The 2006 Ford Ranger has 11 recalls, all centered on the frontal airbag inflators for both the driver and passenger sides, which can explode in a crash and send sharp metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
These filings all describe the same underlying hazard: the frontal airbag inflators, on both the driver and passenger sides, can rupture violently when the airbag deploys. Rather than cushioning occupants, an exploding inflator can fragment and propel shards of metal through the cabin at high speed. Ford has issued stop-drive advisories on this vehicle, meaning owners have been advised not to drive these trucks until the repair has been completed. Prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the issue, and some replacement inflators installed under earlier recalls were found to have been installed incorrectly, meaning the passenger airbag may not inflate properly in a crash even after a previous remedy was applied. The concern covers both original factory inflators and certain service parts used as replacements, all of which carry the same risk of explosive failure.
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.
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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
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 driver and passenger front airbag inflators may rupture when deploying in a crash, preventing proper airbag inflation and potentially spraying metal fragments at occupants.
What the fix does
Ford dealers will replace both the driver and passenger front airbag inflators.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver-side air bag inflator may build up excessive internal pressure and explode when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag inflator with a different inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger side air bag inflator may build up excessive internal pressure during deployment, causing it to explode.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger side 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 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 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 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
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.
