common problems to look out for?

[mersingt]

Looking at a few rangers would prefer a 2020 crewcab 4x4. what issues are you all seeing that are common? bum transmissions? gas in oil?

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[Big Blue]

Looking at a few rangers would prefer a 2020 crewcab 4x4. what issues are you all seeing that are common? bum transmissions? gas in oil?

"Common" is a very subjective term. Yes there are somethings that are more common than others, including the two you mentioned. You also need to remember that the people on this or any forum are a small subset of all owners. And the reason that people join a forum is mainly because they have issues or want to find fixes for things they what to make better. Very few join a forum simply to praise their vehicle. I think if you look at all makes in general you will find some issues with all of them. There will always be random failures.

With all that being said. Yes, the Ranger has some issues that have come up. Some of which Ford has made changes to address in later model years. Who knows what will be the next with the updated 2024 model. Just saw an article where J.D. Power rated the Ranger higher I reliability than the Tacoma. Both of which will be all new in 2024.

I guess you just have to try them all out, buy what you like the most and take your chances.

 

[Msfitoy]

Beware of hard, screwy transmission shifts...

 

[mersingt]

"Common" is a very subjective term. Yes there are somethings that are more common than others, including the two you mentioned. You also need to remember that the people on this or any forum are a small subset of all owners. And the reason that people join a forum is mainly because they have issues or want to find fixes for things they what to make better. Very few join a forum simply to praise their vehicle. I think if you look at all makes in general you will find some issues with all of them. There will always be random failures.

With all that being said. Yes, the Ranger has some issues that have come up. Some of which Ford has made changes to address in later model years. Who knows what will be the next with the updated 2024 model. Just saw an article where J.D. Power rated the Ranger higher I reliability than the Tacoma. Both of which will be all new in 2024.

I guess you just have to try them all out, buy what you like the most and take your chances.

I guess this is part of my research. I wanted to know what issues rangers are facing and decide if they are ones I can live with.

If the transmission still works and is not slipping or breaking I don't think that's a deal breaker.

 

[DukeCanBuildit]

No problems here but as @Big Blue points out above, this is a forum and folks often come here when they have issues or concerns. In fact, you even came here looking for problems. The info here is bound to be skewed - you might find more objective information if you search online for TSBs, Recalls, and Consumer Reports.

I have nothing but good things to say about my Ranger but others on here might have you thinking you should run fast and far.

Best of luck.

 

[Big Blue]

I guess this is part of my research. I wanted to know what issues rangers are facing and decide if they are ones I can live with.

If the transmission still works and is not slipping or breaking I don't think that's a deal breaker.

All I have is my experience. I have a 2019 and have had no issues in 30+K miles. I personally think the transmission is great, while others, not so much. I tow a 4,000+ lb camper with no issue and there are people on this forum pulling much bigger ones. That little 2.3 is a towing beast. Is the Ranger perfect no, but what is. I think it is the best one out there.

 

[KJRR]

On this forum, what most have in common, is spending money on the Ranger and looking for problems real or perceived.
Lots of complaints about suspension, climate controls, and shifting. Oh, and lack of a dipstick for the transmission.
I don't have any show stoppers that would cause me not to buy it again.

 

[JustSteve]

You also need to remember that the people on this or any forum are a small subset of all owners. And the reason that people join a forum is mainly because they have issues or want to find fixes for things they what to make better. Very few join a forum simply to praise their vehicle.

Sounds like you have only been on Ford forums. Taco forums are all about how much they love their trucks.

 

[dtech]

You might want to only look at Rangers that have a tailgate damper installed as this is a foolproof indicator that the Ranger has been driven very very conservatively maybe only back and forth to bingo games, it has often been said "real men don't need a damper"

 

[SilverSlugger]

Transmission problems
Oil dilution in engine
AC/heat breaks in the 2019 and 2020's



Fortunately, I have not dealt with the above, but after being on here for a couple years it does seem like a pattern of the above list. But every time i turn on my heat or ac im waiting to hear the dreaded click.

 

[rang19ca]

My 2019 has been good. I had the HVAC box replaced but nothing else has been an issue. I would definitely buy another one down the road.

 

[Radioman]

No problems here but as @Big Blue points out above, this is a forum and folks often come here when they have issues or concerns. In fact, you even came here looking for problems. The info here is bound to be skewed - you might find more objective information if you search online for TSBs, Recalls, and Consumer Reports.

I have nothing but good things to say about my Ranger but others on here might have you thinking you should run fast and far.

Best of luck.

This...

 

[EJH]

Transmission problems
Oil dilution in engine
AC/heat breaks in the 2019 and 2020's



Fortunately, I have not dealt with the above, but after being on here for a couple years it does seem like a pattern of the above list. But every time i turn on my heat or ac im waiting to hear the dreaded click.

Can you elaborate or point me to a thread on this HVAC click? I recently noticed a click behind my HVAC/stereo (lower, like behind the 12V plugs) when the truck is first on, for the first couple minutes, then it goes away. It seems to happen when the automatic climate is adjusting the heat/cool air mix or something like that. I'm now concerned I should be worried

My click may have started after I ran wiring for an aux light switch behind the HVAC/stereo unit. I may remove my wire and see if the click goes away. Could I have interfered with something behind there?

EDIT: I found the thread here. Affected trucks were built prior to mid-2020. My truck was built in Dec 2020.
I also removed my wiring from behind the HVAC and clicking is gone. HVAC works fine. I will have to reroute my wiring. I suspect my 'click' may have even been my wire touching something.

