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 2003 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Truck has no spare tire, totally missing the assembly and bracket originally used to hold the tire (have a junk one in the bed). The crossmember under the truck is about 50% intact is getting ready to fall off. Brake lines and rocker panals rotted out as well. Holes in the frame starting and a patch was already needed on the frame (drivers side rear). As well as a loose bed. The truck is very clean on top but underneath is rotting away like it has 200000 miles on it(truck is at 77,000). I want to remove the rust and coat it but im scared of punching through cause spots are brittle.
I own a 2003 Ford Ranger I bought new. On November 26 2010 I pulled into the parking lot @ work and my clutch and brake pedals fell to the floor causing a minor crash. The pivot bracket that holds the steel pedals is made from cast aluminum. I have been a aluminum welder for over 10 years and in my opinion this bracket is very substandard. I searched the web and found that other people had the same thing happen on rangers and other trucks and Ford cars. If I was on the road this could have been much worse. I sent pictures and a piece of the bracket to a recall investigator. He said its not a common failure since he cant find any complaints.
While coming to a stop consumer noticed brakes became spongy. On December 6, 2003 when the owner applied the brakes to make a stop, the brakes performed erratically. Extended stopping distance was necessary for the brakes to perform efficiently. Vehicle was stopped at a stop sign with the driver's foot depressing the pedal. The brake pedalwent all the way to the floor board and the vehicle rolled into the intersection. Vehicle collided with another vehicle. 2003 Ford Ranger is in the shop and the mechanics are aware that the brakes need to be checked out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Ford Ranger. While driving approximately 5 MPH the consumer's son depressed the brake pedal and his foot unintentionally depressed the accelerator pedal due to the close proximity of both pedals. The driver crashed into a fence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000. Updated 02/14/12 updated 02/22/12
When applying brakes while driving stopping distance was greatly increased and brake pedal was hard to depress. Took vehicle to dealer who could not diagnose any problem. One day, consumer attempted to apply brakes, but pedal was very hard, vehicle then collided with another vehicle.
The vehicle was riding very rough as though some one was knocking on the engine with a hammer. I took it to the dealer ( gene evans Ford ) which is where I purchase it from, all I was told was that is what a truck suppose to sound like. I continue to complain about the roughness of the truck, no one was concern about my complaints. Now here it is September 2010, I take my truck for a oil change and tire rotation in new jersey and the repair shop writes up a invoice stating my rear axle needs an adjustment. The Ford dealerships has service my vehicle all this time and to me they made sure this would not be detected. I had an accident on January 4,2014 and my axel is now bent from a small impact because it was no good from the day I bought the truck. …
I have had to take this vehicle into the dealership for braking problems 7 times now. There has been a constant vibration upon braking. The vibration has become so bad at times, it is difficult to hold the steering wheel. The vibration is being caused by warped rotors. The rotors have been turned and replaced at least 2 times each. I am now on my third set of rotors. The last time I brought the truck back from dealership, it was obvious the caliper was sticking. Ford even had an engineer look at the truck. The engineer looked at the truck 100 miles before the caliper was sticking. He couldn't come up with any reason for the warpage. On taking my truck back to the dealership this past time, the brake pedal started going to the floor and was making a whooshing sound upon depressing the pedal. I was afraid it wouldn't stop. …
During wet weather, rear brake locks up when brakes are applied. Causing skidding and lose of control. First time this happen my local Ford dealership referred to this as a rear brake lock problem, and replaced rear brake components, after that when it happened again I was told that the problem was due to moisture getting into the brake parts and that if I wanted this fixed I would have to pay for the fix it. The first time I was told that there was a service bulletin out on this and that's why it got fixed,now I'm told no such thing exist.first time with problem truck had about 26,000 to 30,000 miles on it seems funny that at 60,000 I would have the same problem.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Ford Ranger. While driving approximately 35 MPH on normal road conditions, the contact heard a loud grinding noise when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection. The failure was contributed to the manufacturer installing incorrect hubs on the vehicle. The service repair cost was estimated at $800. The front brake pads were replaced and the contact was advised to not drive the vehicle due to the potential safety hazard. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified, but there were no resolutions. The failure and current mileages were 60,000.
When releasing the parking brake during wet conditions the linings stick to the drums, this is especially a problem in the winter months as they will freeze. This also causes the brakes to be extremely sensitive during the first 5 miles (approx) of braking. When the vehicle service brakes are applied the rear wheel grab hard and the ABS tries to release them and can't. I have had two faults on the ABS due to this. This is not a one time thing this happens so frequently that during wet/freezing conditions I actually use a 4x4 wood block to hold the vehicle in place..
Brake complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2003 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the brakes of the 2003 Ford Ranger, 14% of the model year's 243 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Ford Ranger brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2003 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 2003 Ford Ranger brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 32% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.