1987 Ford Ranger problems & reliability
50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Ford Ranger. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (8 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1987 Ford Ranger vehicles were involved in 8 fatal crashes with 5 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 14 | 28% |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 16% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 14% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 10% |
| Steering | 3 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 4% |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% |
| Tires | 2 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Truck was bought used and dealer maintained, it sat parked for 3 days without being touched due to son being in a pica cast from chest to feet, at approximately 2 am the locked truck honked and woke me up, when I went outside I could see flames in the passenger seat so got kids out of the house as there was gas line…”
Electrical System · filed Aug 1, 2011
“Tl*the contact owns a 1987 ford ranger. The vehicle has firestone tires, size 30x9.5/r15lt. While driving 35 mph, the contact heard a loud banging sound from the front passenger side tire. He inspected the vehicle and noticed that the tread had completely separated from the tire. He called the manufacturer in…”
Tires · filed Aug 20, 2008
“While driving on interstate 75 between naples and miami florida, the tread on my firestone fr 440 tire separated which cause my ford ranger truck to fish tail on highway. I controlled the vehicle to a stop on shoulder of the highway. Called police and they dispatched road service. The firestone p205/70r14 93s m+s…”
Tires · filed Sep 4, 2006
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- WHL SEPARATION/TORQUE LOSS
Preliminary Evaluation PE92029 · opened Mar 16, 1992 · closed Aug 31, 1992
- THROTTLE STICKING
Engineering Analysis EA90042 · opened Aug 31, 1990 · closed Dec 31, 1991
- GEARSHIFT LEVER BREAKS
Preliminary Evaluation PE89129 · opened Jun 7, 1989 · closed Mar 23, 1990
- UNDER SEAT FIRES
Engineering Analysis EA88033 · opened May 11, 1988 · closed Jan 23, 1989 · led to recall 88V145000
Technical service bulletins
21 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1987 Ford Ranger. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Service tip information on revised oil pan gasket replacement procedure. *tt
99183 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 6, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Ford Ranger in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Ford Ranger?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.