Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This complaint is about a Ford Ranger edge supercab 4x4. I have had this truck barely over 2 years and it has 45,000 miles on it. About one year after purchasing the vehicle I started having transmission problems, the "overdrive off" light flashing and funny shifts from first into second as well as a hesitant acceleration followed by a small jerk. I took it in to have it fixed and apparently it was. About 3 months later the transmission started acting up again in the same fashion. I took it in and once again thought it was fixed until a few months later it started doing the same thing. By this time since I thought the truck was finally fixed I decided to add a 4" suspension lift and 33" tires. When I took it in they told me I need either a new transmission or to have this one rebuilt and that the warranty would cover the cost. …
2001 Ford Ranger 4.0 automatic. Erratic shifting during cold weather until the vehicle warms up. Have talked to many others and the problem according to some dealers is the transmission cooler is placed to far foreward of the radiator and the transmission fluid gels during cold weather. Talked to our Ford dealer in town and they say alot of the escapes that use the same transmission and cooling system have lost transmission due to this. The same transmission is also used in the Mazda and my boss at work just had his go out at 15,000 miles on the vehicle. It seems Ford knows about the problem but is not inclined to do anything about it. My vehicle during cold days ( below 30 ) acts like someone is putting the clutch in and out very rapidly when the automatic transmission attempts to shift when it is first driven. …
I was driving my 2001 Ford Ranger down the road, I pushed in the clutch to change gears and something popped. My clutch pedal was now incapable of actuating the clutch to change gears or put it in gear after I put it in neutral. I had to jerk the gearshift out of gear into neutral and stop as traffic had stopped for a red light. We had to push the truck out of the way of traffic. After examining the engine compartment, I saw that the clutch hydraulic line that attaches to the clutch master cylinder had popped off. The roll pin that secures that particular connection had worked itself loose and allowed the line to pop off. The next day I removed the clutch master cylinder, reservoir, and hydraulic line. All the parts were still good, so I bench bled the assembly, installed, and bled the clutch slave cylinder. …
While slowing down at a stop light I tried to engage my clutch pedal and gear became stif, and I could not shift out of 4th gear. The clutch pedal would travel down to almost the floor and not come back up. I got the gear shift into netural and sat for the light. The clutch pedal slowly returned to it's normal position, I depress it again and there was alot of free travel, but I did get it into gear and drove right into a earnhardt dealership that I was going by. I had taken my vehicle into have a similar clutch problem check out last month at the same dealership earnhardt and they could not fine any thing wrong through computer testing. They are saying now that it could be the clutch master or a clutch slave component. The vehicle a Ford Ranger 2001 has under 36,000 miles and just over 3 yrs old. …
On the date listed, the transmission failed to go into reverse. The repair shop told me that the Ford Ranger is notorius for transmission problems that include: 1. Failing to go into reverse, 2. Failing to go into forward after stopping, 3. Jumping gears, or slow gear changes. This information has been confirmed by other shops as well as a google search. In fact, the problem May be severly under reported as Ford dealerships May list as other problems and smaller shops May not link the problem. This is a very costly repair, so I'm sure Ford does not want to be forced to recall all of the rangers, and it appears that this problem does affect several years of rangers on the market. Please google Ford Ranger transmissions, and look at the amount of complaints. …
I was driving to work one morning, and the o/d light (over drive light) started to flash on my 2001 Ford Ranger xlt 4.0 v-6 4x4 truck. I had no idea in what that meant. I drove to work, I called around and that is a trouble condition on the transmission, I said on the tranny it only has 73 thousand miles on it. I was surprised, and the truck is very well kept up. I took it a well know transmission place to have it looked at, and test drove, along with the computer check, and it came back with a reading "incorrect gear ratio on 3". I was like what is that, he said that is ugly. So I took it and got 2 more inquiries, and 1 from a dealership. All the same 3 rd gear trouble. I contacted Ford, and spoke to heather, and needless to say she said that it was only my that has the issue with the transmission no one else does. …
Loud squealing coming from the front axle: excluder (dust) seals. My local Ford dealer has replaced these seals twice already. Now they have went out again. The noise is extremely loud and embarrassing. I have no doubt I'll get a ticket for faulty equipment if an officer hears it. I don't even want to drive it due to the noise. Now that my truck is out of warranty, I fear Ford won't fix their defective parts. I have contacted the dealer who replaced them the last time; however they have not returned my call. On a side note: I take meticulous care of my Ranger and never abuse it. There is no way a seal like this should go out this many times, and from what I've read there are several people with this problem. Ford needs to fix their defective parts once and for all.
I parked my truck Thursday night February 8, 2007. I placed the truck in park and removed the keys. When I returned to my truck early the next morning, I discovered that the truck was actually not in park, even thou the keys were out of it, and the shift indicator showed the vehicle being in park. Had the truck been parked on an incline it could rolled away. I found the head of a small screw laying on my floorboard which have broken from the shifter. When I repaired the truck on Sunday I discovered a very disturbing situation where the gear selector is attached to the transmission cable. The assembly is held together by a small 6mm screw, which the head I found on the floorboards. This happened at 99K mileage.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Ranger. After the contacts vehicle was repaired under the speed control recall, the transmission began to fail. While driving between 50 and 55 MPH, the transmission automatically shifts into neutral and the engine revs. The vehicle also shifts into neutral whenever the cruise control is engaged. The vehicle has been to the dealer twice regarding this failure. The dealer stated that the speed control recall repair was not the cause of the transmission failure. They stated that he needed a new transmission, which will cost $1,300. The NHTSA recall id number for the speed control was unknown. The current mileage was 66,100 and failure mileage was 65,800. Updated 09/25/07
The gear shifter stuck in park. Consumer had to giggle the shifter to remove it from park into drive. Two days later, while making a left turn, the steering wheel locked up. When this occurred consumer heard something break loose in the column, followed by a rattling noise. The steering wheel unlocked after breaking loose, and a rattling noise occurred. Prior to this failure when the steering wheel was turned there was an abnormal clicking noise. Dealership refused to take the steering column apart to inspect it until they could duplicate the failure. They were only willing to replace the steering pump, but the failure was in the steering column.
Transmission complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2001 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 51 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2001 Ford Ranger, 10% of the model year's 515 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Ranger transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2001 Ford Ranger, though it has 4 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 2001 Ford Ranger transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 53,000 miles, and 10% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain 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.