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Ford RangerModel year report

2019 Ford Ranger Problems

Compared with other Ford Ranger years

More complaints than typical for this model

90/100 2.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2022

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
271filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
19,500miles, 99 complaints with mileage
Recalls
11campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 2.3L 4-cyl RWD · 21 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2019 Ford Ranger (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2019 Ranger most often write in about the 10-speed automatic transmission, describing shuddering, harsh or delayed shifts, slipping, and in some cases a dealer diagnosis that the transmission needed replacement, usually from roughly 40,000 to 80,000 miles. A second cluster of complaints covers the HVAC blower/blend-door system and the rearview camera, with several owners noting their vehicle was not covered by the related recalls. Smaller groups describe wiring damaged by rodents and rain water reaching the spark plugs.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Harsh shifting, shudder and transmission failure (10-speed

    • 82 complaints (30%)
    • median 65,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (21 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $8,000 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2019–2026

    Owners describe shuddering, jerking and lunging during shifts, often when pulling away from a stop or between low gears, and some report slipping at highway speed or unexpected downshifts. Several say the truck hesitated or lost acceleration, and a number report the dealer diagnosed an internal transmission problem (including a pump failure) and recommended replacing the transmission. A few mention a wrench symbol or service message on the instrument panel, and in some cases the dealer covered part of the repair cost while others had no warranty coverage. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 80,000 miles, though a few appear under 5,000 miles.

    Recall 19V366000Recall 19V0710006 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test drive from a cold start through several stop-and-go cycles and note any shudder, hesitation or harsh engagement; ask for service records showing transmission fluid changes, TCM reprogramming or replacement of the seal kits noted in the bulletins.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had my 2019 Ford Ranger xlt supercrew in the dealers shop twice. Both for automatic transmission related problems. The first issue happened just shy of 20k miles. The truck would shake and jerk when starting from a light or stop. The transmission was pretty much overhauled. The second issue happened around 8k miles later as I hit 28k miles. This time the truck would hesitate between gears. I took it back to the dealership and they replaced the.module for a second time after first replacing it at the time they overhauled the transmission. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11390940, filed 2021-02, 20,000 miles

    “The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the vehicle downshifted unexpectedly. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”

    NHTSA complaint #11605700, filed 2024-07, 50,000 miles
  2. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    No heat, weak A/C or blower/blend-door problems

    • 34 complaints (13%)
    • median 31,000 mi at 4.3 yrs old (17 state mileage)
    • filed 2020–2026

    Owners report hot air coming through the vents when cold air is expected, weak or missing airflow, and in some cases a ticking noise followed by the blower or blend-door actuator not working. Dealers reportedly diagnosed the air distribution box, the blower motor or the blend-door actuator, and several owners say they were told their vehicle was not included in the related recalls even though the symptoms matched. Seen from a few hundred miles up to around 128,000 miles, with many reports in the first 10,000 miles.

    Recall 19V726000Recall 20V137000

    What to check: With the engine cold, run the defroster and A/C through all vent settings and listen for ticking or clicking from the dash; ask whether the blower motor recall work was completed and whether the blend door has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2019 Ford ranger that was built June 24th 2019 the internet states that any Ford ranger 2019 XLT built before July 30th 2019 has a recall for the HVAC system in the blower motor well my truck did not make the recall list but yet it has every single issue that they recall every time I call all they say is my vehicle VIN number is not on the recall but what is the chances that my blower motor and my blend door actuator does not work. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11602405, filed 2024-07, 128,142 miles

    “The info screen which controls HVAC freezes up preventing the user from changing the HVAC settings which could cause the windshield to fog or freeze . Very dangerous...it's happening in all fords not just the Ranger yet no recal as of yet”

    NHTSA complaint #11387374, filed 2021-01, 15,000 miles

Buying note. On a used 2019 Ranger, prioritize service records for the 10-speed automatic and a careful test drive through stop-and-go traffic, then confirm the status of the blower-motor and rearview-camera recalls by VIN. A pre-purchase inspection that covers the engine bay wiring and a scan for stored codes is worthwhile given the reported electrical and misfire complaints.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 271 consumer complaints for the 2019 Ford Ranger. 99 of the complaints include a mileage, and 75% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 19,500 miles. Of all complaints, 13 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns and 140 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 7 Ford Ranger model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 90 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Seats (9), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (8), Seat belts (7), Engine cooling (5), Steering (5), Air bags (4), Forward collision avoidance (4), Lane departure (4), Wheels (4), Body and structure (3), Electronic stability control (2), Tires (2).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “I changed my oil at 5,000 miles, I have approximately 8,400 miles on my truck now. I noticed excessive fuel built up in my oil catch can. After doing some research a lot of people with the 2019 Ford Ranger are having the same issue. I checked my oil and my oil was saturated with fuel. Fuel is getting into the engine oil.”

