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 2019 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 35 MPH. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was skipping gear, slipping, and shifting hard. The check engine warning light was briefly illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the head gasket was failing. The dealer stated that coolant was intruding into the engine, and there was engine oil was entering into the spark plugs, causing engine failure. The dealer also diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. The head gasket and the transmission were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be drive more often for the vehicle to run properly. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while his wife was driving from a complete stop and releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle continued to accelerate unintendedly until the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated the vehicle experienced hard shifts from first gear to third gear. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving in the higher gears. Additionally, the contact stated while attempting to drive from a complete stop on a hill, the vehicle rolled backwards upon depressing the accelerator pedal, nearly causing a crash. The driver turned off and restarted the vehicle, and shifted into drive(D), and the vehicle responded as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the transmission fluid was replaced; however, the failure got progressively worse. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that there was a mixture of fluid and oil inside the rear passenger's side wheel, and onto the brake calipers and the rear axle. The dealer determined that the passenger's side rear axle seal was leaking. The dealer replaced the passenger's side rear axle seal. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and jolted while the transmission skipped from 1st to 3rd gear. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated to respond and made an abnormal sound while accelerating and decelerating, and then jolted when shifting into gear. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring more increasingly. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the transmission shuddered abnormally. In addition, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle drove without issues. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was diagnosed as an internal transmission pump failure. The contact was informed that the transmission pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact was informed that the manufacturer was aware of the failure; however, the repair was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. …
Manufacture defected valve cover allows water to gather and leak into coils causing vehicle to shut down at highway speeds ! This is EXTREMELY dangerous and FORD admitted knowing of the issue and even has an active internal fix but demands payment to fix issue. My service advisor said Ford has known of this issue but would only repair if the customer pays for it. Please take this matter under heavy consideration as I nearly lost my life on [redacted] . I have personally read over 7300 online complaints of similar findings from not only Ford Ranger owners , but mechanics from private shops to Ford certified repair shops. Please , please, please contact Ford customer care, they will tell you there is a know issue that they agree poses a threat to drivers . Thank you very much .
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine and the service warning lights then became illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a nearby Ford dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with internal failure of the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar description of the failure; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated. The contact then stated that the vehicle failed to shift while accelerating. As a result, the contact had to use the automatic shift to manually drive the vehicle. The power train warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that a technician was unavailable at the specific location and advised to take the vehicle to a sister dealer where the vehicle remained and diagnosed that the transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was offered half the cost of the repair, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and up to 45 MPH, the vehicle jerked, lunged, and shuddered while the transmission was shifting gear. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping while in low gear and in higher gears. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the transmission was shifting while shifting rough from first to second gear. The contact stated that over time, the failure progressed and had occurred while shifting into gear. The contact stated that the failure had self-corrected as the engine warmed up. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed that the transmission was faulty. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 77,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting roughly. While approaching a stop, there was an abnormal squealing sound detected from the tires, with the vehicle vibrating. The vehicle was randomly changing lanes while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who test drove the vehicle and confirmed that the vehicle had abruptly downshifted, and the tires were squealing. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles. The fasteners that attach the transmission shifter cable bracket to the transmission may loosen allowing the transmission to be in a different gear than indicated by the gear shift lever position.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the transmission shift cable bracket fasteners as necessary, and verify the proper transmission shift operation, free of charge.
Power train › Automatic transmission
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019 Ranger vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions. In some of these vehicles, the transmission shift lever can be moved from the "Park" position without the key in the starting system and without depressing the brake pedal.
Remedy: Ford has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the transmission floor shift selector interlock assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 22, 2019.
Transmission complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2019 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 92 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2019 Ford Ranger, 34% of the model year's 270 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2019 Ford Ranger transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 19V-366 (floor shift, May 13, 2019); NHTSA recall 19V-071 (automatic transmission, Feb 1, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2019 Ford Ranger transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 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.