The fifth generation of Ranger midsize trucks from Ford has been seeing some decent success recently since its re-launch with the 2019 model year. Though the sales numbers look good for the automaker, it has been struggling to contain customer complaints about its brand new truck. Even though the year 2020 has seen a drop in these figures compared to the previous model year, the recalls numbers still stay at a strong 4 while the customer complaints stay at 33, with the mechanical and safety issues seeing a major rise. With additional recalls registered against its counterpart, the Super Crew variant, we expect more recalls coming in place for the Crew Cab trim in the future as well. The Ford Ranger Crew Cab starts from around $26,810 and would be going against the likes of trucks like the highly popular Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab, the Honda Ridgeline Crew Cab, and the Toyota Tacoma Crew Cab. Is the Ranger a trusty alternative? Well, let’s find out.
2020 Ford Ranger Crew Cab User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical Complaints
- Engine- A handful of owners have complained about fuel dilution in engine oil on brand new 2020 Ford Ranger trucks. The percentage of contamination is at cautionary levels as per Ford's recommendation. The dealers were quick to dismiss this issue as “normal” leaving owners without a remedy in case it would damage the engine in the long run.
- Transmission- Transmission issues on the 2020 Ford Ranger range from shifting delays, jerking between shifts, and clucky engagement on low-speed throttle input. Though most of these issues were traced to software glitches with the TCU, owners complain about the issues recurring.
- Service brake- Service brake failure has been one of the major problems reported against the 2020 Ford Ranger. Multiple owners have complained about the brake pedal completely depressing with any subsequent reduction in speed as if there was air in the brake lines. No warning lights were illuminated to inform the driver about this condition. NHTSA has two crashes recorded against this issue with one instance of personal injury.
Electric System complaints
- Door Locks- The doors on the Ford Ranger register as ajar even after the doors have been closed properly. Many owners have been raising this issue as it compromises the safety of the truck. The problem was traced to be with the sensors which required a firm push on the doors to register the input and remove the warning.
Safety Complaints
- Seatbelt- Several owners complain about the seat belt on the 2020 Ford Ranger dislodging itself from the anchor point when pulled hard. This was an issue that was under the recall (ID-21V811000) for Super Cab trims but certain Crew cab owners are also facing the same issue as reported.
- Airbags- The airbag system on the 2020 Ford Ranger has a couple of issues. Drivers complain about the airbag warning light randomly illuminating on the board. Even though a software reflash erased the error codes, the issue is said to occur. Another issue raised was the airbags not deploying during a crash. Two injuries have been recorded against this issue by the NHTSA.
- Forward collision system- The auto emergency braking system on the 2020 Ford Ranger fails to function properly at times. Drivers complain about the vehicle displaying “imminent collision warning” and sound warning chimes intermittently with no obstruction in the truck's vicinity. One crash has also been recorded, in which the system completely fails to engage brakes in a rear-end low-speed hit.
2020 Ford Ranger Crew Cab Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
15th October 2021 |
21V811000 |
The seat belt was routed incorrectly |
The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted, which may not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash increasing the risk of injury |
The 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. |
|
2 |
30th September 2021 |
21V765000 |
The child seat may not attach properly |
The fixed head restraints may interfere with the proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors which may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash |
The dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Also, 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. |
|
3 |
23rd September 2020 |
20V575000 |
Distorted or inoperative rearview camera. |
Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image, reducing rear visibility and increasing the risk of a crash |
The dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began on November 17, 2020. |
|
4 |
3rd April 2020 |
21V197000 |
The gear position display may be inaccurate |
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, resulting in an unintended movement of the vehicle increasing the risk of injury or crash |
The dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2020. |
Should you buy a used 2020 Ford Ranger Crew Cab?
The Ford Ranger Crew Cab is one of the newest entrants to its segment. This inadvertently has caused this truck to come up with its own list of shortcomings. Ford is working pretty hard to resolve things from their end which is promising to say the least, and the results are seen with the decrease in the number of recalls and complaints this year. Ford’s new midsize truck is still in its infant stages, so if you are planning to buy one used, just make sure that you got a decent service record backing it up. Or else, you will have a truck with several issues that need resolution, which is something we would not recommend.
