The 2004 Ford Ranger has 16 recalls, all centered on the front airbags: the inflators in both the driver and passenger positions can rupture during deployment, sending metal fragments into the cabin and causing serious injury.
The core airbag defect involves Takata-supplied inflators that can build excessive internal pressure when triggered in a crash. Moisture intrusion and long-term exposure to heat and humidity degrade the propellant inside, making rupture more likely over time. This issue has been the subject of multiple repair campaigns, and prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the problem in all cases. Vehicles that had their inflators replaced under an earlier recall may have received an incorrectly installed replacement, which can prevent the airbag from inflating properly in a crash. There is also a separate concern for vehicles that had an inflator replaced after a collision or theft: an obsolete part may have been installed, carrying the same rupture risk.
Separate from the airbag concerns, certain regular cab models have a frame rail that can puncture the fuel tank in a side-impact collision, creating a fuel leak that can ignite if an ignition source is present.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger airbag may have been installed incorrectly during a previous recall repair, preventing it from inflating properly in a crash.
What the fix does
A Ford dealer will inspect the airbag and reinstall the inflator correctly if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
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At a glance
What can fail
Front passenger air bag inflators installed during a previous recall may not have been positioned correctly in certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the inflator installation and reinstall it if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The replacement front passenger air bag inflator in your vehicle may have been installed incorrectly during a previous recall repair.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the front passenger air bag inflator and reinstall it if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A replacement airbag inflator installed after a collision or theft may be obsolete. Heat, humidity, and temperature cycling can degrade the inflator's propellant over time, causing it to deploy with excess force or rupture, sending fragments toward occupants.
What the fix does
A Ford dealer will inspect your airbag inflator and replace it if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver or passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the air bag modules and replace the module or inflator if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver or passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the air bag module and replace the module or inflator if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front airbag inflators may build up too much pressure when deploying, causing them to rupture and send fragments toward occupants, or damaging the airbag module so it won't deploy properly in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace both the driver and passenger airbag inflators with new design inflators.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger side frontal air bag inflator may develop excessive internal pressure during deployment, causing it to rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver side frontal air bag inflator may build up excessive internal pressure during deployment, causing it to rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's front airbag inflator can build up too much pressure when it deploys. This may cause it to rupture and send fragments toward occupants, or damage the airbag module and prevent full deployment in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front driver airbag inflator with a new one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver-side front air bag inflator may build up excessive internal pressure and rupture when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflators at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front airbag inflator may build up too much pressure when deploying, causing it to rupture and send fragments toward occupants, or damaging the airbag module and preventing proper deployment.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the airbag inflators.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can enter the passenger side front air bag inflator, which may cause it to rupture over time.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Certain Takata airbag inflators in the driver or passenger position may malfunction in vehicles originally sold or registered in high-humidity areas (Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands).
What the fix does
Ford will replace the affected driver or passenger airbag inflator.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The frame's center rail section may not be properly formed. In a collision, this could puncture the fuel tank and cause a fuel leak that could ignite.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the frame flange near the fuel tank and replace the vehicle if it is malformed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The frame's center rail section flange may not have been formed correctly during manufacturing.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the frame. If defective, Ford and the dealer will replace your vehicle.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
