These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
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What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
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What owners complain about
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Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
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Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 2001 Ford Ranger, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Write your offer
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
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Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 2001 Ford Ranger, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
When problems show up
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Will it outlast the loan?
The month of your loan each problem zone lands in
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Recalls
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Crash ratings
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
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Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
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True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
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What it really costs to own
What the 2001 Ford Ranger costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Every year of the Ranger
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
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Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
540 complaints; the part named most is the body and frame
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Dec 5, 2000 to Apr 6, 2026. 36% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 65 crashes, 9 fires, 50 injuries and 5 deaths in these complaints.
Body and frame114 · 21%Usually costly to fix
Suspension90 · 17%
Air bags64 · 12%
What one owner wrote about the body and frame
The rear frame rusted so bad the bumper fell off and the frame actually cracked. This is a common issue with the late 1990s & early 2000s Ford Ranger, I do not understand why this isn't a recall yet as is it very dangerous. This happened on the highway. The front end frame, engine and all the components work flawlessly while the rear frame is just crumbling…
Filed May 5, 2022NHTSA complaint 114635021 of 18 owner quotes
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15 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 2001 Ford Ranger, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Engine, Transmission and drivetrain.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
5 checks, with a close look at the body and frame
The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 97 complaints of 540 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.
Body and frameCostly65,000 to 115,000 mi
Half of these 32 complaints came between about 65,000 and 115,000 miles, the middle one around 85,000.
050K100K150K200K250K
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Mileage for 2 more parts
The mileage band for every part owners name, and your car's miles laid across them.
Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Cruise and speed control
Oct 13, 2009 · Recall 09V399000
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
The fix
Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Lights
May 11, 2009 · Recall 09E025000
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 9 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the body and frame. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look hard at the body and frame. It is usually costly to fix.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the body and frame.
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 standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Lights
Apr 7, 2009 · Recall 09E012000
Sabersport is recalling 16,270 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 standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Cruise and speed control
Aug 3, 2007 · Recall 07V336000
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen
This could result in an underhood fire.
The fix
Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Lights
Jul 17, 2006 · Recall 06E065000
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, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Aj motorsport will notify owners and offer reimbursement for the lamps. The recall began on july 31, 2006. Owners may contact aj motorsport at 626-618-2026.
Lights
May 24, 2006 · Recall 06E049000
Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on july 1, 2006. Owners may contact ck motorsport at 1-909-610-7211.
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Seat belts
Jul 16, 2001 · Recall 01V227001
Vehicle description: passenger and sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and minivans. Equipped with seat belts supplied by trw. It is possible that the driver's and/or front passenger's outboard seat belt buckle may not fully latch.
Ford crown victoria built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01
mercury grand marquis built at st. Thomas assembly plant from 4/17/00 - 5/29/01.
Lincoln town cars built at wixom assembly plant from 3/27/00 - 5/30/01.
Lincoln navigators built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.
Ford windstars built at oakville assembly plant from 3/23/00 - 5/30/01.
Ford rangers built at twin cities plant from 3/28/00 - 5/30/01, and also at the edison plant from 3/13/00 - 5/25/01.
Ford f-150 truck built at norfolk plant from 4/18/00 - 5/25/00; at ontario plant from 5/10/00 - 5/28/01; at kansas city plant from 9/11/99 - 5/25/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/9/01.
Ford super duty f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 5/27/01; and at cuautitlan plant from 5/16/00 - 6/19/01.
Ford excursions built at kentucky plant from 4/17/00 - 10/2/00.
Ford expeditions built at michigan truck plant from 4/11/00 - 5/31/01.
What can happen
In the event of a crash, the restraint system may not provide adequate occupant protection, increasing the risk of personal injury to the seat occupant.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the front outboard seat belt buckles and if the buckle fails the inspection process, it will be replaced. Owner notification began july 25, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.
Wheels and tires
May 22, 2001 · Recall 01X001000
This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency.
Equipment description: Ford is replacing all firestone wilderness at 15, 16, and 17 inch tires mounted on Ford trucks and suvs. Ford reports tread separation can occur due to a combination of the sensitivity of the tire design to stress, aging, and manufacturing differences between plants. Ford is replacing these tires to prevent possible premature tire failure.
Vehicle description: the vehicles listed below may have been originally equipped with firestone wilderness at tires or may have had wilderness at tires installed during the firestone recall launched in august 2000.
Certain 1991 throught 2002 Ford explorer
certain 2001 throught 2002 explorer sport, and sport trac
certain 1997 through 2002 mercury mountaineer
certain 1991 through 2001 ranger
certain 1999 through 2001 expedition
certain 1991 through 1994, and 1997 model year f-series
certain 1991 through 1994 bronco
note: both original equipment and replacement tires are affected.
What can happen
Should the tread separate at highway speeds, a vehicle crash could occur, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
The fix
The replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on march 31, 2002. However, customers can contact Ford at 1-877-917-3673 or go on-line to www.Ford.com for possible assistance.
Body and frame
Nov 28, 2000 · Recall 00V394000
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles with steel hoods and certain pickup trucks equipped with sheet molding compound hoods. A wire formed hood striker could be susceptible to fatigue fractures. If the hood striker fractures, the hood could fly open while the vehicle is being driven.
What can happen
A hood fly-up while the vehicle is being operated could result in reduced driver visibility.
2 times the complaints past 100,000 miles of a typical older year of this model at the same age (4). With only 8 in its first 12 years, that is too few to tell a real problem from chance.
WorthyMaybePassNot judgedNHTSA did not answer
Owner complaints per model year for the Ford Ranger, with 2001 highlighted
