2001 Ford Ranger SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN IT WAS FOGGY, COLD, RAINY OR DAMP. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SEALS ON THE REAR AXLE LEAKED FLUID ONTO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN 2009 THAT THE CONTACT BELIEVED WAS DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH EXTREME PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OCCASIONALLY YOU CAN FEEL THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATE WHEN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM ENGAGED BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT PULSATE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN INSTEAD OF COMING TO A STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 36,800.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO AN AUTOMOTIVE CENTER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. THE MECHANIC SHOWED THE CONTACT WHERE THE METAL ON THE CALIPER WAS DETERIORATING AND FLAKING OFF. THE CONTACT HAD NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES BEFORE BEING INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 44,000.
COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO A LEAK OVER THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL. THIS OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED (10 MPH), AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE TRUCK WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I THOUGHT THE BRAKING SYSTEMS IN MODERN TRUCKS HAVE REDUNDANT LINES SO THAT IF THERE IS A LEAK, ONLY HALF THE BRAKES FAIL? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AS OF OCTOBER 18, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DISCONNECTED THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL AS PART OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 ON OCTOBER 17, 2007. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE DISCONNECTION OF THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL CAUSED THE ABS TO FAIL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 97,000.
I WAS ADVISED BY THE FORD DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT A USED RANGER THAT THE REAR BRAKES HAD BEEN REPLACED. UPON MY OWN INSPECTION THIS PROVED NOT TO BE TRUE. DO I HAVE A LEGITIMATE COMPLAINT AND WHO DO I CONTACT FOR FOLLOW UP? *JB
FELT REAR BRAKES LOCKING, TOOK OFF REAR DRUMS FOUND THE LEFT REAR BRAKE SHOES HAD FALLEN APART. THEY WERE CAUSING THE REAR DRUMS TO LOCK UP. THE SHOES FELL COMPLETELY OFF THE RIVETS AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE DRUMS. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT I WILL BE GOING TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND HAVE TO BE PUMPED TO WORK PROPERLY. WHEN THE REAR WHEELS WERE REMOVED, THE BRAKES FELL APART. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND SHOES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE REAR BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND DRUMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. THESE COMPONENTS MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS IS HOW THE BRAKES WERE MANUFACTURED.
THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT VACUUM PRESSURE UNDER CERTAIN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THERE IS NO BRAKE POWER IF THE ACCELERATOR IS OPEN ENOUGH FOR THE ENGINE SPEED TO REACH 2500 RPM, DURING COLD IDLE (AFTER START UP), FREQUENTLY AFTER RAPID ACCELERATION IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHERE THE BRAKES ARE THEN APPLIED. DEALER AGREED THAT THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND REPLACED THE BRAKE BOOSTER (TWICE), BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, AND FINALLY THE ENTIRE ENGINE. CONDITION REMAINS THE SAME. DEALER AND FORD ENGINEER NOW STATE THAT IT IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED - EVIDENTLY DESIGNED TO FAIL IN CRITICAL SITUATIONS.*AK
BOUGHT A USED 2001 FORD RANGER IT WAS VIBRATING WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. TOLD THE SALESMAN AND HE SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT. TOOK THE TRUCK IN, AND THEY CHARGED ME $669.00 SAID IT HAD BEEN IN SALT WATER I BOUGHT IT APRIL 12TH 2004 I DID NOT GO NEAR ANY SALT WATER THEY KNEW WHAT THE TROUBLE WAS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT ALSO SAID WARRANTY DID NOT COVER IT. *AK
THE VEHICLE CAME FROM THE MANUFACTURER WITH THE WRONG ROTORS. AFTER 19 MILES, THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE CHANGED, AND AGAIN AT 32 MILES. *JB
AT LESS THAN 22,600 MILES, VEHICLE USED IN LIGHT COMMUTER DUTY REQUIRED NEW BRAKES TWICE, THE MOST RECENT THE RESULT OF SEPARATION OF BRAKE LINING FROM BRAKE PAD CAUSING ROTOR TO CRACK BEYOND REPAIR DUE TO METAL-TO-METAL HEAT FATIGUE. FAILURE OCCURRED WITH NO PREVIOUS AUDIBLE OR OTHER WARNING. *JB
WHILE TURNING INTO GROCERY PARKING LOT APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE, BUT VEHICLE KEEP GOING AND SMASHED THROUGH STORE ENTRANCE.VEHICLE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND THEY ARE ANTI LOCK
THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID. *JB
BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP. AS I WAS APPROCHING STOPPED TRAFFIC, AND PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE GROUND AND THE TRUCK CONTINUED TO MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP BUT THE FRONT DID NOT. CAUSING ME TO ALMOST SPIN OUT ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 65MPH. THE LOCAL FORD SERCIVE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT WAS DUE TO A PANIC STOP THAT THE BRAKE FLUID BOILED AND THE PADS OVER HEATED. BUT I DID NOT ATTEMPT A PANIC STOP. I WAS GOING 65 FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKES SIMPLY FAILED. THEY ARE CHARGING ME FOR NEW BRAKE PADS, SEALS AND A COMPLETE BRAKE FLUID FLUSH. ALMOST $350 DOLLARS.
CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. *JB
FORD RANGER 2001 4X4 PREMATURE BRAKE SYSTEM WEAR PADS TOTALLY WORN AT 19000 MILES AND ROTORS ALREADY RESURFACED TWICE. PADS REPLACED AT MY COST ON THIRD VISIT TO DEALER FOR BRAKE SQUEAL. *AK
THE BRAKE ROTORS WERE WORN WHICH CAUSED HEAVY VIBRATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *NLM
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. TS THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM TWICE WITH NO SUCCESS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. ALSO, AT SLOW SPEED APPLIED ON BRAKES AND BRAKE SYSTEM WILL LOCK UP.*AK
WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES THEY WOULD LOCK UP AND CATCH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED FIVE TIMES, AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES DRIVER CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. HOWEVER, CANNOT FIND CAUSE. *AK
RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE IS RUBBING AGAINST SHOCK ABSORBER AND CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE AT 40 MPH, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKING ACTION. VEHICLE HIT A DITCH, NO INJURIES, DAMAGE TO VEHICLE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*JB
RIGHT REAR WHEEL DOES 100 % BRAKEING, LEFT REAR, 0 % FROM FACTORY. NLM
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2001 Ford Ranger has 34 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.