This is a follow up to previous report 11773016. This morning we had Triple "A" haul the 2026 ford ranger lariat to the Corwin Ford dealership here in Reno. Upon arriving to pick up the vehicle the Tow vehicle driver looked under the vehicle and discovered ALL attaching bolts on the left front brake caliper missing and the caliper floating loosely. He was shocked that we had not had a critical incident!! I had reported earlier to Corwin Ford unusual locking up on left turns and was told by the dealership that there was NOTHING WRONG. We have been driving the vehicle at highway speeds to and from RENO- This is outrageous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The worst 2026 Ford Ranger problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Transmission3
- Brakes2
- Electrical2
- Seats2
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission3
- Brakes2
- Electrical2
- Seats2
- Engine1
- Lights1
- Wheels1
Recalls 8
Equipment: electrical: infotainment
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger vehicles equipped with a 10.1-inch center stack screen. The screen may lose power and fail to display the rearview camera image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- A rearview camera image that does not display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The remedy is currently under development. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed October 7, 2026. Additional letters will be sent when the remedy is available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C42. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on September 25, 2026.
Recall number 26V605000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Mustang, and Ranger vehicles. The engine piston domes may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in piston dome failure and lead to a loss of drive power.
- Risk
- An unexpected loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the engine pistons and replace the engine long block, if necessary, free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 3, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on August 28, 2026.
Recall number 26V548000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Explorer, Ranger, and Bronco vehicles. The engine may fail, which can result in a loss of drive power.
- Risk
- A sudden loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engine long block, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S35. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on May 28, 2026.
Recall number 26V343000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The vehicle specifications listed on the tire placard and safety certification labels may be incorrect, including the VIN, capacity weight, seating capacity, front and rear gross axle weight rating (GAWR), tire and rim dimensions, and recommended cold tire pressure. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims" and 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
- Risk
- The incorrect tire size, tire pressures, and GAWR listed on the labels can allow the vehicle to be overloaded or have improperly inflated tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and if necessary, replace the certification and TREAD labels, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 3, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C24. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on May 28, 2026.
Recall number 26V335000 · Recall details
Seats: critical fasteners
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger and Bronco vehicles. The front seats may have a loose or dislodged seat frame height-adjust pivot bolt.
- Risk
- A seat with a dislodged bolt may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the pivot links and bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 26S30. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on beginning April 30, 2026.
Recall number 26V268000 · Recall details
Structure: interior panels: sun visor
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles. The sun visor or headliner wiring harnesses may be improperly positioned or have excessive tape thickness, which can result in damaged wires.
- Risk
- Damaged wires can create an electrical short and cause a fire in the A-pillar area, increasing the risk of injury or a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the wiring for damage and update the body control module software. Damaged wiring harnesses will be replaced as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. This will be a Phased campaign. Phase 1 will include 2025 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 5/31/2026. Phase 2 will include 2026 model year vehicles and Phase 3 will include 2024 model year vehicles. Owners will be notified by mail the week of 6/29/2026 for Phase 2 and the week of 7/27/2026 for Phase 3. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed May 5, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy is available, anticipated in October 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S29. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on on April 17, 2026.
Recall number 26V238000 · Recall details
Electrical system: integrated trailer brake control
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Maverick, 2024-2026 Ranger, 2023-2026 F-600 SD, 2022-2027 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and 2026 E-Transit vehicles. When towing a trailer, the integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, possibly causing a loss of brake and turn signal lights, or a loss of brake function. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Risk
- Trailer lights or brakes that do not function can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The integrated trailer module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 25, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C10. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on beginning March 17, 2026.
Recall number 26V104000 · Recall details
Air bags: side/window: curtain
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024-2026 Ranger vehicles. The side curtain air bags may contact the B-Pillar inner reinforcements and tear during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
- Risk
- Air bags that deploy improperly during a crash increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install protective shields, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25C41.
Recall number 25V541000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2026 Ford Ranger 23
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Some 2020-2026 Aviator/Explorer/F-150/Bronco/Ranger vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or 3.0L (non-diesel)...
- Quality improvements include: -Enhanced Android Auto and Car Play connectivity
- Quality improvements include: -Addresses a bug that may
- Quality improvements include: -ePrivacy enhancements
- Some of the following vehicles: 2023-2025 F-Super Duty built on or before 02-Feb-2025 2024-2026...
- For Various Ford and Lincoln vehicles, if diagnostics lead to the replacement of the front seat cushion...
- This bulletin supersedes 26-2301
- Illuminated powertrain malfunction (wrench) indicator with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P2122, P2123,...
- Various symptoms including but not limited to the auto start/stop system not operating as intended with a...
