2021 Ford Ranger Vehicle Latch Anchor Recall (21V765)
Ford Motor Company · 37,625 vehicles · Reported September 30, 2021
Ford Motor Company is recalling 37,625 2021 Ford Ranger vehicles. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage System." An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 21V765 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V765000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 21C24 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | September 30, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Vehicles | 2021 Ford Ranger |
| Units affected | 37,625 |
| Component | Child Seat > Vehicle Latch Anchor |
| Safety risk | An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Ford Ranger in recall 21V765?
The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Ranger Super Cab vehicles equipped with rear seats containing fixed head restraints. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the lower-rear anchors. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage System."
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Ranger with recall 21V765?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the vehicle latch anchor.
Which vehicles are included in recall 21V765?
Recall 21V765 covers 37,625 vehicles: 2021 Ford Ranger.
NHTSA lists 37,625 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ford | Ranger |
What is the fix for the Ranger vehicle latch anchor recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary.
Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Separately, dealers will replace the non-removable head restraints with removable head restraints, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 5, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 17, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 21C24.
When was recall 21V765 announced?
Ford Motor Company reported recall 21V765 to NHTSA on September 30, 2021.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 30, 2021 | Ford Motor Company filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 21V765000. |
| November 5, 2021 | Interim owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
| March 17, 2022 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 60 months ago. If your Ranger was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Ranger is part of recall 21V765?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V765 is open on your Ranger, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2021 Ranger vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Ranger owners do about recall 21V765?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V765000 applies to your Ranger.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Ford dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the vehicle latch anchor happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.
What are Ranger owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 13 of them about the other equipment.
Since recall 21V765 was reported on September 30, 2021, owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 1 of them (8%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the other equipment and were received on or after September 30, 2021, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related other equipment issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 115 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 13 of them involve the other equipment. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Ford Ranger: 115 complaints in total, 13 about the other equipment
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
The wrap material on the front driver side and passenger inside door handles is separating and is very sharp. I noticed it a couple of days ago when I went to get out of the vehicle and I reached to open the door, and it sliced open my finger.
2021 Ford Ranger owner, OR, NHTSA complaint 11635292, filed January 10, 2025
Rearview Camera: Intermittent loss of rearview camera functionality when placing vehicle in Reverse. Affected roughly 50% of the time. When occurs, image is distorted for a a few seconds followed by a "camera is unavailable, please contact dealer" message on the display.
2021 Ford Ranger owner, MI, NHTSA complaint 11695982, filed October 28, 2025
The boot material surrounding the parking brake bunches up and does not allow the handle to properly seat. When using the cruise control, the parking brake handle will raise up on its own, due to the boot material, causing the cruise control to abruptly disengage.
2021 Ford Ranger owner, TN, NHTSA complaint 11698044, filed November 6, 2025
Can recall 21V765 make my Ranger a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 21V765000 does not automatically make your Ranger a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Even an equipment recall can matter in a lemon law claim if the problem keeps coming back or the 2021 Ford Ranger spends many days at the dealer.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Ranger been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Ford Ranger recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V765
Did the recall 21V765 fix work?
Since recall 21V765 was reported on September 30, 2021, owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the other equipment on these vehicles. 1 of them (8%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
Is the 21V765000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Ranger is part of recall 21V765000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 21V765000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Ford. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.