Is the 2020 Ford RANGER reliable?

The 2020 Ford RANGER has 146 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2020 Ford RANGER?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (41 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (16 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (13 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2020 Ford RANGER?

Yes, there are 7 recall(s): SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING, BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS, BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER. Contact any Ford dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Ford RANGER?

The 2020 Ford RANGER gets 23 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2087. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2020 Ford RANGER?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2020 Ford RANGER is approximately $1,673/year (truck-small class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2020 Ford RANGER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2020 Ford RANGER has 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 146. The most common issue is transmission problems (28% of all complaints), specifically: 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. There are 7 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 8 crash reports 7 injuries

146

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

4/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

41 complaints

28%

• 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
• 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 pr
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2020 Ford RANGER

Based on 43 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 20K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

In line with typicalmedian 1K mi · 6 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

In line with typicalmedian 16K mi · 6 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

In line with typicalmedian 31K mi · 6 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 14K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

High-mileage issuemedian 80K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (7)

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY30/09/2021

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."

Risk: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: 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.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2020 Ford RANGER

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,087

Per month

$174

Per mile

17.4¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$2,286/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$1,847/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2020 Ford RANGER

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,673

Full coverage / month

$139

Liability only / year

$617

vs US avg

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (truck-small)1.02x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating0.98x

× vehicle age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1673

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Ford RANGER Service Intervals

Oil change

8K mi / 12 mo

Tire rotation

8K mi

Brake fluid

36 months

Transmission fluid

30K mi

Engine coolant

100K mi

Spark plugs

100K mi

Cabin air filter

20K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

30K mi

IOLM (Intelligent Oil Life Monitor) may signal earlier. Older 5.4L Triton engines have specific service needs — check the manual.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Ford New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

5 yr / 60K mi

These are the terms for a new Ford. If you're buying a used 2020 RANGER, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Ford dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 146 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: WHEN I START THE CAR, IT MAKES A RATTLE NOISE AND WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS UP, IT GOES AWAY, BUT EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE, YOU CAN HEAR THE RATTLE AGAIN AND WHEN I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATION PEDAL, THE RATTLE GOES AWAY AND LIKE THAT EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND E
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: On several occasions in the last three weeks, I've felt severe shaking--almost as if the truck was heaving at virtually any speed. This has occurred on surface streets and freeways. Over the weekend, it occurred so frequently that my wife and I abandoned an out of town trip for fear the transmission
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: OUR NEW 2020 FORD RANGER XLT LISTED A FEATURE CALL PRE-COLLISION ASSIST W/AEB. THE TRUCK DID NOT GIVE A WARNING NOR DID IT APPLY THE BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY. NOTHING OCCURRED BEFORE WE RAN INTO THE REAR END OF THE CAR IN-FRONT OF US. THE CAR AHEAD WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WE RAN INTO THE REAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 7 recalls have been completed — free at any Ford dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)