Reliability and Adaptive Cruise?

[Dgc333]

I have a little over 30k miles on my 21 Lariat Ranger and it has been flawless. The truck has not been back on the dealers lot for anything. I do my own oil changes and put gas in it.

I didn't think I would like the adaptive cruise control but have grown to love it on the two lane roads I most frequent. I still like it on the hiway but I find I will run up on a slower vehicle and it will slow the truck down to match the speed of the vehicle in front so gradually that I don't notice. With regular cruise you know you are running up on someone and can plan a pass with out slowing down. Depending on the traffic I will switch it to regular cruise on the hiway.

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[dtech]

Mine has been reliable in all aspects. I wouldn't buy the current gen Tacoma unless it was 50% off but Yota still sells without big discounts, if you've not done so suggest you read some realistic reviews of the Tacoma and 4Runner - archaic is a word frequently used.

 

[shane1]

Mine has been reliable in all aspects. I wouldn't buy the current gen Tacoma unless it was 50% off but Yota still sells without big discounts, if you've not done so suggest you read some realistic reviews of the Tacoma and 4Runner - archaic is a word frequently used.

Agreed. Old and simple but seem to be reliable. If the Ranger is also as reliable, that is what I would prefer due to the higher torque and specs.

 

[EJH]

Agreed. Old and simple but seem to be reliable. If the Ranger is also as reliable, that is what I would prefer due to the higher torque and specs.

You can't beat the engine in our Rangers compared to current/recent gen mid-size trucks. The 2.3L turbo punches above its class. I tow a 5,000 lbs with my truck just fine (Grompaw tows even more).

If you are buying new, and have time, I'd try to wait and test drive both the upcoming '24 Ranger and '24 Tacoma. I also saw the new model Chevy Colorado Trail Boss yesterday on display and it looks nice too, but I'm not familiar with its drivetrain. Lots more options for mid-size trucks on the horizon than when I was shopping three years ago.

 

[Ronbo]

Recent article on Motor Biscuit which names the Ford Ranger as the most reliable midsize truck for 2023, but it has pictures of the Tacoma in the article. Go figure.

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/most-reliable-midsize-truck-isnt-2023-toyota-tacoma/

 

[stufus]

Just another data point for OP. Have a 2020 Ranger that was purchased new in July 2020. ~32,000 miles and have not had a single problem with it. The only time it's gone back to the dealer was for about 15 minutes because of the rear headrest recall.

There are some complaints with the transmission on this forum, I've not experienced any problems. The engine is superb and very "truck-like" (lots of low / mid-range power and tons of torque). Ford had problems with several of their Gen 1 EcoBoost engines, but the 2.3 seems to be very robust. The Ranger version is based on the strongest 2.3 (from the Focus RS) but has been detuned by 80 HP and 40 ft lb. Seems like they are very conservative with tuning for increased longevity. Have towed ~3000 lbs a few times and the truck pulls that easier than our 2005 F150 5.4 did. Haven't towed a "real load" but for lighter trailers, I'm more than impressed by the towing capability.

As for adaptive cruise, I've driven several cars with it and honestly think the Ranger's is the smoothest. I prefer regular cruise most of the time and I love that you can switch between the two (drove a Tacoma for a month that had adaptive cruise with no way to just use regular cruise....). Only once, after about 200 miles of dirt roads / offroading, did adaptive cruise stop working. Looked at the radar sensor and saw it was a bit crooked - a solid push and it snapped back into place. It's been fine ever since.

As stated by others, you'll get a million opinions on this forum, but reliability was a big concern for me. My brother bought a truck in 2019 decided to get a 2019 Frontier (last year of the old body style & 4.0), primarily for reliability. Overall, he's had good luck with it but it has required several trips to the dealer (under warranty) to replace a window motor, fix the infotainment, and replace a leaking light. It will be interesting to see if the Frontier or Ranger is more reliable over the years...but right now, the Ranger is in the lead.

 

[jmelair]

I have noticed that at the closest setting, it is just a little long, yet a majority of drivers won't cut in.

Drive down I-95, anywhere between Massachusetts and Virginia, you'll be surprised by how small of a space people need to think they fit.

that all being said, my Ranger is the 2nd vehicle I've had with adaptive cruise (both Fords), and it works without a significant complaint. (when a car cuts in front of me and the system jabs the brakes, I can't complain about that)

 

[imapseudonym]

We have a Tesla Model 3 and Ranger. I really enjoyed the Tesla's adaptive cruise control over the rangers. I still use the ranger one but I feel like it brakes a lot harder and more frequently than our tesla. I know a lot of people hate on the Teslas but living in CA with a 40 mile commute made sense for us.

 

[Squatchranger]

Agreed. Old and simple but seem to be reliable. If the Ranger is also as reliable, that is what I would prefer due to the higher torque and specs.

