Problems · by component

1999 Ford Ranger air bags problems

79 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford Ranger cite air bags, 10% of all 785 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
79
10% of all complaints
Crashes
60
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
44
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“"TAKATA RECALL" WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE NOTICE THAT AIR BAGS NEED REPLACEMENT. HAVE BEEN TOLD WE ARE ON WAITING LIST AND THAT PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON AND WHEN THEY COME IN WE WILL BE NOTIFIED. AS OF YET THIS HAS NOT HAPENED. THIS WEEK NOTICE IN THE NEWS AND ON WEB SITES OF FORD AND TAKATA AND YOUR SITE SUGGESTS THAT THESE VEHICLES NOT BE DRIVEN. WHAT ARE WE TO DO? WE HAVE CONTINUED TO TAKE ARE VEHICLES INTO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO KEEP THEM MAINTAINED AND IN GOOD WORKING ORDER, WE ARE GIVEN NO SOLUTION OF A REPLACEMENT OR OPTION OF DEACTIVATION OF THE DEVICE UNTIL A REPLACEMENT IS AVAILABLE AND NOT EVEN AN OPTION FOR PURCHASE OF A REPLACEMENT. PLEASE HELP ALL OUR VEHICLES ARE FORDS ALL ON RECALL WE SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO DRIVE ACTIVATED BOMBS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2018Air bagsODI 11092754
“THE AIR BAG DISCHARGED WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT 45 MPH. I HEARD A HISSING SOUND AS A WHITE POWDERY SUBSTANCE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. THE BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON.I WROTE FORD 3 TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS SENT A LETTER STATING THAT THERE WAS A COLLISION. I WROTE BACK , NO COLLISION. THEY HAD ME SEND THEM PICTURES OF THE ENTIRE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NO DAMAGE ANY WHERE. THEY SAID IT WAS OFF WARRANTY. I SAY IT WAS DEFECTIVE. IT DISCHARGED WITHOUT REASON AND STILL DIDN'T WORK CORRECTLY THANK GOD.AN AIR BAG SHOULD BE WARRANTED FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL WITH THIS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. CAN YOU HELP ME?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 10, 2016Air bagsODI 10934461
“WEBSITE SAY 99 FORD RANGERS ARE UNDER FORD AIRBAG RECALL. PER NHTSA RECALL INFO IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO JAN 1, 99 OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MANUFACTURER FOR ADDITIONAL RECALL INFO. MY CA REGISTRATION SAY DATE SOLD 00/001999. FORD WEBSITE BLOCKS ACCESS TO AIRBAG RECALL DATA. PLS ADVISE ME HOW TO PROCEED AT [email protected]. THANKS!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 5, 2016Air bagsODI 10914140
“TAKATA RECALL FOR PRODUCE A 1999 MODEL 4WD PICK UP LAST NOVEMBER I WENT TO LOOK AT IT HERE WERE NO STICKERS ABOUT SOLD AS IS BUT REGARDLES I FEEL IT IS FORD CORPORATIN TO SELL A SFE VEHICLE BY LAW ,, I DISCOVERED THE TIRES WERE THE WRONG SIZE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN I QUESTION THEM THEY SAID IT THE WAY TEY RECIVED IT AND REFUSED TO GO ANY FURTHER THE REQUIRED TIRES FOR THIS TRUCK STATE THERE SUPPOSED TO BE 245/75/16 FOR HAD TIRE ON THE TRUCK THAT ARE THE WRONG SIZE 215 65 15 WHICH MAKE HANDLING THE VEHICLE HARD IN CORNERS AND CREATED A ROLLOVER SITUATION TIRES ARE UNDER RECALL AND FORD WONT HELP ON THIS MATTER I AM ASKING FOR ALMOST A YR NOW THAT SOME ONE MAKE FORD PUT ON THE PROPER TIRES AT THERE COST BECAUSE OF THERE LIES AND DISHONESTY,, ALSO THEY SOLD THE VEHICLE WITH BAD BALL JOINTS THAT BROKE A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE SO I BORROWED THE MONEY AND GOT THEM REPAIRED AT MY OWN EXPENSE THE ENGIN HAS A TICKING NOISE IN IT NO ONE CAN FIND ,, FORD OF COOKVILLE TN IS JUST DISHONEST I WILLNEVER DEAL WITH THEM EVER AGAIN IM JUST TRYING TO MAKE THE 1999 FORD RANGER 4WD WITH A 4.0 ENGINE SAFE SO MY CHILDREN CAN BE SAFE THIS YR CAN U HELP WITH ANY OF THESE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2016Air bags, WheelsODI 10884704
“TAKATA RECALL. I HAD A ACCIDENT WHERE I HIT ANOTHER CAR WITH THE FRONT LEFT BUMPER OF MY TRUCK. THE LEFT QUARTER PANEL AND FRONT FENDER WERE DESTROYED, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR INFLATE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 5, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10824584
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOST CAUSING A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A SPEED BUMP. IN ADDITION, THE SPEED BUMP CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BECOME AIRBORNE AND CRASH INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SIX CRACKED RIBS, A PUNCTURED LUNG, A COLLAPSED LUNG, A FRACTURED NECK, AND SEVERAL BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10763499

Showing 6 of 79 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.