Does the 2003 Ford Ranger have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2003 Ford Ranger, the most recent reported on October 13, 2009 (Vehicle speed control). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Ranger?

Owners have filed 243 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is structure (43 complaints), followed by vehicle speed control (40).

How many 2003 Ford Ranger complaints mention a crash or fire?

37 of 243 complaints report a crash and 11 a fire; 43 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2003 Ford Ranger recalls and problems

1 recall and 243 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Ford Ranger.

recalls

243

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2003 Ford Ranger recalls

Vehicle speed control

NHTSA campaign 09V399000 · reported October 13, 2009 · FORD MOTOR COMPANY · 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
The risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
The fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Structure43
Vehicle speed control40
Service brakes, hydraulic29
Air bags25
Suspension23
Engine and engine cooling18
Electrical system17
Power train16
Unknown or other12
Tires10

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Jul 15, 2025 · Power train
Ford knows about the problems with the dual clutch and they are refusing to fix them. I have been giving the run around om trying to get my car fixed. I am a disabled veteran and all I get is they can't help. I just found out about these cars have this problem and ford has know about his problem for years.. they need…

Jun 18, 2023 · Service brakes
Truck has no spare tire, totally missing the assembly and bracket originally used to hold the tire (have a junk one in the bed). The crossmember under the truck is about 50% intact is getting ready to fall off. Brake lines and rocker panals rotted out as well. Holes in the frame starting and a patch was already needed…

Apr 14, 2023 · Structure
The frame of my truck has rotted through. The strap that holds the gas tank has nothing to connect to, i think the tank could fall to the ground under the right circumstances. The frame has a large whole in it and i fear it will break very soon. I had to remove the spare tire because i feared it would fall off the…

Apr 4, 2023 · Air bags
Airbag warning light always on.

Aug 15, 2022 · Structure · 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, an abnormal, rattling noise began to emit from the rear of the vehicle without warning. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear cross members had rotted out due to severe corrosion. The contact also stated that the fuel…

Ranger model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2000	3	670	86	12
2001	4	515	62	9
2002	3	346	43	12
2003	1	243	37	11
2004	10	405	42	3
2005	9	289	23	5
2006	12	272	14	2

Across all years, the 2000 Ranger has the most complaints (670). All Ford Ranger years →

Questions

Does the 2003 Ford Ranger have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2003 Ford Ranger, the most recent reported on October 13, 2009 (Vehicle speed control). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Ford Ranger?: Owners have filed 243 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is structure (43 complaints), followed by vehicle speed control (40).
How many 2003 Ford Ranger complaints mention a crash or fire?: 37 of 243 complaints report a crash and 11 a fire; 43 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received July 15, 2025.