2006 Ford Ranger

Family: Ranger · filed with NHTSA as RANGER

Summary

Of the 265 complaints that name a component, 66% concern Airbags (175).
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Not enough history to compare this year with the rest of its generation.
12 recalls filed for this model year, 4 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning.
No federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 272
Recalls: 12
Investigations: 0
NCAP overall: Not rated
Combined MPG: 15–23
Annual fuel cost: $2,700–$4,150
Median mileage at complaint: 70,000 mi (n = 106)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 14 / 2 / 10 / 4

What owners report

Airbags

175 complaints · 66% of complaints that name a component · median 89,000 mi (n = 24)

Owner report The contact owns a 2006 Ford Ranger. Before purchasing the vehicle, the vehicle was involved in a crash and the driver's side air bag had deployed. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 17V787000 (Air Bags) and 17V788000 (Air Bags). In 2019, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall rep…

Owner report The contact owned a 2006 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while at a stop light, a crash occurred involving two other vehicles. During the crash, one of the other vehicles crashed into the contact’s vehicle, causing severe damages to the front-end of the vehicle; however, the air bags failed to deploy. The Fire Dep…

Body & Structure

26 complaints · 10% of complaints that name a component · median 70,000 mi (n = 23)

Owner report Frame prematurely rotting out in critical areas near fuel tank/middle of vehicle frame

Owner report THE REAR FRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE SPARE TIRE IT SUPPORTS ALMOST FELL OUT. I NOTICED IT WAS HANGING ABOUT 6' LOW SO I CAUGHT IT BEFORE IT FELL. THE ENTIRE PART IS HORRIBLY CORRODED. NOTE THAT THE WOOD WAS TEMPORARILY INSTALLED TO HOLD THE STEEL UP TO DRIVE HOME.

Suspension

20 complaints · 8% of complaints that name a component · median 90,000 mi (n = 19)

Owner report THE FRAME OF MY RANGER HAS RUSTED BADLY , CAUSING THE REAR SPRING SHACKLES TO NO LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME.ALSO THE BED OF THE TRUCK HAS RUSTED AWAY BADLY. I I SPOKE TO A GUY WHO SPECIALIZES IN FRAME / AXLE REPAIR . AFTER INSPECTING IT , HE TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY OPTION TO REPAIR MY TRUCK WAS TO REPLACE THE FRAME…

Owner report LEFT SIDE REAR FRAME...WHERE THE REAR SPRING SHACKLE ATTACHES TO THE THE FRAME RUSTED AWAY. THE FRAME RUSTED AWAY, NO WHERE ELSE IS THERE RUST THROUGH...THE LEAF SPRING ENDED UP BEING SUPPORTED BY THE BED OF TRUCK. SPRING IS ATTACHED TO THE REAR AXLE. AXLE CAN BECOME FREE WHEELING AT ANY TIME. THE RIGHT SIDE REAR S…

3% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (1998–2011)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 167.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
1998	582	324	most complaints
1999	760	393	most complaints
2000	677	325	most complaints
2001	527	167
2002	346	127
2003	243	95	fewest complaints
2004	405	78	fewest complaints
2005	289	31	not compared
2006	272	16	not compared
2007	270	17	not compared
2008	326	12	not compared
2009	169	11	not compared
2010	156	10	not compared
2011	235	9	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

23V306000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2023-04-28 · 231,942 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

Risk: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S08. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 23V-125.

23V125000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2023-02-24 · 98,550 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The replacement frontal passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

Risk: An incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S08. This recall has been fully superseded by recall 23V-306.

21V076000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2021-02-17 · 144,340 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles that may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal air bag, an inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver and passenger air bag module, and replace either the module or the inflator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 17, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

21V081000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2021-02-16 · 1,067 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2009-2011 Mercury Milan, 2006 Ford GT, 2008-2012 Fusion, 2007-2010 Edge and Lincoln MKX, and 2009-2010 Lincoln MKZ vehicles. These vehicles may be equipped with a driver or passenger frontal air bag inflator used as a replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

18V023000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2018-01-11 · 33,310 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006 Ford Ranger trucks. Ford is requesting owners NOT TO DRIVE these vehicles until they have been repaired. On January 11, 2018, Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified NHTSA that they are recalling 2,700 model year 2006 Ranger vehicles built with driver-side air bag inflators . As of February 9, 2018, Ford is expanding the recall to a total of 33,310 model year 2006 Ranger vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with sharp metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners instructing them to not drive their vehicles, and dealers will replace the front driver side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall for the original population began on January 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S02.

18V022000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2018-01-11 · 33,310 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2006 Ford Ranger trucks. Ford is requesting owners NOT TO DRIVE these vehicles until they have been repaired. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode. On January 11, 2018, Ford Motor Company (Ford) notified NHTSA that they are recalling 2,700 model year 2006 Ranger vehicles built with passenger-side air bag inflators. As of February 9, 2018, Ford is expanding the recall to a total of 33,310 model year 2006 Ranger vehicles built with passenger-side air bag inflators. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with sharp metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners instructing them to not drive their vehicles, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall for the original population began on January 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 18S02.

