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#BS-2021-FORRAN-1270

2021 Ford Ranger

Based on reports from 128 owners and 6 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
128
Crashes
13
Fires
7
Recalls
6
TSBs
105
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 128 complaints, 13 crashes, 7 fires, and 6 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission banging in 1st-3rd gears slips out higher gear

2 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
2

brake failed to stop vehicle

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

vehicle shakes when braking down hills

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the DrivetrainHIGH

37 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 19K miles.

!Inspect the BrakesMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

16
0–30K
7
30–60K
4
60–90K
4
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (16 reports) • Median: 19K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Drivetrain (37 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Drivetrain37 (29%)
Brakes13 (10%)
Engine13 (10%)
Other7 (5%)
Fuel System7 (5%)
Electrical6 (5%)
Speed Control6 (5%)
Wheels & Tires4 (3%)

2021 Ford Ranger: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 29% of all reports filed for the 2021 Ford Ranger, with 37 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 19,408 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 19K-mile mark.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2021 Ford Ranger, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2021 Ford Ranger, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2021 Ford Ranger, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

16
21
15
22
23
23
30
24
42
25
2
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Ford Ranger. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (6 recalls)

21V765000Mar 2022

CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Ranger Super Cab vehicles equipped with rear seats containing fixed head restraints. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage System."

21V811000Dec 2021

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection" and 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."

21V982000Jan 2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: RADAR

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The cruise control radar module was misaligned during production.

23V379000Jul 2023

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

25V442000Sep 2025

BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.

+ 1 more recall in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Ford Ranger is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2021 Ford Ranger vs. Class Average (Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD)

This vehicle

128

Class avg

223

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical standard pickup trucks 4wd vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 128 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 6 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Ford Ranger Model Years

2026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978
View all Ford Ranger years →

2021 Ford Ranger: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Ford Ranger?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2021 Ford Ranger is related to the drivetrain, with 37 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2021 Ford Ranger reliable?
The 2021 Ford Ranger has 128 complaints, 13 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2021 Ford Ranger problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2021 Ford Ranger have any recalls?
Yes, the 2021 Ford Ranger has 6 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford Ranger problems start?
Based on 31 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 19,408 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 128 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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