Motor Almanac

Ford / Ranger / 2011

2011 Ford Ranger

Family: Ranger · filed with NHTSA as RANGER

Summary

  • Of the 233 complaints that name a component, 84% concern Airbags (196).
  • 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.
  • 6 recalls filed for this model year, 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning.
  • No federal defect investigations cover this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints
235
Recalls
6
Investigations
0
NCAP overall
2 of 5 stars
Combined MPG
16–24
Annual fuel cost
$2,600–$3,900
Median mileage at complaint
49,500 mi (n = 67)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths
9 / 1 / 9 / 0

What owners report

Airbags

196 complaints · 84% of complaints that name a component · median 50,000 mi (n = 36)

Owner report I received a letter from FORD identifying my Ranger as in need of an airbag replacement under recall, for free installation and parts. I called the only Ford dealer in town, Capitol Ford, Santa Fe, NM, and was told they were unable to replace my airbag because they did not have the parts for it and did not know when th…
Owner report I'm looking to buy this truck from a private sale. If I do, and the recall has not been completed, will the manufacturer still fix it for free?

Lighting

9 complaints · 4% of complaints that name a component · median 50,000 mi (n = 8)

Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, AND HORN BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS LIKE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V3…
Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF …

Brakes

8 complaints · 3% of complaints that name a component · median 40,000 mi (n = 8)

Owner report DRIVING 40 MPH DOWN CITY STREET, STRAIGHT, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH I HAD 4 CAR LENGTH BETWEEN HIM AND ME, STOP FAST, I PUT ME BRAKES ON AND MY TRUCK WAS NOT RESPONDING. I PUTT BOTH OF MY FEET ON THE BREAK PEDDLE AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR AND STILL NO RESPOND TO THE BRAKES. WELL, MY TRUCK HIT THE TRUCK IN FRONT…
Owner report TAKATA RECALL RECIEVED LETTER FROM FORD JULY 2016 SAFTEY RECALL NOTICE 16S26/NHTSA RECALL 16V384 STATING FOLLOWUP LETTER TO BE SENT WHEN PART AVAILIBLITY FOR APPOINTMENT AND PRESENTLY NOTHING HAS BEEN RECIEVED ABOUT STATUS FEB 2017. TO MAKE THIS SITUATION MORE ADVERSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER ISSUE OF TOTAL BR…

1% 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 yearAll complaintsFirst three yearsNote
1998582324most complaints
1999760393most complaints
2000677325most complaints
2001527167
2002346127
200324395fewest complaints
200440578fewest complaints
200528931not compared
200627216not compared
200727017not compared
200832612not compared
200916911not compared
201015610not compared
20112359not compared

Recalls

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

21V158000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2021-03-10 · 2,602,668 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2007-2011 Ranger, 2006-2012 Fusion, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2010 Ford Edge, and Lincoln MKX vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk: 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 replace the driver-side airbag inflator or module with an alternate one, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 9, 2021 for the passenger side, and November 14, 2022 for the driver side. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S12.

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.

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.

21E013000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2021-02-16 · 249 vehicles

Defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain air bag inflator and/or module replacement service parts that may have been used as part of a collision repair. The parts include certain driver-side air bag inflators and/or modules, designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang and Mustang GT500. It also includes certain passenger-side air bag inflators and/or modules designed to fit 2005-2014 Ford Mustang, 2010-2012 Lincoln MKZ, 2010-2012 Ford Fusion, 2010-2011 Mercury Milan, 2007-2011 Ford Ranger, and 2007-2010 Lincoln MKX vehicles. Please see Ford's recall report for the specific part numbers. These parts 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 dealers that purchased the affected parts, and dealers will provide replacement parts to purchasers, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21S05.

19V001000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2019-01-07 · 782,384 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: 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.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants 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 frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.

16V384000 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

Filed 2016-05-31 · 1,892,343 vehicles Do not drive

Defect: 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.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants 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 frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. Ford mailed interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available on July 15, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

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.

Federal investigations

None on file.

Engines and fuel economy

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCityHwyCombinedFuel cost / yr
Ranger 2WD2.3L 4cylAutomatic 5-spdRear-Wheel Drive192320$3100
Ranger 2WD2.3L 4cylManual 5-spdRear-Wheel Drive222724$2600
Ranger 2WD4.0L 6cylAutomatic 5-spdRear-Wheel Drive152017$3650
Ranger 2WD4.0L 6cylManual 5-spdRear-Wheel Drive162118$3450
Ranger 4WD4.0L 6cylAutomatic 5-spd4-Wheel Drive151816$3900
Ranger 4WD4.0L 6cylManual 5-spd4-Wheel Drive151917$3650

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

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

VariantOverallFrontalSideRollover
2011 Ford Ranger Super Cab PU/EC 4x4★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆
2011 Ford Ranger Regular Cab PU/RC 4x2★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆
2011 Ford Ranger Super Cab PU/EC 4x2★★☆☆☆★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆

Service bulletins

Ford issued 12 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about equipment.

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.

DateComponentSummary
2024-04-24EQUIPMENTAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. If the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicles owner during ini…
2023-07-27AIR BAGSCertain 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 • …
2022-03-28AIR BAGSCertain 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…
2019-05-10POWER TRAINOn vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission it is imperative that the converter pilot hub be greased with Motorcraft Multi-Purpose Grease Spray XL-5-A even if grease was not applied from the factory. Also verify that the engine/tran…
2018-03-30EQUIPMENTReplacing the original equipment SYNC/Navigation system with either an aftermarket SYNC/Navigation kit or modifying original SYNC/Navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any Ford, Mercury or Linco…
2018-02-14EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.2010-2018 various vehicles equipped with SYNC or SYNC 3 may not function when attempting to find or use the Spotify app via AppLink. As of an update released on 1/15/2018 Spotify will no longer be supporting their AppLink integration. No re…
2018-01-10EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICALThe Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with Remote Keyless Entry (RKE). The master code for the Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can be retrieved from FMCDealer - Parts a…
2018-01-10EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICALThe Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with Remote Keyless Entry (RKE). The master code for the Accessory (Wireless) Keyless Entry Keypad can be retrieved from FMCDealer - Parts a…
2017-01-24EQUIPMENTREPLACING THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SYNC/NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH EITHER AN AFTERMARKET SYNC/NAVIGATION KIT OR MODIFYING ORIGINAL SYNC/NAVIGATION PARTS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEATURES IS NOT RECOMMENDED NOR SUPPORTED ON ANY FORD, MERCURY OR LINCO…
2016-09-21ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROLThe 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 …

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.