2020 Ford RANGER: complaints, problems and recalls

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO EFFECTIVELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11309067 at NHTSA ↗

THE WINDSHIELD AND REAR WINDOW ARE WAVEY, MAKING OBJECTS BLURRED. I'VE HAD THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER, THEY TELL ME THEY NEVER NOTICED IT BEFORE. I LOOKED AT THE 2021 RANGER PICKUPS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LARGER PICKUPS DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM. IT MAKES IT HARD TO READ SIGNS AND TRAFFIC.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11355631 at NHTSA ↗

WE WERE HEADING EAST ON A CITY STREET WHEN WE CAME TO AN INTERSECTION. THE LIGHT WAS GREEN SO WE CONTINUED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THERE WAS ANOTHER CAR HEADING WEST ON THE SAME STREET AND TURNED LEFT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US AT THE INTERSECTION. WE WERE TRAVELING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH. WE COULD NOT AVOID THE CAR THAT TURNED IN FRONT OF US. WE HIT THE SIDE OF THE SECOND VEHICLE (THE ONE TURNING SOUTH) HEAD ON WITH OUR VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS IN OUR VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH THE FIREMAN AND SHERIFF ON THE SEEN COMMENTED ON THE FACT THAT OUR AIRBAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11360875 at NHTSA ↗

THE ADAPTIVE CURISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK LIKE OTHER VEHICLES. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVE IT KEEPS THE PROPER DISTANCE BETWEEN CARS UNTIL THE CAR IN FRONT SLOWS DOWN AND THEN WHEN THERE IS ABOUT TWO CAR LENGTHS IT RELEASES THE BRAKES MAKING YOU HAVE TO JAM ON THE BRAKES BEFORE HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT. MY OTHER VEHICLES STOP AND KEEP THE PROPER DISTANCE. FORD DEALER FIRST SAID THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD WORK BUT AFTER TALKING TO FORD THEY SAY THATS THE WAY IT WORKS. SEEMS LIKE A BIG SAFETY ISSUE I ALMOST HAD A REAR END COLLISION THE F…

Owner-reported narrative. 63 miles reported. Look up ODI 11363226 at NHTSA ↗

OUR NEW 2020 FORD RANGER XLT LISTED A FEATURE CALL PRE-COLLISION ASSIST W/AEB. THE TRUCK DID NOT GIVE A WARNING NOR DID IT APPLY THE BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY. NOTHING OCCURRED BEFORE WE RAN INTO THE REAR END OF THE CAR IN-FRONT OF US. THE CAR AHEAD WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WE RAN INTO THE REAR END AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 11375688 at NHTSA ↗

I GET AN ''IMMINENT COLLISION WARNING" DISPLAY AND AURAL SOUND AT RANDOM TIMES, APPROXIMATELY 1X WEEK, WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, MODERATE SPEEDS, DRY WEATHER.

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11378678 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN I START THE CAR, IT MAKES A RATTLE NOISE AND WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP, IT GOES AWAY, BUT EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE, YOU CAN HEAR THE RATTLE AGAIN AND WHEN I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATION PEDAL, THE RATTLE GOES AWAY AND LIKE THAT EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED THEM ABOUT THE NOISE AND LATER THAT DAY, THEY CALLED AND TOLD THAT IN THE 2019 AND 2020 FORD RANGER, THE ENGINE CAME WITH A NOISE AND IT'S NORMAL IN THE ENGINE, THAT THEY WERE TOLD BY FORD NOT TO ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE NOISE IS PART O…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11383782 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL IS LONG, SOFT AND INCONSISTENT. FEELS LIKE AS IF THERE IS AIR IN THE LINE.

Owner-reported narrative. 23 miles reported. Look up ODI 11384831 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2020-04-03 (April 3, 2020)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver.

Consequence: If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S18.

Reported: 2020-09-23 (September 23, 2020)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C19.

Reported: 2021-09-30 (September 30, 2021)

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."

Consequence: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Separately, dealers will replace the non-removable head restraints with removable head restraints, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C24.

Reported: 2021-10-15 (October 15, 2021)

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."

Consequence: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Dealers will inspect the front row outboard seat belts and replace them, if necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C25.

Reported: 2023-05-26 (May 26, 2023)

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."

Consequence: An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.

Reported: 2025-06-27 (June 27, 2025)

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.

Consequence: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.

Reported: 2025-10-10 (October 10, 2025)

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.

Consequence: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.