2004 Ford Ranger Reliability
The 2004 Ford Ranger has 405 owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and body structure. Compared with nearby Ranger model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Ranger's typical year.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
405
NHTSA owner complaints
12
Recall campaigns
42
Complaints citing a crash
3
Complaints citing a fire
2004 Ford Ranger complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 model year, filed between 2003 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 189 | 47% |
| Body structure | 46 | 11% |
| Suspension | 29 | 7% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 27 | 7% |
| Service brakes | 23 | 6% |
| Speed control / throttle | 19 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 17 | 4% |
| Tires | 17 | 4% |
2004 Ford Ranger recalls
12 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2004 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04V331000 | Jul 14, 2004 | Body structure — frame and members / underbody shields | On certain pickup trucks, the frame may have a center rail section flange that was not formed properly. |
| 06E065000 | Jul 17, 2006 | Exterior lighting | Certain aj motorsport combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108,… |
| 09E025000 | May 11, 2009 | Exterior lighting — headlights | Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety… |
| 11V352000 | Jul 13, 2011 | Exterior lighting — tail lights | 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… |
| 15V322000 | May 28, 2015 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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… |
| 16V036000 | Jan 25, 2016 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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. |
| 17V788000 | Dec 11, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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.NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 17V787000 | Dec 11, 2017 | Air bags — frontal / driver side / inflator module | 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.NHTSA park-it advisory: do not drive until repaired. |
| 21V081000 | Feb 16, 2021 | Air bags — frontal | 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… |
| 21V076000 | Feb 17, 2021 | Air bags — frontal | 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… |
| 23V125000 | Feb 24, 2023 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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. |
| 23V306000 | Apr 28, 2023 | Air bags — frontal / passenger side / inflator module | 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. |
How the 2004 compares with nearby Ranger years
Verdicts compare these Ranger model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 346 | 7 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2003 | 243 | 5 | Body structure | Caution |
| 2004 (this page) | 405 | 12 | Air bags | Avoid |
| 2005 | 289 | 11 | Air bags | Caution |
| 2006 | 272 | 12 | Air bags | Caution |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2004 Ford Ranger
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Body: look under the car for rust or damaged subframe and rocker areas, and check panel gaps for signs of repair.
- Suspension: listen for clunks over bumps, look for leaking struts and uneven tire wear.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 12 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2004 Ford Ranger can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2004 Ford Ranger reliability FAQ
Is the 2004 Ford Ranger reliable?
The 2004 Ford Ranger has 405 owner complaints and 12 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and body structure. Compared with nearby Ranger model years (2002–2006), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Ranger's typical year.
What are the most common 2004 Ford Ranger problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2004 Ford Ranger are air bags (189), body structure (46), suspension (29), powertrain / transmission (27). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2004 Ford Ranger have recalls?
NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for the 2004 Ford Ranger, including 04V331000 (body structure — frame and members / underbody shields) and 06E065000 (exterior lighting). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2004 Ford Ranger compare with the 2003 and 2005 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2003 has 243 complaints and 5 recalls (caution); the 2005 has 289 complaints and 11 recalls (caution). The 2004 has 405 complaints and 12 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2004 Ford Ranger?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Ford Ranger research
Other Ford Ranger model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2004 Ranger, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.