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Research · Small Pickup Trucks 2WD · 3 NHTSA variants

2010 Ford RangerRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 9 safety recalls and 164 owner complaints for the 2010 Ford Ranger. Most complaints involve air bags (128) and structure (6). The EPA rates it 15–24 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
15–24mpg
EPA · 6 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
9campaigns
Latest Mar 2021
Owner complaints
164
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,700est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

9 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2011-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles and 2011-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2010-2011 Ford Ranger and Mercury Milan vehicles, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, and 2010-2014 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered, in the states of AK, CO, CT, ID, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, MT, NH, NY, ND, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, WA, WI, and WY or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 7, 2019NHTSA 19V001000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveFree remedy

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 Ford Mustang vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A." Additionally, Ford is recalling certain 2010 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B." Ford is also recalling certain 2009 Ford Edge, Fusion, Mustang and Ranger, Lincoln MKX and Zephyr/MKZ, and Mercury Milan vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C." These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported Jan 11, 2018NHTSA 18V046000

Air bags: inflator module

Park It: do not driveRemedy pending

Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Ford Ranger vehicles, 2006-2011 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles, and 2005-2011 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Ford is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Ford Ranger, Edge and Lincoln MKX vehicles, 2006-2008 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZ vehicles, 2005-2006 Ford GT vehicles and 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Any vehicle not included in "Zone A", or "Zone B" is not included in the safety recall. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Air bagsReported May 31, 2016NHTSA 16V384000
See all 9 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 6, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

164 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2010 – Jul 2026
  1. Air bags128
  2. Structure6
  3. Engine5
  4. Electrical system4
  5. Vehicle speed control4
  6. Parking brake3
  7. Suspension2
  8. Exterior lighting2
  9. Seats2

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

By model year

Complaints for each Ranger model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1996430
1997427
1998597
1999785
2000729
2001558
2002389
2003243
2004405
2005289
2006272
2007270
2008326
2009169
2010164
2011235
2019272
2020130
2021119
202238
202319
202497
202545
20260
Crashes reported
6
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
5
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

128 reports6 crashes
“The contact owned a 2010 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while the son was driving uphill at approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle crashed into the rear passenger side of a boat trailer, causing the vehicle to roll over and slide approximately 20 ft. During the crash, the front of the vehicle was severely damaged, but no air bags deployed. Additionally, the contact stated that a 100-pound dog was occupying the front passenger's seat during the crash. The driver sustained a mild concussion and was examined by a nurse, who was a neighbor. A police report was filed at the scene, and the vehicle was towed to the local storage lot and deemed destroyed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not contacted. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (AIR BAGS), where the air bag warning light was illuminated after the recall remedy, and the dealer informed that it would un-illuminate after 50 miles. The failure mileage was 175,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 7, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11748760

Structure

6 reports
“The contact owns a 2010 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the undercarriage was rusted. The contact stated that the fuel tank brackets had detached from the subframe. The vehicle was leaking fuel. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The mechanic suggested that the subframe be rebuilt. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2022StructureODI 11499332

Engine

5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS COVERED WITH FUEL. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHCILE WAS TAKEN TO MCFARLAND FORD SALES INC (151 PORTSMOUTH AVE, EXETER, NH 03833, (800) 639-3673) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V126000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MIELAGE WAS 158,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2021EngineODI 11387828
All 2010 Ranger problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

6 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Small Pickup Trucks 2WD, Small Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engines
2.3L 4-cyl · 4.0L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Manual 5-spd · Automatic 5-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · 4-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 6, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Ranger 2WD
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.3 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
222724$2,700370
Ranger 2WD
Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.3 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
192421$3,050423
Ranger 2WD
Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162118$3,550494
Ranger 2WD
Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
152117$3,800523
Ranger 4WD
Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · 4-Wheel Drive
151917$3,800523
Ranger 4WD
Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L · 4-Wheel Drive
141815$4,300592
  • Ranger 2WD
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.3 L
    22 city · 27 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
  • Ranger 2WD
    Auto 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.3 L
    19 city · 24 hwy · $3,050/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Ranger 2WD
    Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L
    16 city · 21 hwy · $3,550/yr
    18
    mpg comb.
  • Ranger 2WD
    Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L
    15 city · 21 hwy · $3,800/yr
    17
    mpg comb.
  • Ranger 4WD
    Man 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L
    15 city · 19 hwy · $3,800/yr
    17
    mpg comb.
  • Ranger 4WD
    Auto 5-spd, 6 cyl, 4.0 L
    14 city · 18 hwy · $4,300/yr
    15
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 6, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

3 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Ford Ranger as of Nov 6, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 6, 2026Vehicle 5874Vehicle 5577Vehicle 5578
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2010 Ranger questions

How many recalls does the 2010 Ford Ranger have?

9 safety recalls as of Nov 6, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2010 Ford Ranger problems?

Owners filed 164 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (128), structure (6), engine (5). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2010 Ford Ranger get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Ford Ranger at 15–24 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (6 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 6, 2026