Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My son was driving his Ford Ranger xl 2002 when due to a pedestrian, the car in front of him slammed on their brakes causing my son to rear end them. Snowy weather was a factor. The brakes didn't catch as they should have. His airbags blew up, not deploy- blew up and caught fire! The steering wheel blew up! Extensive damage occurred to the steering column steering wheel and dashboard components. The starter went out and the truck would not start. Insurance deemed the truck totaled. Obviously the airbags were defective!! Was there a recall concerning any of these components that we were never informed of? What compensation is available to us for this obvious manufacturers defect?...updated 02-03-15
We are original owners of a 2002 Ford Ranger xlt now with 57,000 highway miles, always garaged/washed/maintained, little driving in winter (mostly in summer), always Ford maintained/serviced at same dealership, body/engine/transmission in great shape, will likely fail inspection this sping because frame and frame components are severely rusted out. - severe rust on the entire frame including both cross members (engine and transmission), arm bolt points and control arms. - frame also has severe rust down both sides to rear bumper, rear axle and differental, leaf springs and all mounts. - the passenger side stearing knuckle is delaminating. - all brake lines have failed while driving: first the rear brakes including all axle couplings and drum couplings; second the front brake lines failed at the disk brakes and rubber couplings. …
On February 1, 2007, I was slowly following an SUV in a crowded parking lot as we both looked for a parking spot. The SUV stopped. I applied the brakes and then suddenly my 2002 Ford Ranger accelerated. The tires squealed as the brakes fought the acceleration. I hit the SUV from behind. The SUV pulled forward and the Ranger continued to accelerate an hit the SUV again. I shut off the engine. The Ranger was towed to a body shop. When the body work is complete I will have the Ranger towed to a Ford dealer to address the sudden, unintended acceleration problem.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact was informed by his neighbor that his vehicle was smoking in the driveway. The contact noticed black smoke coming from the vehicle. The fire department disconnected the battery and stated that there was electrical failure. There were no flames present, but a fire report was filed. A case was filed with the manufacturer and they stated that the anti-lock braking system caused the failure. No repairs were made to the vehicle. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were less than 99,000.
I've owned my 2002 Ford Ranger since new and have had all service performed by the dealer. The vehicle has 60,000 miles and was serviced under a contract purchased with the vehicle when new. Issues with the brakes started within the first year of ownership and have steadily worsened since. The complaint has been submitted to various dealers at least ten times with no trouble found. One failure mode I have observed resulted in three very close calls where the brake pedal is firm, but the vehicle does not slow. Pressing the brake harder does not increase braking effectiveness. In one instance, I was forced to drive off the road to avoid (killing) a pedestrian. A second failure mode is the opposite; a slight amount of pressure applied to the brake pedal results in the front brakes locking. …
After 25000 miles, the steering wheel would shake violently when braking at highway speeds. Took the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer found that the rotors were warped. The dealer asked if I did a lot of stop and go driving. I explained that I drive 4 miles to the freeway, 75 miles on the freeway at 4:30 am, barely any traffic, and then 2 miles to the building in which I work. So no, I do not drive in stop and go traffic. The dealer did not want to cover the rotors under the 3/36 warranty, he said that the brakes were not covered. I explained that I understand that brake pads were not covered, but that the brake rotors are not a consumable items. After 3 days of arguing with the dealer, they finally replaced the rotors under warranty. 25000 miles later, I have the same problem. They are replacing these rotors for free. …
I have a 2002 Ford Ranger xlt ext. Cab and the brakes started some squealing around 23,000 miles. Well, I took the truck back to the dealer and they had to resurface the front rotors and rear drums. The dealer I think did a great job, it took them 4-5 hours, although they did it at their cost. The pads they said were OK. I talked to Ford already (due to a survey I filled out), and they said they would pass it on to their engineers. What gets me is I also own another Ford and the brakes have never been touched at 68,500 miles! Now I have got almost 25,000 miles on the truck and when they heat up and/or you apply them they are barly squelling again. So I guess I will have to either take it back to Ford or get another truck brand. It seems Ford knows something because go look at new Ford Ranger's at a dealership and the brakes are bigger & better!
After complaints to the Ford dealerabout shaking in the front brakes that they could not find, I took my 2002 Ford Ranger with 27,000 miles on it to my local mechanic who is a napa service center. The shaking became very bad and the mechanic would fit me in the next day to resuface the rotors. They found the silver metal on the rotors was flacking off and they were warped to the point that they could not be turned and were not usable any more. When I got to the garage at 4:30 pm all I could do was have them put on new rotors so I could have transportation to work the next morning at 6:00 am. When I called the dealer the next morning, they said they would not do anything because it was not done at the Ford dealer. I did not ask for payment for the work, just for coverge of the defective rotors.
I purchased a 2002 Ranger edge 4x4 , it had 4 miles on it. I have since replaced the airbag sensor, ABS sensor, front end had tobe realigned due to a bad alignment at the factory,the tires in the front had to be replaced at 4500 miles. Now at 38000 miles the 4x4 drivetrain was leaking at the front cover. The breathing tube was throwing oil out onto the engine . I was told by Ford company and a Ford tech. That this was a e4nginnering problem. It was replaced at my cost of 796.00. The cover was replaced with a part that was used previous to 1995, part number is fof6tz-4033-ba. My complaint is why is this not a recall and can I expect future problems.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 07v33600 (vehicle speed control). The dealer disconnected the deactivation switch. The ABS warning indicator light illuminated intermittently after the switch was disconnected. The dealer stated that the failure was caused by a failed pressure control switch. The contact stated that not being able to use the cruise control was an inconvenience. The dealer stated that the part wouldn't be available until after January of 2008. The failure mileage was 65,000 and current mileage was 66,000. Updated 03/13/08.
Brake complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2002 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the brakes of the 2002 Ford Ranger, 7% of the model year's 346 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Ford Ranger brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2002 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 2002 Ford Ranger brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 28,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 2 fires and 3 injuries to brakes 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.