Most common 2004 Ford Ranger problems
Share of the 404 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Ranger complaints by model year
Best Ranger years: 2023, 2022, 2020. Years to avoid: 2019, 1999, 2000, 1998, 1996. Compare all years →
2004 Ford Ranger recalls (10)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement frontal passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is superseding a previous recall for certain 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks to implement a final repair. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is superseding a previous recall for certain 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks to implement a final repair. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge.
Show 4 more recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Ranger trucks manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from January 25, 2011, through April 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2011. Owners May contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
On certain pickup trucks, the frame May have a center rail section flange that was not formed properly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the frame to determine whether the frame was incorrectly manufactured. If there is a problem, the vehicle will not be repaired. Ford and the dealer will replace the vehicle.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2004 Ford Ranger:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Brake lights inoperative
This pe was opened based on technical service bulletin (TSB) #05-6-19 issued by Ford motor company and service bulletin #09-008/5 issued by Mazda motor corporation to address concerns of the center high mounted stop light (chmsl) wiring harness chaffing.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2004 Ford Ranger owners say
Air bags all 189 →
The contact owned a 2004 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving at 10-15 MPH and making a right turn, a vehicle from the opposite lane crashed into the driver's side of the vehicle and the vehicle rolled over about 10 ft in the air, rolled over in a ditch, and landed on its wheel. The air bags did not deploy. The emergency units were unable to assist the contact out of the vehicle as the roof had caved in and was resting on her head. The contact crawled out of the vehicle and was transported to the hospital. The contact sustained a concussion and severe pain in the neck between her shoulder blade which has limited her movements. Additionally, the contact sustained damaged nerves on the left hand and left leg, and chronic lower back pain. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was totaled. A police report was filed. The dealer was not notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving on the highway in rainy weather at 60 MPH, she lost control of the vehicle and drove off the road. The contact stated that she could not recount what happened moments after she drove off the road; she did recall that she pulled up to a stop sign and her air bags had deployed. The police arrived at the scene and assisted the contact with moving the vehicle out of the road; a police report was not filed. The contact did not seek medical attention but suffered burns to her right arm and chest. The contact also sustained bruising to her face. The vehicle was towed the next day to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle remained in the possession of the mechanic and had yet to be repaired. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. …
Body & structure all 46 →
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while doing routine maintenance at a local mechanic, the mechanic found that the rear sub-frame assembly was rusted through and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V331000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Rear frame rusted and rotted..spare tire fell off entire evap can also..both sides rear frame shock and spring shackles rotted and broke off. Entire frame rotted and broke while driving ..on rear driver side frame rusted rotted and broke ..value of truck is not worth what estimates are ..gas tank hangers rusted and rotted many other pieces of frame rusted rotted through..truck is now unsafe to drive an probably unsellable due to broken rusted rotted frame..
Suspension all 29 →
While driving, the spare tire started to fall off due to rusting away of the mounting apparatus. Luckily I noticed it when I stopped for gas (it was hanging by only a bit of still attached rusted metal below the truck) so I cut the cable with some bolt cutters to remove the spare and prevent an accident while driving. Driver's side cab mount separated due to excessive rust. Driver's side floor board fell out due to excessive rust - my foot went through the floor. Frame cracked near rear shackle due to excessive rust. Frame cracked near driver's side rear shock mount due to excessive rust - excessive play and noises caused be to discover this. Bed rusted completely out - above wheel wells on both sides, center of bed, front corners. It came off the truck in several pieces after I put my foot right through the center. …
While driving my 2004 Ford Ranger, only had 60,000 km's on it, down the highway at about 80 kmph, the left side of the rear axle broke, as I was going over a bridge causing loss of control and striking a bridge, tearing up 20 feet of guard rail and railing 5 times. The air bags also did not deploy as they should have as front bumper hit bridge rail directly. Was cleaned up by police and tow company. Insurance company had the vehicle and believe they May have scraped it as they did not want it on the road again.
2004 Ford Ranger engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 21 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 24 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 16 / 21 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 21 / 17 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 19 / 17 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Full-size pickup.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Ford Ranger a good car?
Based on 404 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Ranger rates average: 34% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Ranger at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Ford Ranger?
The air bags — 189 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the body & structure (46) and suspension (29).
How many recalls does the 2004 Ford Ranger have?
There are 10 recalls for the 2004 Ford Ranger, the most recent from April 28, 2023 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Ranger?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2022 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 1999, 2000, 1998 and 1996. See the full Ford Ranger years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford Ranger problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 67,000 miles; 38% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.