Defect
THE FLEXIBLE HOSE CONNECTING THE FUEL PUMP TO THE CARBURETOR FUEL LINE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE FUEL PUMP.
Remedy
THE EXISTING FUEL HOSE WILL BE REPLACED AND TWO NEW HOSE CLAMPS WILL BE INSTALLED.
1983 Ford Ranger Recalls
Recalls on record Updated July 2026
The 1983 Ford Ranger has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 957,286 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
Defect
SECONDARY HOOD LATCH COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY POSITIONED DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THE HOOD IS NOT CLOSED TIGHTLY, OR IS INADVERTENTLY RELEASED, THE SECONDARY LATCH MAY NOT WORK AND THE HOOD MAY FLY UP WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
THE HOOD ASSEMBLY WILL BE INSPECTED AND THE HOOD AND LATCH COMPONENTS WILL BE ADJUSTED, IF NECESSARY, WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE OWNER.
Defect
IF TRUCK IS STRUCK FROM THE SIDE, THE CAP ON THE FUEL TANK COULD BECOME UNSEALED, ALLOWING UNSAFE LEAKAGE OF FUEL. THIS IS A FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY". LEAKAGE CAN BE CAUSED BY AN ORANGE-COLORED PLASTIC DIESEL FUEL INFORMATION RING…
Remedy
UPON INSPECTION, FUEL CAP TETHERS WILL BE REPLACED OR DIESEL FUEL INFORMATION RINGS WILL BE REMOVED.
Defect
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER SPRING SEAT ATTACHING STUDS. THESE STUDS COULD FRACTURE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, ALLOWING THE LOWER SPRING SEAT TO MOVE AND POSSIBLY SLIDE OFF THE AXLE.
Remedy
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE LOWER SPRING SEAT STUDS ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AT NO CHARGE TO OWNERS.
Defect
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE MUFFLER GRASS SHIELDS WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED DURING MANUFACTURE. WITHOUT THE GRASS SHIELD, AND DURING CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, THE MUFFLER SURFACE TEMPERATURES COULD BECOME HOT ENOUGH TO EXCEED SPECIFIED STANDARDS AND CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR IGNITING TALL GRASSES IF THEY WERE…
Remedy
DEALER WILL INSTALL GRASS SHIELDS ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES AT NO COST TO OWNER.
Complaints by component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
1fires
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1fires
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
Total complaints13
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“When driving the vehicle at any speed, the vehicle would stall. This caused the driver to drift to the side of the road. The consumer had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. Please provide any further details. *jb”
“Transmission went out due to rubber seals not being reliable. Failure caused by the rubber seal used to hold fluid in the transmission--it is dry and cracks, allowing fluid to leak. Transmission repaired at owner's cost. *ak *ml”
“Both fires occurred within the air conditioner evaporator core upper housing. Both appeared to result from the air conditioner blower motor resistor assembly igniting leaves which have ben sucked into the system. *ak”
“Electrical short in the ignition switch, smoke is coming from the steering column. *ak”
“Electrical short in the ignition switch,causing smoke is coming from the steering column. *ak”
“While driving the vehicle saw smoke coming under the dash, turn signal failed, tunred ignition off and vehicle completely burned, electrical short. *ak”
“Passenger side window shattered. Tt”
“Parked vehicle, three minutes later it was on fire. Burned so bad, could not tell what started it. Tt”
Sources & methodology
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1983 Ford Ranger as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.