NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has not yet received complaints specific to the 2021 Ford Ranger. However, this does not mean the vehicle is free from defects. Complaint data often lags behind real-world issues, and many vehicle owners experience problems before they are widely reported. If you are experiencing recurring issues with your 2021 Ford Ranger, you may still have a valid lemon law claim. You can file your own complaint at SaferCar.gov and check for updates on the NHTSA database.
The 2021 Ford Ranger has generated 368 NHTSA complaints and has 6 active recalls. If your 2021 Ford Ranger has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Ford pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2021 Ford Ranger have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 112 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Vehicle shifts hard between 3 and 5th gears. The dealer currently has the vehicle in for repairs and there are metal shavings in the transmission res…”
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2021 Ford Ranger has generated 32 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I nearly hit the back another vehicle stopped for a red light when my foot caught the edge of the gas pedal. The brake pedal depresses passed the heig…”
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2021 Ford Ranger have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 20 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “10R80 TRANSMISSION ISSUES. WILL JERK & LAG WHEN DRIVING. HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TRANSMISSION FOR TRUCK…”
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2021 Ford Ranger have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 12 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “My truck loses power at a stop, starting to accelerate is stalls in the middle of the road. It seems to be stuck in gear or not going in gear. It will…”
The 2021 Ford Ranger has generated 12 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Rearview Camera: Intermittent loss of rearview camera functionality when placing vehicle in Reverse. Affected roughly 50% of the time. When occurs, i…”
The following 6 recalls have been issued for the 2021 Ford Ranger by the NHTSA or Ford. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: 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. Owne
Component: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: SENSING SYSTEM: RADAR
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A misaligned radar module may prevent the vehicle from maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles when adaptive cruise control is active. In addition, the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system may react slowly, or not react at all, during a pre-collision assist braking event. Any of these
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the angle of the cruise control radar module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford’s number for this recall is 21S52.
Component: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver’s seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should not drive their vehicles and contact a Ford dealership. Deal
Component: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
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 cu
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
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.
Component: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
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. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed December 3, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipat
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2021 Ford Ranger:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Ford to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2021 Ford Ranger qualifies as a lemon under California law, Ford may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Ford a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Ford dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Ford pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Ford a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Ford is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2021 Ford Ranger has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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