2002 Ford Ranger Air Bags
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
The contact owns a 2002 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated. Neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
HARD FRONT END COLLISION WITH TELEPHONE POLE. ICE ON ROAD. TOTAL DAMAGE, VEHICLE STATUS IS SCRAP. DRIVER INJURY. HEAD AND JAW. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS IS SECOND FRONT COLLISION. FIRST COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. STRUCK BY WRONG WAY DRIVER. $3400 DAMAGE. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. REPAIRS AT FORD DEALER, ST. LOUIS , MO.
THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION TRAVELING 50 MPH
WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A WIRE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT THAT IS TOO SHORT. IF SOMEONE TALL LIKE ME PUSHES THE SEAT BACK ALL THE WAY IT STRETCHES THE WIRE AND CAUSES THE SAFETY SYSTEM TO ERROR AND SHUT OFF. AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT LIGHTS UP ON THE DASHBOARD. FORD ISSUED A BULLETIN TO THE DEALERS AND ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I'VE READ CASES OF PEOPLE BEING CHARGED $600 TO FIX IT. *TR
VEHICLE WAS HIT IN DRIVER SIDE IN APRIL 2005. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOYED THEN. TOOK TRUCK FOR INSPECTION IN JAN 08 AND WAS REJECTED FOR AIR BAG LIGHT ON. COULD BE AIR BAG MODULE DEFECTED. *TR
I WAS GOING HOME FROM WORK AT ABOUT 15:45 ON COLORADO HIGHWAY. 66. I WAS TRAVELING EAST BOUND AT 65 MPH WHEN THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF IN MY 2002 FORD RANGER. BECAUSE OF THIS I ENDED UP CROSSING THE OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC AND INTO THE DITCH. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT END SUSPENSION TO BE DAMAGED. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS AND WAS BASICALLY GIVEN A RUN AROUND FOR 9 WEEKS. ON APRIL 13, 2006 FORD CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT THEIR ENGINEERS HAD DETERMINED THAT THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF BECAUSE I WENT INTO THE DITCH NOT BEFORE. SO THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO FATALITIES OR ACCIDENTS. *JB
TRUCK HYDROPLAINED AND HIT THE MEDIAN WALL AT 50 MPH. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED.
2002 FORD RANGER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *BF THE CONSUMERS SON FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. *JB
MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITH BLINKING 4X THEN 7 TIMES. THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAID THE REASON MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME WAS BECAUSE THE CONNECTION WAS DIRTY. MY QUESTION TO THEM WAS WHY IS THEIR ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS IN NEED OF CLEANING? THEN THEY TURN AROUND AND CHARGE YOU LABOR TO CLEAN THE CONNECTION. *JB
CONSUMER FELL ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL AND STRUCK A TELEPHONE POLE AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK *TC
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON.DEALER SAID HARNESS UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SEAT CAME UNDONE FROM MOVING SEAT BACK AND FORTH WHEN ENTERING REAR SEAT OF VEHICLE.THEY RECONNECTED HARNESS AND CLEARED COMPUTER LIGHTCOST $162.50 TO RECONNECT HARNESS . WOULD LIKE REFUND FROM FORD FOR DEFECT IN WIRING HARNESS.NO NEW PARTS INVOLVED IN FIXING PROBLEM WITH HARNESS. I HAD 48,678 MILES GUARANTEED FOR 50,000 MILES. *AK
ON 12/14/03 I WAS DRIVING EAST AT 50 MPH. WHEN A CAR RAN A STOP SIGN AND A FLASHING RED LIGHT. MY RANGER EDGE FULLY IMPACTED HIS VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AT 50 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I PUSHED HIS VEHICLE OFF OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INTO A TELEPHONE POLE WHICH BROKE AND CAME DOWN ACROSS THE TOP OF MY TRUCK. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT & SHOULDER HARNESS. I WAS KNOCKED OUT FOR APPROXIMATELY. 20 MINUTES. I SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY RIGHT KNEE, LEFT ELBOW AND TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD. THE FRONT END OF MY RANGER EDGE WAS PUSHED BACK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ABOUT 16 INCHES. THIS IMPACT COVERED THE WHOLE OF THE FRONT END OF THE RANGER WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BEND THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK BETWEEN THE BACK OF THE CAB AND THE FRONT OF THE BED. I HAVE OFFICIALLY INFORMED FORD AND SENT ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMATION INCLUDING PICTURES BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THEM. THEY SAID THEY MIGHT DO AN INVESTIGATION??? *LA
