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5.2

fairly significant
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,328 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2020 Ford Ranger drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2020 Ford Ranger Owner Comments

problem #18

Mar 012023

Ranger

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

At about 40,000 miles truck started jumping and hesitating under 30mph and has now gotten worse and jumping and hesitating at 65mph had it in the shop 3 times and they can't find the problem they came up with driveshaft and pinion flange. It came from Detroit and I believe it is a problem with the transmission.

- Accoville , WV, USA

problem #17

May 262023

Ranger

  • miles
1.) Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2020 ranger and f-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 expedition vehicles equipped with a 'police' package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually be in a different gear than the gear shift position selected by the driver. 2.) Ford motor company (ford) is recalling certain 2020 ford f-150, f-250, f-350, f-450, f-550, explorer, mustang, transit, expedition, escape, ranger and edge, and lincoln nautilus and corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or distorted image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) number 111, 'rear visibility.' 3.)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.' 4.) 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.' NHTSA# FOR REPORTING 21V811000 21V765000 20V575000 20V197000

- Long Beach , CA, USA

problem #16

Feb 022024

Ranger

  • 55,900 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving between 40-45 MPH, the vehicle began jerking and the transmission was skipping. Additionally, the vehicle lost power and was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,900.

- Canon, GA, USA

problem #15

Mar 152020

Ranger

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was repaired but the sound persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer again and diagnosed with transmission failure again. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

- Grindstone, PA, USA

problem #14

Apr 272024

Ranger

  • 109,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Ranger. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted into neutral(N), and then shifted back into drive(D). The contact stated that the vehicle responded, then jerked forward and backward. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving from a complete stop; however, on the latest failure, the vehicle failed to respond and stalled. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

- Fort Plain, NY, USA

problem #13

Nov 062023

Ranger

  • miles
The Transmission in this truck has problems the 10 speed shifts hard on down shifts and slips on up shifts. This should have a recall to be addressed

- Hopedale, OH, USA

problem #12

Dec 232023

Ranger

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission has difficulty moving through gears- powertrain failure noted via alert system x2 when vehicle stopped abruptly while driving. "Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power". Fortunately no one injured. 60k miles on the vehicle and Ford reporting need a 6k new transmission.

- Edgewater, MD, USA

problem #11

Jan 092024

Ranger

  • miles
Vehicle has hard jerking when increasing speeds. Vehicle takes several seconds to gain power from being stopped at red light and shifts very hard. Sometimes feels like gear slips into neutral and loses power after accelerating slowing. Takes several seconds to recognize being in reverse and jerks hard when it gets going. Started at around 37,000 miles and getting worse at 45,000. Been told several times it's normal, but it very obviously is not and feels very unstable and unsafe.

- Coral Springs, FL, USA

problem #10

Dec 292023

Ranger

  • miles
Problem shifting, jerky motion or no response at all with the transmission had to pull over almost was rear ended because of no response.

- Deer Park , WA, USA

problem #9

Dec 292023

Ranger

  • miles
The 10 speed automatic transmission has a problem. Yes the problem was verified by the Dealer. Yes the Dealer has had the car 3 separate times and worked on the issue. The transmission when starting out from a stop will fall on its face with no power to move from the stop. 2-4 seconds and then it takes off. When pulling out into traffic this condition is very unsafe and could cause an accident. Now it is starting to do it as traveling at speed and light acceleration it will hesitate before it goes. This is an intermittent problem not doing it all the time.

- Aloha, OR, USA

problem #8

Jul 012023

Ranger

  • 85,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced various transmission failures which included the transmission slamming into gear while shifting from park to drive. Also, while driving at various highway speeds, the message "Power Train Malfunction, Reduce Speed" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 85,000.

- Land O Lakes, FL, USA

problem #7

Nov 022023

Ranger

  • miles
Transmission jerking, lunging forward, hesitating, loss of power. Has been verified by Ford of Sioux City IA. Ford states they do not make parts for the transmission. They can only replace the entire transmission at a cost of over $7000. This truck has 28,000 miles on it. This all started after an automatic software update was done on the truck. This is dangerous as it could easily cause an accident including upto death.

- Sioux City, IA, USA

problem #6

Apr 132023

Ranger

  • miles
It-??s been about 4 months on the forward collision alarm and 4 1/2 weeks on the jerking going when taking off the transmission seems to jerk and when driving down a highway when nothing what so ever is on front of me all the sudden my front collision alarm goes off with a sudden breaks being applied by themselves.I spoke to dealer about it and all they told me it was probably from a shadow of trees or a sign which is bull crap.

- Canon, GA, USA

problem #5

May 082023

Ranger

  • miles
After 40K miles the vehicle's transmission began to fail to engage, become hesitant/delayed in shifting and acceleration, and hard downshifting. At one intersection the vehicle's engine had to be turned off and restarted for the transmission to begin engaging again. The dealership's diagnostics detected that the transmission valve body controller and cvf drum needed replaced. Took months for the parts to come in just because so many vehicle of the same type needed the same work.

- Smiths Station, AL, USA

problem #4

Feb 162023

Ranger

  • miles
The 10-speed automatic transmission experiences rough shifting, particularly when the vehicle has been sitting for a period (e.g., overnight), including when shifting from park and into gear as well as shifting into gears 2 and 4. There have been no warning messages or indicators. Ford has attempted to diagnose this issue on at least one occasion - and is scheduled to examine the vehicle again - but, to date, has failed to acknowledge, duplicate or resolve the issue. This has been ongoing for more than a year. Based on simple internet search, this appears to be a known issue with Ford 10-speed automatic transmission vehicles.

- Arvada, CO, USA

problem #3

Nov 092022

Ranger 4-cyl

  • miles
Since purchase I have been experiencing problems due due a poorly built transmission. The 10R80 transmission has been the opposite of what I expected when purchasing a new vehicle. I have experienced extremely harsh up-shifting and downshifting, as well as slipping gears while in motion which causes a loss of power while the vehicle is in motion. The most concerning of these is when the gear seems to slip while driving and when the accelerator is depressed the engine will only rev for a few seconds and then harshly clunk into a gear which will cause a jolt in the forward motion which has cause me to lock up my brakes in order to avoid hitting another vehicle. In addition to these I have also experienced harsh clunking and jolting forward or backwards when selecting gears. All of these are of great concern to me of course. I have tried contacting numerous Ford dealerships and shops to try and fix this problem and I continue to get the run around. I have since looked up recalls and I have found recalls for 2020 Rangers made in the Michigan plant from February 28 to March18 of 2020 have been issued a recall but somehow my Ranger doesn't even though the VIN states it was made in March of 2020. All of the servicing has been done according to Ford's specifications.

- Auburn, AL, USA

problem #2

Oct 012022

Ranger

  • miles
The transmission has several issues, hard shifting, shuddering and shaking but the one issue I know is a safety issue is the lunging. When moving the shifter from Park to drive, my truck has lunges, 3 different times now. If my foot wasn-??t securely and pressing firmly on the brake I could of been propelled into other objects. I have not visited a dealer for any of the transmission problems. I am just starting to research the issues and I see many transmission complaints. Plus it will cost me time and money to take it to a dealer. And I don-??t feel confident anything will be done. No warning lights have came on.

- Lake Saint Louis, MO, USA

problem #1

Feb 052021

Ranger

  • miles
When you make the changes or you're stopping, you hit the transmission. Talk to other owners. They have the same problem, and the dealer says that everything is fine

- Arroyo, PR, USA

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