Problems · by component
2002 Ford Ranger air bags problems
41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Ford Ranger cite air bags, 11% of all 389 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
41
11% of all complaints
Crashes
23
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”
“HARD FRONT END COLLISION WITH TELEPHONE POLE. ICE ON ROAD. TOTAL DAMAGE, VEHICLE STATUS IS SCRAP. DRIVER INJURY. HEAD AND JAW. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS SECOND FRONT COLLISION. FIRST COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. STRUCK BY WRONG WAY DRIVER. $3400 DAMAGE. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. REPAIRS AT FORD DEALER, ST. LOUIS , MO.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 6/11/15*CN”
“MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS FORD RANGER XL 2002 WHEN DUE TO A PEDESTRIAN, THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES CAUSING MY SON TO REAR END THEM. SNOWY WEATHER WAS A FACTOR. THE BRAKES DIDN'T CATCH AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. HIS AIRBAGS BLEW UP, NOT DEPLOY- BLEW UP AND CAUGHT FIRE! THE STEERING WHEEL BLEW UP! EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE STEERING COLUMN STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD COMPONENTS. THE STARTER WENT OUT AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. INSURANCE DEEMED THE TRUCK TOTALED. OBVIOUSLY THE AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE!! WAS THERE A RECALL CONCERNING ANY OF THESE COMPONENTS THAT WE WERE NEVER INFORMED OF? WHAT COMPENSATION IS AVAILABLE TO US FOR THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT?...UPDATED 02-03-15 *BF”
“WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A WIRE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT THAT IS TOO SHORT. IF SOMEONE TALL LIKE ME PUSHES THE SEAT BACK ALL THE WAY IT STRETCHES THE WIRE AND CAUSES THE SAFETY SYSTEM TO ERROR AND SHUT OFF. AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT LIGHTS UP ON THE DASHBOARD. FORD ISSUED A BULLETIN TO THE DEALERS AND ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I'VE READ CASES OF PEOPLE BEING CHARGED $600 TO FIX IT. *TR”
“VEHICLE WAS HIT IN DRIVER SIDE IN APRIL 2005. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOYED THEN. TOOK TRUCK FOR INSPECTION IN JAN 08 AND WAS REJECTED FOR AIR BAG LIGHT ON. COULD BE AIR BAG MODULE DEFECTED. *TR”
Showing 6 of 41 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.