WHILE DRIVING AT 30-MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. FIFTEEN MINUTES PRIOR TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATOR FLASHED THEN IT STAYED ON.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, MINUTES LATER THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE HIT A WALL. *JB
WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE BROAD SIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER BLACKED OUT, AND SUSTAINED SEVERE BODILY INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 30/35 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES.*AK
LABOR DAY 2002 MY 2002 FORD RANGER 2.3 LET ME DOWN. APPROX. 4000 MILE ON IT LEAVING SEQUIM WASHINGTON ON HWY 101 GOING TO PORT ANGELES WASHINGTON, I WAS TRAVELING 55 MILES HOUR. ALL A SUDDEN I SMELT GAS, THEN MY RANGER STARTED TO SPEW OUT LOTS OF BLACK SMOKE. THE MOTOR QUIT AND I PULLED OFF THI HWY. IT WON'T STATR UP. CALLED THE DEALER, THEY WERE JUST CLOSING UP TIME 4:30 PM LABOR DAY I SOPKE TO A SALEMAN, SERVIDE DEPT NOT WORKING, NO ONE TO HELP ME. I TOLD THE SALESMAN I WOULD GO BACK AND TRY TO START IT, IF I GOT IT STSRTID I WOULD TAKE IT HOME. NO HELP THE RANGER WAS INSURED. I WENT BACK, AFTER A FEW TIMES I GOT IT STARTED. BLACK SMOKE WAW COMING OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. I REVERED THE ENGINE UP AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME IN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR MAINTANING 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR. GOPT UP THE NEX MORNING THE RANGER WOULD NOT START TILL I TRIED IT SEVERAL TIMES. IT DID START AND RAN PRETTY GOOG BUT WITH IGNITION TROUBLES. TRAVELING, MOTOR RUNNING 1800 TO 2800 RPM IN 5TH GEAR RANGER FELT LIKE IT WOULD SHIFT UP AND DOUN. TIMING WAS CHANING. SOME TIME ENGINE WOUL SHUT DOWN THEN COME BACK ON. FORD DEALER CAN'T FINED ANY THING WRONG. APPROX 16000 MILES LATER I TOOK RANGER TO A GARAGE. THERE COMPUTER SHOWED THE ENGINE WOUD DROP TWO CLYNDERS NOW AND THEN. SHUT DOWN AND RIGHT BACK ON. TOOK IGNITION PRINT OUT TO FORD DEALER, THEY STILL SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JG *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT BECOME INOPERABLE DISTRACTING THE DRIVER. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WHEN HE DROVE INTO A SANDY DITCH WHILE AVOIDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. HE HIT A SAND HILL HEAD ON, AT APPROX 25 MPH. THE RANGER/EDGE WAS TOTALLED, NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPOLYED. THE BODY SHOP LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THERE ARE NO AIR BAG SENSORS, OR AIR BAG HARNESSES FOR THE SENDORS LOCATED IN THE FRONT PORTION OF THE TRUCK. THE SHOP CALLED FORD AND REQUESTED A DIAGRAM OF WHERE THE SENSORS AND WIRING SHOULD BE. USING THE FORD DIAGRAM IT IS OBVIOUS THERE WERE NO SENSORS OR WIRING. I AM WONDERING HOW MANY OTHER FORD RANGERS / EDGES ARE OUT THERE WITH NO SENSORS AT THE FRONT BUMPER. CONTACTED KEN GRODY FORD AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO DID NOT APPEAR CONCERNED. HE DIRECTED ME TO THE FORD COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT. *AK
OFF ROADING IN A 2002 FORD RANGER 4X4 EQUIPED WITH THE OFF-ROAD PACKAGE. WAS GOING OVER TERRAIN AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE APPROX. SPEED AT THE TIME TIME WAS LESS THAN 20/MPH. I WAS IN 4X4 LOW SO HIGH SPEEDS WERE NOT POSSIBLE. UPON ENTERING THE TERRAIN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO FRONT END DAMAGE OR ANY COLLISON. REDLANDS FORD THE DEALER, ORDERED AND INSPECTION FROM FORD. TO DATE NEITHER REDLANDS FORD OR CORPORATE FORD HAD PROVIDED WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION OF THE INSPECTION OR ANY RESULTS FROM THE INSPECTION. ONLY SAYING THAT THE AIRBAGS OPERATED WITHIN PARAMETERS.
BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT CAUSING INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP.*AK *NLM *JB
CONSUMER STATES WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT APPROX 25MPH. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL AND A ROLLOVER COLLISION OF 40-45 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. MR
I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TRUCK NOW BECAUSE IF THE AIRBAG GOES OFF, IT WILL HURT ME. *AK
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Quick Summary
The 2002 Ford Ranger has 29 Air Bags complaints on file. 19 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.