NHTSA complaint #11394340, filed 2021-02, 8,400 miles

Electrical system: “Takata recall- I was recently in a car accident with my 2019 Ford Ranger and when I pressed the brake the would not apply so I continued to pump the brake and would not apply as I approached the other vehicle the precollison assist turned on and still nothing as I held the brakes down causing an accident”

NHTSA complaint #11193956, filed 2019-04, 1,323 miles

Other or unknown: “Purchased a 2019 Ford Ranger in june 2020. In july, I noticed that the ignition trim ring bezel, a part to secure the ignition cylinder to the steering column was missing and the cylinder could possibly detach. I contacted the dealership twice and have no response.”

NHTSA complaint #11375353, filed 2020-11, 125 miles

Engine: “Sometimes truck stays in gear after shifting into park. Has rolled forward after I exited the vehicle. Lane keep assist has misjudged lane & turned the wheels sharply causing unwanted lane change. Pre collision warning often sounds alarms & shows visual warnings with no traffic nearby, the system has emergency braking & I'm afraid of it applying brakes when I'm on the interstate. Crash detected audible & visual warnings often appear when there has never been a crash. Driver's door mirror is not secure, vibrates/rattles when truck is at highway speeds. …”

NHTSA complaint #11298310, filed 2020-01, 700 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

75% of the 99 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 4,000 and 50,000 miles.

35%0–1018%10–2521%25–5013%50–757%75–1004%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (99 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 19,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

2019202020212022202320242025582026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2019 Ford Ranger. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Ranger · crew cab 2WD★★★★☆5 / 4553 · 29.2% risk
Ranger · crew cab 4WD★★★★☆5 / 4553 · 25.6% risk
Ranger · extended cab 4x2not rated———3 · 29.2% risk
Ranger · extended cab 4x4not rated———3 · 25.6% risk

Neighbouring years: 2020: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2019 Ford Ranger version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Ranger 2WD2.3L 4-cyl10-speed automatic212623$2,900
Ranger 2WD Incomplete2.3L 4-cyl10-speed automatic191818$3,700
Ranger 4WD2.3L 4-cyl10-speed automatic202422$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 11 recalls for the 2019 Ford Ranger → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 140 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 140 bulletins →

Other model years of the Ford Ranger

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20269328423—Too new
2025441,05013423Too new to compareToo new
2024964,20013422Too new to compareToo new
2023181,8504423—Too new
20223815,500542326 · FewerRising
202111932,800642367 · MoreRising
202013020,000742371 · MoreRising
201927119,5001142390 · MoreRising
201123548,750522044 · TypicalFalling
201015651,0008—2141 · TypicalFalling
200916936,2507—2152 · TypicalFalling
200832662,5005—1847 · TypicalFalling
200727065,0005—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200627269,72012—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200528957,5009—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200440566,80310—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200324356,0001—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200234655,7003—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200151582,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200067082,0003—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199975589,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1998576100,0005—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1997411100,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1996413116,5002—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1995321139,0261—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling
1994438115,9154—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199323293,9043—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199218993,3242—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199113282,5002—19Not compared (before 2008)Stable
1990105145,5003—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19897382,0001—18Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19888989,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198750109,1174—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198635109,3684—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19852727,0001—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198412135,0006—19—Not enough data
198311—5———Not enough data

All Ford Ranger model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Ford Ranger?

Owners of the 2019 Ranger most often write in about the 10-speed automatic transmission, describing shuddering, harsh or delayed shifts, slipping, and in some cases a dealer diagnosis that the transmission needed replacement, usually from roughly 40,000 to 80,000 miles. The issues reported most often: Harsh shifting, shudder and transmission failure (10-speed; No heat, weak A/C or blower/blend-door problems.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2019 Ford Ranger have?

NHTSA recorded 271 consumer complaints for the 2019 Ford Ranger as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2019 Ford Ranger is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 92 complaints (34% of the total), followed by electrical system with 41.

Has the 2019 Ford Ranger been recalled?

NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2019 Ford Ranger do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2019 Ford Ranger 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Ford Ranger get?

The EPA rates the 2019 Ford Ranger (Ranger 2WD, 2.3L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 21 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2019 Ford Ranger reported?

Among the 99 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 19,500 miles and the middle half falls between 4,000 and 50,000 miles; 75% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.