 

[Wytchdctr]

If you don't mind driving slow as the transmission hunts gears... and are sort of hobbit shaped person - get a Taco and run to 200k easy. (Have good insurance for when someone steals your cats...)

The Ranger seems doomed to have some sort of major issue before 100k because it's apparently 1982. At least that is what it seems reading stuff here. Most recently the guy who hit 100k and his list of stuff that broke.

28k on mine and closing on two years; so far

The Bad on mine:

Bed wasn't secure from the factory (warranty fix with a loaner...)

Noise that was super irritating when new (forum member input + grease fixed that)

Sync is just.. bonkers. Never seems to do the same thing twice but it's getting pretty amazing how it can do something new that is dumb (minor)

Transmission hates moderate driving. Either go slow or semi haul ass or it hates 5th and 8th gear (tune or not). Randomly doesn't engage 4th when super cold and before the tune would shift to 10th as fast as possible and piss off the engine. Ford says it's all normal - no fix. They know the valve body has issues and the CDF Drum is doodoo. They quietly changed them or will.. can't find anything that actually says when that happened or will happen.

Transmission oil looks burnt/brown at 28k miles. Recent find... getting it changed asap. That and diff because I have a feeling that is doodoo too.

Battery is dieing already - hopefully that will be warranty. Getting some of the weird warnings on the app and my radio keeps resetting itself to default.

Paint on the fender pealing. Waiting for input from Ford on if they will cover or blame me for the paint removing itself.

Rode like crap until I threw bigger tires with more rubber on the stock rims. Need to swap shocks (real fix) but I may trade it before I do that.

The sensor linked to the EGR system, D??something sensor. Started to show it's but and made it feel like it had bad plugs. I didn't bother with Ford or warranty work and swapped that myself. Easy. Cheap if you get just the sensor and swap hoses.

Brakes felt like absolute crap until i bleed them since Ford couldn't be bothered. Still has a lot of pedal travel compared to .. everything else. After the bleed I adjusted and it is a big easier to modulate brake pressure after this long with it.

Steering wheel doesn't exactly lock into place. Whatever should lock it after adjustment doesn't and I can feel it move a bit under certain circumstances. Ford says normal and live with it. It hasn't broken over almost 2 years so that might be true but a bit annoying.

Pretty sure I'm starting to get water in the cab after a really long rain. It only just started raining so.. more to follow and confirm later. A car wash isn't enough water over time to do it.

Rust appearing under it. Odd since I live in Houston and this thing has never been to the beach.

Terrible use of space for stock storage. Open box swing case from Amazon fixed that. Love that thing.

^- a lot of the stuff above has happened to others. Including my Dad who I only recently found out got a 2019 (don't talk often...) and has run into some of the same issue. However he doesn't post about them on the forum. Maybe skewed a bit but I don't think this thing is as good as it should be based on what they pulled from the parts bin to make it.

The Good.

Engine has been running more power than stock for a year now. Got 1-2mpg better than stock and way better shift patterns. No more "lug" or whatever you want to call it. The only noise from it is from the high pressure side of the fuel system. That is very noisy. Recently got a cover and it really made a difference on how much of that I hear now.

I am not leaking fuel into the oil. I am sure a bit is there because direct injection. Levels stay steady over my 5k OCI. Doesn't burn up the oil either. Only slightly darker than when it went in... I know know the best indicator. Last car would turn it nearly black over the same time.

Beating EPA mpg numbers when not driving like an idiot.

Way easier to move around parking lots and in traffic vs a fullsize.

Kids fit behind me in the backseat (6'2" and the kids are betting big.. quickly). Also motor doesn't seem to notice when I'm loaded with kids and stuff in the bed. Unlike other 4cyls I've driven or owned. That torque.

First truck I've owned with the side looking radar stuff when backing up. Never liked the helper/nanny stuff but that one I like when to massive SUVs part on either side of me.

 

[Tom_C]

Can you elaborate or point me to a thread on this HVAC click? I recently noticed a click behind my HVAC/stereo (lower, like behind the 12V plugs) when the truck is first on, for the first couple minutes, then it goes away. It seems to happen when the automatic climate is adjusting the heat/cool air mix or something like that. I'm now concerned I should be worried

My click may have started after I ran wiring for an aux light switch behind the HVAC/stereo unit. I may remove my wire and see if the click goes away. Could I have interfered with something behind there?

EDIT: I found the thread here. Affected trucks were built prior to mid-2020. My truck was built in Dec 2020.
I also removed my wiring from behind the HVAC and clicking is gone. HVAC works fine. I will have to reroute my wiring. I suspect my 'click' may have even been my wire touching something.

Within the past month, I noticed a click behind the dash sometimes when I first start up. Sounds to me it's in the area behind the display, but hard to tell. The first time I didn't do anything, and since then if I hear it I'll raise the temp setting and it will go away.

It's a 2020, Oct build. My 36m warranty is up in March. I haven't noticed any other issues with heating or cooling. I want to get it checked before warranty is gone, but not sure it will be repeatable when I take it in... you know the drill.


ADDED: BTW, it is NOT the sound like post 214 in this thread. It doesn't sound like a motor trying to move but is stuck. It's a subtle tap, tap. And I don't have any other problems with temp, air flow, etc.

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...-noise-from-the-dash.9659/page-15#post-435725

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