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EnginePart report

2021 Ford Ranger Engine Problems

Complaints
13about this part
Share
11%of 119 total for the year
Median mileage
11,476miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 13 complaints about the engine of the 2021 Ford Ranger, 11% of the 119 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 11,476 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Vehicle is just out of warranty and has less than 45,000 miles yet I'm being told I need a full transmission replacement. I know of 4 other rangers that as soon as they hit 40,000 or there about, began having jerky transmission issues. I reached out to ford for a goodwill request and am being told that I have to pay to have the transmission disassembled just to see IF they will pay for anything to be fixed. Is this not planned obsolesence?”

NHTSA complaint #11767566, filed 2026-09

“It started moth my vehicle losing power and chugging , dealership diagnosed as transmission (10 speed ). After all of the Ford appointed tasks to fix said problem, valves were replaced , did not work then entire transmission was replaced . After 7 times in the shop and many missed work hours . Maybe 2 weeks later truck starts bucking as I enter the highway , was close to getting rear ended . Brought vehicle to dealership 2 weeks later diagnosed with the turbo going out in it . And then Friday 3/14 driving home from work the check engine light comes on. Says emission issues ? …”

NHTSA complaint #11648759, filed 2025-03

“Brakes pedal is soft and keeps going down as you push on it. The peddle does not pump up. Ford dealer says that that’s the way Ford Ranger brakes feel. There are no warning lights and no noise coming from the brake system. Engine idle, the engine idles at 900+ rpm’s, if you don’t keep the break pedal firmly pressed the truck moves forward. I found myself in the middle of an intersection at a stop light this morning. Ford dealer says that is what Ford specifically requires that the idle be set at. I have found numerous similar complaints on the internet from Ford Ranger owners.”

NHTSA complaint #11553431, filed 2023-11

“My truck loses power at a stop, starting to accelerate is stalls in the middle of the road. It seems to be stuck in gear or not going in gear. It will finally start going and the hesitation starts a the rpm gage goes up to about 3000 rpm’s and then goes back down to 1500. This is extremely dangerous to lose power in the middle of the road. This needs to be addressed.”

NHTSA complaint #11719560, filed 2026-02

“Excessive fuel in the oil. Oil smells of gas and is diluted. Almost a quart high at 3000 mile mark. Dealer and Ford admit this may be an issue on some engines but it is supposed to be normal??? We installed a pcv catch can and it will fill up with fuel in about 800-1000 miles. That is almost 8 ozs. The included photo shows oil at about 4000 miles. The second hole you see in the dipstick is above the full mark.”

NHTSA complaint #11606865, filed 2024-08

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2026113%
20251227%
20241011%
2023317%
2022616%
20211311%
20201612%
20192710%
201121%
201043%
200932%
200841%
200710%
2006124%
200572%
200472%
200394%
200262%
200161%
200061%
199951%
199831%
199741%
199620%
199510%
199310%
199211%
199011%
198923%

Other parts of the 2021 Ford Ranger

Transmission and drivetrain
60 complaints
Brakes
15 complaints
Other or unknown
13 complaints
Electrical system
8 complaints
Fuel system
8 complaints
Vehicle speed control
8 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
7 complaints
Body and structure
7 complaints
Back-over prevention (rear camera)
5 complaints
Engine cooling
3 complaints
Air bags
2 complaints
Lane departure
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Ford Ranger

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology