approximately 50 MPH on a damp road, the vehicle skid, spin out and crashed into a guardrail. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained neck, rib, and back injuries that required serious medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed a body shop. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000. The VIN was not available. ..updated 10/18/16
I was involved in a front end crash at approx 50 MPH and the air bags did not deploy. I have a 2000 Ford Ranger xlt extended cab. The front impact occurred on the passengers side front head light area. A car pulled out in front of me. The other car took an angled impact on the front drivers side corner and the door and drivers side air bag deployed on their car. The passenger side air bag was turned on in my truck but neither that or my drivers side bag deployed. My head impacted the steering wheel from the crash.
I was in a head on collision involving multiple impacts (two trees and then a iron fence head on) I was estimated as going 50 miles per hour at time of crash with out breaking by police on scene. Both air bags did not deploy. Passenger airbag was turned on. I was wearing my seatbelt however I did suffer a neck injury and have started having headaches 2-3 days after accident. Truck was totaled in accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Ford Ranger. While driving, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact called planet Ford (20403 I-45, spring, tx 77388, [phone]) and schedule a diagnostic appointment. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,900.
While driving at 35 MPH consumer's vehicle collided with the left side of another vehicle that ran a stop sign. There were five injuries between the two vehicles. The police cited the consumer in the other car for running the stop sign. Consumer was wearing seat belt. However, upon impact, air bags failed to deploy.
The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision while driving between 40-50 MPH. None of the frontal air bags deployed upon impact. The driver sustained injuries to to her back, left side, and neck. The driver's neck had a c4,c5 bulging, and is currently in a collar.
Driving along highway in phx az. Lady collided with another vehicle. She was spun around in a circle sending her sideways across 3 lanes of traffic in reverse. Ending up in my lane, on the far right, driving around 65 MPH I stepped on my brakes, skidding into her drivers side rear corner head on directly in the center of my truck. My bumper was creased in the center, pushing it back into my radiator, front grill was crushed, hood was smashed upward, windsheild was broken, both front parts of the frame were bent inward towards the center, steering wheel was bent at the top forward and the center of the steering wheel was cracked to the point that I was unable to steer the truck as the steering wheel just spun around without turning the front wheels. I was wearing my seat belt as was my 5year old daughter. …
I was east bound doing 50 MPH when a west bound Chevy made a left turn into my lane, I pushed brakes turned right impacting the Chevy head on spinning it 180 degrees and back into the west bound lane. Both the Chevy's air bags deployed and it broke it's wind- shield. The air bags in my truck failed to deploy; I'm the original owner of the Ranger. My truck as well as the Chevy were totaled; $8,988. To fix my Ranger. My wife suffered a broken left wrist and she broke a titanium rod in her back. She had to undergo a six hour surgery to remove the broken rods parts in her lower back and the surgeon had to add more rods in her upper back to stabilize two vertebrae , which were damaged in the crash. I send Ford the accident report, body shop estimate and 20+ pictures of the truck and accident scene. Ford said the impact was not enough to set off the air bags. …
Driving 60mph on interstate pheasant flew low in front of verhicle, as the pheasant disapeared in from my view the truck did an abrupt swirve to the left, I had no steering control, the truck went from the right lane accross passing lane and hit head on into flat concrete berrier, the air bags did not deploy, over $9,000 in damage including new frame. When the truck was being hoisted onto rollback I noticed that the tie rod was hanging. The yoke where the tie rod is bolted to (cast iron) was broken off and I noticed a lot of pheasant remains on the tierod and suspension. I am very concerned that a small bird as this would cause the cast iron yoke to break, also why my airbags did not deploy. The front tire and rim did not impact the concrete berrier. …
Airbag complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2000 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 67 complaints about the air bags of the 2000 Ford Ranger, 10% of the model year's 670 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (44 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Ford Ranger airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2000 Ford Ranger, though it has 3 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 2000 Ford Ranger airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 51 crashes, 0 fires and 49 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.