RecallMyCar

2006 Ford Ranger Recalls, Complaints & Specs

12 safety recalls list the 2006 Ford Ranger, and owners have filed 271 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.

12
safety recalls
271
owner complaints to NHTSA
14 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
15–23
MPG combined (EPA)

12 safety recalls for the 2006 Ford Ranger

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 23V306000 Reported 231,942 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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.…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 23V125000 Reported 98,550 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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.…

  3. Inflator module (air bags) and air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 21V076000 Reported 144,340 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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…

  4. Inflator module (air bags) and air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 21V081000 Reported 1,067 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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…

    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…

  5. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 18V022000 Reported 33,310 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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…

    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…

  6. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 18V023000 Reported 33,310 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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…

    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…

  7. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 17V787000 Reported 328,213 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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.…

  8. Inflator module (air bags) Do not drive

    NHTSA 17V788000 Reported 328,213 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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.…

  9. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 16V036000 Reported 361,692 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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…

  10. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 15V322000 Reported 362,327 vehicles potentially affected Ford Motor Company

    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.

    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…

  11. Brake lights (exterior lighting) and tail lights (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 11V352000 Reported 26,715 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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,…

    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.

  12. Motor (visibility)

    NHTSA 05V520000 Reported 199,942 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    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.

    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…

271 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2006 Ford Ranger have filed 271 complaints with NHTSA; 14 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 10 injuries and 4 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 76,641 miles. Complaints peaked in 2018 with 112 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“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”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 1, 2025 · Air bags

“The contact owns a 2006 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V788000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, both driver and passenger f”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 11, 2025 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2006 Ford Ranger (Ranger Pickup 2WD, Ranger Pickup 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined15–23 mpg
City / Highway14–21 / 18–27
FuelRegular
EPA classStandard Pickup Trucks 2WD, Standard Pickup Trucks 4WD
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.3/3/4 L
TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Ford Ranger model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Ranger model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1978 Ford Ranger01
1979 Ford Ranger01
1983 Ford Ranger511
1984 Ford Ranger612
1985 Ford Ranger127
1986 Ford Ranger435
1987 Ford Ranger450
1988 Ford Ranger189
1989 Ford Ranger173
1990 Ford Ranger3105
1991 Ford Ranger2132
1992 Ford Ranger2189
1993 Ford Ranger3232
1994 Ford Ranger4438
1995 Ford Ranger1321
1996 Ford Ranger2413
1997 Ford Ranger1411
1998 Ford Ranger5576
1999 Ford Ranger4755
2000 Ford Ranger3670
2001 Ford Ranger4515
2002 Ford Ranger3346
2003 Ford Ranger1243
2004 Ford Ranger10404
2005 Ford Ranger9289
2006 Ford Ranger12271
2007 Ford Ranger5270
2008 Ford Ranger5326
2009 Ford Ranger7169
2010 Ford Ranger8156
2011 Ford Ranger5235
2014 Ford Ranger01
2016 Ford Ranger01
2017 Ford Ranger01
2019 Ford Ranger11268
2020 Ford Ranger7129
2021 Ford Ranger6117
2022 Ford Ranger537
2023 Ford Ranger418
2024 Ford Ranger1386
2025 Ford Ranger1343
2026 Ford Ranger87

Checking a specific 2006 Ford Ranger

How do I know if my 2006 Ford Ranger has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 12 campaigns currently list the 2006 Ford Ranger; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 05V520000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Ford models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.