21 complaints reported

2003 Ford Ranger Air Bags

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
21
Crashes
8
Fires
0
Injuries
4

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Aug 2019

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED ,IS THERE A RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS OR ANY OTHER RECALLS OF ANY KIND ?? THANKS *DT *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Aug 2019
Jan 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FRIENDLY FORD (2800 N TELEGRAPH RD, MONROE, MI 48162) TO BE REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN AIR BAG RECALL. UPON ARRIVING AT THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS CHARGED A FEE TO REPLACE WIRES THAT WERE CUT DURING THE AIR BAG REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V788000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2018
Oct 2017

TAKATA RECALL

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2017
Mar 2017

AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE AIRBAG. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE PRICE OF REPLACING IT ~ IF IT IS THE COMPANIES FAULT THAT MADE THE AIRBAG.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2017
Aug 2016

TACATA RECALL AIRBAG LIGHT IS FLASHING THE STAYS ON .NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING IT BUT IT COULD BE SERIOUS IF THE BAGS DO NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED . IT CAME ON ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO. STARTS AS SOON AS YOU START TRUCK . OTHER LIGHT THAT JUST STARTED FLASHING TODAY OVER DRIVE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING BUT HAS NOW STOPPED .THIS IS A 03 FORD RANGER F4

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2016
Jul 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V036000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 06/14/16*LJ UPDATED 06/29/16.*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: May 2016
Jan 2016 Crash

MY UNCLE WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN HE SWERVED & LOSS CONTROL OF HIS FORD RANGER. HE CROSSED OVER THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE GOING OFF THE ROAD HITTING A SIGN, THEN HIT AN EMBANKMENT, THEN FLIPPED OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY & MY UNCLE DIED AS A RESULT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2016
Oct 2011 Crash

HIT A CAR ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH. FRONT END AND LEFT FRONT TIRE DAMAGED, HOOD TENTED, TRIPPED FAILSAFE IN FUEL LINE, BUT NEITHER DRIVER NOR PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2011
Aug 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS AIR BAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. HE HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR APRIL 14, 2008 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 48,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jul 2008
Aug 2008 Crash Injury

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE GRAVEL ROAD CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT AND THEN QUICKLY TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT DROVE INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED OVER NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE LANDED ON ITS ROOF. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE SCALP, RIGHT SIDE OF THE FACE, AND BRUISING TO THE LEFT SHOULDER. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE SCALP, A FRACTURE OF THE T-2 VERTEBRAE, A HERNIA TO THE ABDOMEN, AND BLEEDING BETWEEN THE SCALP AND SKULL. THE PASSENGER'S LEFT EYE WAS FILLED WITH BLOOD, RESULTING IN A BLACK EYE. THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND FILED A REPORT. FORD MOTOR COMPANY STATED THAT THEY WERE PERFORMING AN INQUIRY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 79,384. UPDATED 03-05-08 *BF

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2007
Nov 2007

I HAVE A 2003 FORD RANGER IN WHICH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS MALFUNCTIONING. AT DIFFERENT TIMES IT WOULD COME ON, STAY ON FOR A LONG TIME, WEEKS, THEN WOULD GO OFF AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT DIRECTED THEM TO CLEAN WIRES, WRAP WIRES AND RE-ROUTE WIRES UNDER THE SEAT. IT HAD TO DO WITH THE SAFETY BELT RETENTIONER. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS WAS ACTUALLY A SAFETY ISSUE OR NOT. NO ONE WOULD TELL ME HOW MANY FORD RANGERS HAD THIS PROBLEM, IF THIS WOULD CAUSE ANY FAILURE IN THE SEAT BELT OR THE AIR BAG. EVEN THOUGH I FELT THIS WAS A FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG AND SAFETY BELT SYSTEM WAS CHARGED FOR THIS REPAIR. (I WAS STILL UNDER FORD'S 50000 SAFETY SYSTEM WARRANTY.) I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST, BUT I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE PRETENTIONER WAS NOT REPLACED AND WHETHER THIS WILL OCCUR AGAIN. *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2007
Nov 2005 Crash

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON THE ROAD AT ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN DRIVER SWERVED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID DEBRIS. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL, AND VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER FOUR TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2005
Jul 2005 Crash Injury

DT: CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION ON JUNE 9, 2005. . THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BEFORE THE IMPACT. THE CONSUMER SAW SOMETHING FLASH IN HER FACE, WHICH WAS THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AND THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SRS, AND THEY FOUND A FAULTY SENSOR # 450047 IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN FIXED SINCE THIS ACCIDENT. *AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2005
Mar 2005 Crash Injury

DT: CONTACT WAS IN A FRONT END COLLISION, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FORD MANUFACTURER STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TESTED TO SEE WHY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Feb 2005
Nov 2004

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. *MR THE DEALER REPLACED THE PRE-TENSIONER AND RETRACTOR CIRCUIT. *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Jan 2004
Nov 2004 Crash Injury

I WAS ENVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON 3/9/04 AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MEDIAN WALL WAS HIT HEAD ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45 TO 50 MPH.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Sep 2004
Sep 2004

CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN A RUT. UPON PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE POSITION AIR BAG DEPLOYED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE FORD, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO REPAIRS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Dec 2004
May 2004

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AS A RESULT, AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE, AND WOULDN'T DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND FIXED THE AIR BAGS THREE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWICE. *AK *NM

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Apr 2004
Apr 2004

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO REPAIR VEHICLE TWICE, BUT SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Mar 2004

WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEEDS FRONT AIR BAGS INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Mar 2004
Oct 2003 Crash

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2003 FORD RANGER, Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Incident: Oct 2003

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2003 Ford Ranger has 21 Air Bags complaints on file. 8 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.