NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side air bag inflator may explode. This can happen when the propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
This page covers 9 recalls, 155 owner complaints and EPA fuel economy for the 2010 Ford Ranger.
15–17 mpg combined
13.8–15.7 L/100km
Small Pickup Trucks 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
The dominant story across 2010 Ford Ranger complaints is airbags, by a wide margin. The vast majority of reports describe owners who received notification that their airbag inflator needed replacement but were unable to get the work completed, citing dealerships that were unresponsive, had no parts available, or couldn't schedule repairs despite repeated attempts. This pattern spans multiple reports over extended periods, with owners describing months or years of failed follow-up. A smaller cluster of complaints covers structural corrosion, where owners report significant frame rust leading to failures like detached fuel tank brackets, collapsed leaf spring mounts, and rust holes in the frame rails, in some cases severe enough that mechanics flagged the vehicles as unsafe to drive.
155
Total Complaints
5
Crash-Related
3
With Injuries
By System
The 2010 Ford Ranger has 9 recalls, the most serious being Takata airbag inflators on both the driver and passenger sides that can explode and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
The airbag issue covers both front inflator positions and represents the same underlying defect across multiple filings: propellant inside the inflators degrades over time, particularly in hot and humid climates, making rupture more likely in a crash. There is also a fuel system concern on Rangers built with a 2.3L engine, where a protective cover on the fuel line near the throttle body shield may not be correctly positioned, allowing the shield's edge to wear through the line over time and cause a fuel leak that can ignite.
On the brake side, two recalls describe the same problem on manual transmission models: in cold weather, wet parking brake shoes can freeze against the drum, and when the driver releases the parking brake pedal, the cable can pull free from the rear actuating lever. If that happens, the parking brake loses holding force and the truck can roll if left in neutral.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's side air bag inflator may explode. This can happen when the propellant degrades after prolonged exposure to high heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with a new one 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 passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breaking down after prolonged exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front 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
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after long-term exposure to humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger frontal 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
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost once parts become available.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The protective cover on the engine fuel line near the throttle body shield may be installed incorrectly. The shield edge can then rub against the fuel line, causing it to wear through over time and leak fuel.
What the fix does
Dealers will trim the shield away from the fuel line, inspect for damage, and replace the fuel line if needed at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On certain 2.3L engine vehicles, the fuel line's protective covering may be installed incorrectly near the throttle body shield. This can cause the fuel line to rub against the shield edge, eventually wearing through and leaking fuel.
What the fix does
The dealer will trim the throttle body shield, check the fuel line for damage, and replace it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
In cold weather, the parking brake cable can disconnect from the right rear actuator when releasing the brake if wet shoes freeze in place. This causes the parking brake pedal to have excessive travel and may prevent full braking.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a revised right rear parking brake actuator to prevent the cable from disconnecting.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The right rear parking brake cable can disconnect from its lever when you release the parking brake and the brake shoes are frozen to the drum. This causes the parking brake pedal to have extra travel and may prevent full braking application later.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a revised right side actuator with the lever pivot repositioned at the top.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