So my 19 had the transmission issue that is plaguing a lot of us, from what I have gathered the issue is due to a flawed design in the cdf drum, a seal to be specific. The new ones have the fixed design and should be ok. After getting the updated cdf and having the software update applied mine drives great, acc works brilliantly as does the lane keep, even able to lock and track groups of bikers. I would definitely advise getting an extended warranty regardless if nothing else due to the amount of technology in these vehicles, you will have 3 radar sensors, an optical one among many others. That kind of stuff aint cheap to fix.

 

[shane1]

So my 19 had the transmission issue that is plaguing a lot of us, from what I have gathered the issue is due to a flawed design in the cdf drum, a seal to be specific. The new ones have the fixed design and should be ok. After getting the updated cdf and having the software update applied mine drives great, acc works brilliantly as does the lane keep, even able to lock and track groups of bikers. I would definitely advise getting an extended warranty regardless if nothing else due to the amount of technology in these vehicles, you will have 3 radar sensors, an optical one among many others. That kind of stuff aint cheap to fix.

Thanks. Do you know which years are fixed?

 

[Squatchranger]

Thanks. Do you know which years are fixed?

Don't quote me on this but I believe that the later 22's and on got the new module, there are some class actions and stuff now because ford knows about the issue and is pretty much saying let it fail and we will replace it (sucks to suck if you're out of warranty) instead of proactively swapping the defective ones out. Some with the faulty design run just fine, in fact it seems like most do. Biggest thing is if you feel it shifting rough or the revs blip and are unstable or it revs and you don't move you need to take it in immediately. I have a thread about my experience (Major PIA). Post repair it is smooth as silk and I don't feel it shift up or down at all. Regardless of what year you buy tho I would definitely have them do the reflash with the updated software, it is much much better than how it performed pre issue and update

 

[SeaRanger]

Make sure you understand that the 2019-2023 rangers do NOT have stop n go adaptive cruise control.

The new 2024 gen of rangers will have stop n go adaptive cruise control.

In my opinion the dumb version of the current rangers adaptive cruise control isnt worth the money. In heavy traffic, you and your sciatica are still doing all the accleration and stopping. This cruise control will not stop your vehicle, it will slow it down to 10mph and then stop cruise controlling all together.

Other annoyinf things about the ranger. Apple and android Carplay require you to connect the USB cable which charges slow. The driveshaft shudder that appears to be on every ranger is annoying. Im thinking about eating the loss and trading my ranger in for the 2025 ranger. Very happy with my truck though, she tows like a beast and has excellent fuel economy.

 

[shane1]

Make sure you understand that the 2019-2023 rangers do NOT have stop n go adaptive cruise control.

The new 2024 gen of rangers will have stop n go adaptive cruise control.

In my opinion the dumb version of the current rangers adaptive cruise control isnt worth the money. In heavy traffic, you and your sciatica are still doing all the accleration and stopping. This cruise control will not stop your vehicle, it will slow it down to 10mph and then stop cruise controlling all together.

Other annoyinf things about the ranger. Apple and android Carplay require you to connect the USB cable which charges slow. The driveshaft shudder that appears to be on every ranger is annoying. Im thinking about eating the loss and trading my ranger in for the 2025 ranger. Very happy with my truck though, she tows like a beast and has excellent fuel economy.

Thank you for the very informative post. Have you considered any of the other midsize trucks?

 

[SeaRanger]

I considered all the current mid size trucks availablr and determined the ranger had the best fuel economy and towing power given a gas 4 cyl turbo. I would consider the 4 cylc turbo diesel offered in the Chevy Colorado.

I currently still own a 2014 tacoma v6 trd offroad and it is absolute garbage in every aspect compared to my 2020 ranger. Towing, tranny, seat comfort, suspension all sux on the 2.5 gen taco.

The next gen tacoma finally switched to a 4 cyl turbo and hybrid option. Cabin looks great and great new features. Toyota knows how to make long lasting vehicles, they have always been behind the curb for towing power/fuel efficiency of their trucks. I try to avoid buying first year of new generation vehicles as they are riddled with problems to be fixed in later year releases.

 

[shane1]

I considered all the current mid size trucks availablr and determined the ranger had the best fuel economy and towing power given a gas 4 cyl turbo. I would consider the 4 cylc turbo diesel offered in the Chevy Colorado.

I currently still own a 2014 tacoma v6 trd offroad and it is absolute garbage in every aspect compared to my 2020 ranger. Towing, tranny, seat comfort, suspension all sux on the 2.5 gen taco.

The next gen tacoma finally switched to a 4 cyl turbo and hybrid option. Cabin looks great and great new features. Toyota knows how to make long lasting vehicles, they have always been behind the curb for towing power/fuel efficiency of their trucks. I try to avoid buying first year of new generation vehicles as they are riddled with problems to be fixed in later year releases.

Thank you. Also looking at the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X. Has a lot going for it as well as adaptive cruise control with stop/go for sciatica nerve relief.

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