- No audio/sound condition
2026 Ford Ranger fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4‑cyl | RWD | 21 | 25 | 23 |
| 2.3L 4‑cyl | 4WD | 19 | 24 | 21 |
| 2.7L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 18 | 23 | 20 |
| 3.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 16 | 18 | 17 |
What 2026 Ford Ranger owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
After arriving in Carson City from Reno, NV and running errands on local city side streets the vehicle began making a loud ticking noise which transitioned to a whomp/whomp/whomp noise. I pulled over at the nearest opportunity into a business parking lot and the vehicle brakes immediately locked up. I received the following error messages on screen; > Anti lock brake system failure >Hill start assist failed >Electric parking brake failed >Collision assist unavailable >Check engine brake light >I checked documentation for release of parking brake and followed directions and the brake would not release. After multiple attempts the brakes would not release. Next I tried putting the vehicle into reverse and the brake finally released. All warning lights now remain on and brakes pull to the rights when applied.
truck goes in and out of 4wd high while driving, even though the selector dial is in 2wd.
When setting up my vehicle for neutral towing behind my motorhome and having parts installed for the proper operation of my turn signal and brake lights when vehicle is flat towed it was found that for it to happen were the brake lights do not override the turn signal when both activated at the same time you have to let the vehicle enter into a sleep mode for 10 minutes with the key FOB completely isolated from the vehicle for 10 minutes. If you stayed near the vehicle or approached with the key fob closer than 30ft it would come out of the sleep mode and when pushing on the brake pedal and using your turn signal at the same time from your motorhome you would override the turn signal with the brake lights. Normal checks for RV'ers would not identify this issue as you would stand behind the vehicle you are towing to check right and left turn signals then shut them off and check the brake light then final check would be rear, front and marker lights never pushing the break and having the turn signal on at the same time. This is a safety issue for anyone behind you as they can see you are braking but not be aware you are turning if you have awaken your vehicle modules by it getting a signal from the Key FOB. This issue was found and verified by my installer and myself when checking as to why the turn signal would shutoff at the same point I pushed the brake pedal in my RV. The manufacturer has no information in its manually about this 10 minute delay nor that the FOB can keep the delay from occurring by being near the vehicle. When you actually keep the vehicle in the sleep mode what happens is the active turn signal blinks and the opposite light indicates a brake light.
8/4/2026 @ approximately 0630 When making a right hand turn vehicle (transmission) stalled for approximately 3-4 seconds before restarting. Reported to Corwin Ford Service Dept. here in RENO,NV who declined to investigate. Said it was my responsibility even though vehicle is under warranty. 8/27/2026 @ approximately 0830 while entering high traffic roadway with 55mph speed limit with foot depressed on gas pedal transmission completely stalled while traffic rapidly approached. Transmission engaged at last minute before rear end impact.
While making a right turn, vehicle suddenly lost all power and shut down for several seconds. This is a safety issue, stalling out in front of oncoming traffic, etc. No warnings lamps, messages appeared. No dealer inspection yet. Numerous other owners on message boards have reported the same issue occurring with their vehicle.
Description On your vehicle it is possible that the trailer module trm may lose communication at vehicle start-up. If a trm loss of communication occurs and a trailer is connected to the vehicle, trailer stop lamps and turn signal indicators will not function. Additionally, for trailers equipped with electronic trailer brakes, the trailer brakes will not function. This loss of communication can occur with-or-without a trailer connected to the vehicle and can only initiate at vehicle start-up. If this occurs, a trailer brake module fault notification will pop-up on the vehicles instrument panel cluster. The vehicle brake and turn signal lamps will continue to operate normally and are not affected by this trm fault. If you do not tow with your vehicle, you may wait for ota deployment for your vehicle remedy. Safety Risk This may result in inoperable trailer brake lights, trailer turn signals and trailer braking functions that can reduce a drivers ability to control an attached trailer and make the trailer less visible to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash. Remedy Software is available to repair your vehicle. Ford Motor Company has authorized your dealer to reprogram your vehicles trm free of charge. Next Steps Contact your dealer for more information to schedule the free service.
The contact owns a 2026 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that both rear seat headrest metel coming from the rear of the head rest. causing laceration to the. The contact discover that when firmly grabbing the rear headrest a sharp metal piece would come threw the head. The local dealer was notified of the issue. The manufacturer was not contacted. Medical treatment was not required. The failure mileage was 32.
There is a foot and brake pedal clearance that is a safety issue. The driver side lower heat vent impinges on the driver right foot when when hitting the brake. Looking on the internet this is a known issue that Ford refuses to fix. Customers are modifying or removing the heat vent for their safety. Here is a link of several complaints and customers solutions. [XXX] This is not limited to large footed individuals nor 2026 vehicles. Older models have the problems as well. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2026 Ford Ranger
Is the 2026 Ford Ranger reliable?
Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2026 Ford Ranger, fewer than a typical Ranger model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2026 Ford Ranger?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 3 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2026 Ford Ranger have?
8 recalls, covering equipment, engine and engine cooling and seats.
What year does the Ford Ranger have bad transmission?
The Ford Ranger model years with the most transmission complaints are 2019 (92 complaints), 2000 (69 complaints) and 1999 (67 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2026 Ford Ranger get?
Official estimates for the 2026 Ford Ranger range from 17 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.3L 4-cyl, RWD) gets 21 city and 25 highway.
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