Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
19–23 mpgcombined; city 19–21, highway 19–26; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120–$17,100U.S. average; Ohio $12,620–$15,280 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists no trims for the 2023 Ranger, so these are the versions EPA tested, by its names. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Ranger. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
5
0
1
0
Engine
3
0
0
0
Air bags
2
1
0
1
Electrical system
2
0
0
0
Service brakes
2
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
1
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Suspension
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 Ranger over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
Risk: An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to plug in their block heater until the vehicle is remedied. Dealers will replace the block heater, free of charge. Owners will also have a alternative option to replace engine block heater element with a threaded blanking plug, and remove the block heater electrical cord. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated September 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SA4. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 15, 2025.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle. A rearview image that continues to be displayed after the vehicle is shifted out of reverse may distract the driver. Both of these situations can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the rearview camera software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 4, 2025. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S72.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Bronco, 2023 Super Duty F-250, and 2019-2023 Ranger vehicles. The Tire and Loading Information (TREAD) label states the incorrect load carrying capacity, which can result in an overloaded vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Ford will mail a new TREAD label to install over the existing label, free of charge. Owners will also have the option to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the new label installed, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 21, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C18.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Bronco and Ranger vehicles. The lug nuts on the driver's side wheels may have been improperly tightened.
Risk: Loose lug nuts may result in wheel detachment while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, retighten the lug nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S17.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 64 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 Ranger, the latest on Sep 22, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: unknown or other (24), power train (21), electrical system (15), equipment (6), engine and engine cooling (5).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2023 Ranger.
EPA class: standard pickup trucks. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Ranger Rear-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S10)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 26 / 23
Ranger Rear-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S10)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 26 / 22
Ranger Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S10)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 24 / 22
Ranger Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S10)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 24 / 21
Ranger Tremor Part-time 4-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S10)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 19 / 19
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data