Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2006 Ford Ranger
NHTSA data on file today
The 2006 Ford Ranger has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns and 272 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #23V306000 Replacement Air Bag Inflator Incorrectly Installed NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #23V125000 Replacement Air Bag Inflator Incorrectly Installed NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V076000 Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #21V081000 Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V022000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V023000 Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V787000 Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #17V788000 Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V036000 Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V322000 Passenger Front Air Bag Inflator May Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #11V352000 STEERING COLUMN MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #05V520000 WIPER MOTOR GREASE NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Air Bags 175 complaints
- Structure 26 complaints
- Suspension 20 complaints
- Unknown or Other 16 complaints
- Engine 12 complaints
- Electrical System 11 complaints
Of the 272 complaints on file, 14 report a crash and 2 a fire; across all 272 complaints, owners report 10 injuries and 4 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$10,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2006 Ford Ranger suffers from serious airbag issues, as evidenced by multiple recalls and a high number of related complaints. Other components, such as structure and suspension, also show notable problems, contributing to potential reliability concerns over time.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbags | 50,000–80,000 miles | $500–$2,000 | very common |
| suspension | 60,000–100,000 miles | $300–$1,200 | common |
| engine | 80,000–120,000 miles | $600–$2,500 | occasional |
| electrical system | 70,000–100,000 miles | $200–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 2 years
- Coolant replacement every 2 years
- Transmission fluid change every 30,000 miles
- Air filter replacement annually
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Airbag warning light on
- Unusual suspension noises
- Engine misfires or rough idling
- Electrical faults like non-functional lights
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2006 Ford Ranger at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.