Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1990 Ford Ranger. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC
- Summary
- WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, THE PARK PAWL DOES NOT ALWAYS ABUT OR ENGAGE THE PARK GEAR.
- Consequence
- DRIVER MAY BELIEVE THE VEHICLE IS SAFELY ENGAGED IN PARKWHEN THE GEAR IS NOT TRULY ENGAGED. THIS CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE JUMPING OUT OFGEAR UNINTENTIONALLY, VEHICLE ROLLAWAY WHEN PARKED ON A SLOPED SURFACE, ANDINADVERTENT MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS CANRESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
- Remedy
- REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW PARK PAWL.
FUEL:THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL
- Summary
- THROTTLE LEVER MAY CONTACT THROTTLE BODY AIR INLET TUBE, WITH POTENTIAL FOR THROTTLE REMAINING OPEN FOLLOWING RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.
- Consequence
- UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION COULD CREATE LACK OF CONTROLAND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy
- MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE AIR INLET TUBE WITH NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT.
FUEL:THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL
- Summary
- THROTTLE LEVER MAY CONTACT THROTTLE BODY AIR INLET TUBE, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR THROTTLE REMAINING OPEN FOLLOWING RELEASE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM THE FULL-THROTTLE POSTION IN TRUCKS WITH 4.0 L ENGINES.
- Consequence
- UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION COULD CREATE LACK OF CONTROLAND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy
- MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE AIR INLET TUBE WITH NEWLY DESIGNED REPLACEMENT WITH AN INCREASED THROTTLE LEVER-TO-INLET TUBE CLEARANCE.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (105)
105 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 105 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 20 | 19% |
| Tires | 14 | 13.3% |
| Vehicle speed control | 13 | 12.4% |
| Visibility | 12 | 11.4% |
| Fuel system | 11 | 10.5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 10 | 9.5% |
| Power train | 10 | 9.5% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 5.7% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 4.8% |
| Seats | 4 | 3.8% |
How 1990 compares with other Ranger years
Best and worst Ranger years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 35 | 4 |
| 1987 | 50 | 4 |
| 1988 | 89 | 1 |
| 1989 | 73 | 1 |
| 1990 | 105 | 3 |
| 1991 | 132 | 2 |
| 1992 | 189 | 2 |
| 1993 | 232 | 3 |
| 1994 | 438 | 4 |
| 1995 | 321 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 23 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,900
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 386 g/mi
- EPA class
- Small Pickup Trucks
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 23 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | Rear-Wheel Drive | 21 / 26 / 23 | $2,900 | 386 |
| 2.3 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 23 / 20 | $3,350 | 444 |
| 2.3 L 4-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 / 22 / 20 | $3,350 | 444 |
| 2.9 L 6-cyl · 5-speed manual | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 / 21 / 18 | $3,700 | 494 |
| 2.9 L 6-cyl · 5-speed manual | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 16 / 20 / 18 | $3,700 | 494 |
| 4 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 / 21 / 17 | $3,950 | 523 |
| 2.9 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 / 20 / 17 | $3,950 | 523 |
| 2.9 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 15 / 19 / 16 | $4,200 | 555 |
| 4 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 14 / 19 / 16 | $4,200 | 555 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 1990 Ranger for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1990 Ford Ranger FAQ
How many recalls does the 1990 Ford Ranger have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 91V189000 (power train), 90V044000 (vehicle speed control), 89V234000 (vehicle speed control). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1990 Ford Ranger problems?
Owners filed 105 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (20), Tires (14), Vehicle speed control (13) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 1990 Ford Ranger get?
EPA rates the 2.3 L 4-cyl · 5-speed manual version at 21 city, 26 highway and 23 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
How does the 1990 Ranger compare with other years?
Among the 1986–1995 Ford Ranger model years at least five years old, the 1986 drew the fewest complaints (35) and the 1994 the most (438). The 1990 drew 105. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.