17V788000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2017-12-11 · 328,213 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is superseding a previous recall for certain 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks to implement a final repair. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S42. Note: This recall supersedes recall 15V322 which was an interim repair. Vehicles that received a replacement air bag inflator under the previous campaign need to return to a dealer to have an alternate inflator installed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S42.

17V787000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2017-12-11 · 328,213 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is superseding a previous recall for certain 2004-2006 Ford Ranger trucks to implement a final repair. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began January 16, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S42. Note: This recall supersedes recall 16V-036 which was an interim repair. Vehicles that received a replacement air bag inflator under the previous campaign need to return to a dealer to have an alternate inflator installed.

16V036000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2016-01-25 · 361,692 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Ranger vehicles manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006. Upon deployment of the driver side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2016. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16S03. Note: This recall supersedes 14V-343 and only applies to Rangers manufactured in North America.

15V322000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2015-05-28 · 362,327 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 Ranger trucks manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006. The affected vehicles are equipped with a passenger side frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S22. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 14V-787.

11V352000 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

Filed 2011-07-13 · 26,715 vehicles

Defect: FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 RANGER TRUCKS BUILT FROM JANUARY 25, 2011, THROUGH APRIL 25, 2011 AT THE TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT, AND SERVICE PARTS DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERS FOR CERTAIN 2004 THROUGH 2011 MODEL YEAR RANGER TRUCKS, 2002 THROUGH 2005 MODEL YEAR EXCURSION VEHICLES, AND 2002 THROUGH 2007 MODEL YEAR F-250, F-350, F-450, AND F-550 TRUCKS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS SHIPPED WITH A SUBCOMPONENT (SLIDER) THAT MAY EXPERIENCE DEFORMATION. A MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WITH A DEFORMED SLIDER MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL, TAIL LIGHTS, HAZARD WARNING SIGNAL FLASHERS AND/OR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO ACTIVATE.

Risk: NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SWITCHES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 15, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

05V520000 · VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

Filed 2005-11-09 · 199,942 vehicles

Defect: ON CERTAIN TRUCKS, PASSENGER CARS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITHOUT GREASE BEING APPLIED TO THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR.

Risk: AFTER A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS USE ON THE HIGH SPEED SETTING, LACK OF GREASE ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT GEAR MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO DISTORT OR FRACTURE DURING OPERATION RESULTING IN A LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION. INOPERATIVE WIPERS UNDER INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE A CRASH DUE TO IMPAIRED VISIBILITY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WIPER MOTOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF GREASE AND GREASE THE WIPER MOTOR GEARS IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673 OR LINCOLN/MERCURY AT 1-800-521-4140.

Federal investigations

None on file.

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Ranger Pickup 2WD	2.3L 4cyl	Automatic 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	19	24	21	$2950
Ranger Pickup 2WD	2.3L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	21	27	23	$2700
Ranger Pickup 2WD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	15	21	17	$3650
Ranger Pickup 2WD	3.0L 6cyl	Manual 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	16	21	18	$3450
Ranger Pickup 2WD	4.0L 6cyl	Automatic 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	15	20	17	$3650
Ranger Pickup 2WD	4.0L 6cyl	Manual 5-spd	Rear-Wheel Drive	16	21	18	$3450
Ranger Pickup 4WD	3.0L 6cyl	Automatic 5-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	15	19	16	$3900
Ranger Pickup 4WD	3.0L 6cyl	Manual 5-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	15	19	17	$3650
Ranger Pickup 4WD	4.0L 6cyl	Automatic 5-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	14	18	15	$4150
Ranger Pickup 4WD	4.0L 6cyl	Manual 5-spd	4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive	14	18	16	$3900

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
2006 Ford Ranger Supercab	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★☆☆☆
2006 Ford Ranger Regular Cab	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	★★☆☆☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 15 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about engine and engine cooling.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2023-07-27	AIR BAGS	Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion and MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection REASON FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT Ã¢Â€Â¢ …
2022-03-28	AIR BAGS	Certain 2005-2014 Mustang, 2005-2006 GT, 2004-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion & MKZ/Zephyr, 2006-2011 Milan, and 2007-2010 Edge & MKX Vehicles Driver & Passenger Airbag Module Quality Control Inspection: Ford Motor Company has determined that…
2018-01-11	EQUIPMENT	Please check FSA Vin Lists for vehicles involved in 18S02. Contact owners affected immediately to schedule an appointment.
2018-01-11	AIR BAGS	Please check FSA Vin Lists for vehicles involved in 18S02. Contact owners affected immediately to schedule an appointment.
2016-09-21	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM	The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to diagnose possible ETB concerns. The IDS has a limited refresh rate …
2006-01-01	TRAILER HITCHES	NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY -- SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS. *TT
2006-01-01	VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR	LIMITED OR RESTRICTED INWARD MOVEMENT OF EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR GLASS. *TT
2006-01-01	POWER TRAIN	NEUTRAL TOW CAPABILITY - SERVICE KIT REQUIREMENTS. *TT
2006-01-01	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	POSSIBLE ENGINE DAMAGE - INSTALL SPECIAL SERVICE TOOLS PRIOR TO REMOVING CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BOLT - SERVICE TIP. *TT
2005-06-07	SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR	SAFETY BELT RETRACTION SPEED. *TT

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Ranger, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Ranger model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.