Midsize pickups · model years 2019 to 2021
Toyota Tacoma vs Ford Ranger: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Ranger looks better on 3 and the Tacoma on 1, with 3 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 22, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2019 to 2021 | Tacoma | Ranger |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 6.8% | 4.9% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 4.7% | 2.8% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 10,000 | 38,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 1.3 | 5.0 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 0 |
| NHTSA investigations | 1 | 1 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Tacoma owners complain about most is fuel and propulsion; for the Ranger it is transmission and drivetrain. Complaints citing fuel and propulsion make up 21% of all Tacoma complaints, against 3.5% on the Ranger. The Ranger leans the other way on transmission and drivetrain: 39% of its complaints, against 18% for the Tacoma.
Toyota TacomaFord Ranger
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Tacoma is brake wear (21% of its complaints). On the Ranger it is transmission shudder (22% of its complaints), against 3.1% on the Tacoma.
| Problem | Tacoma | Ranger |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 21% 81most in 2019 · 6k mi | 8.7% 446k mi |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 15% 56most in 2019 · 10k mi | 11% 55most in 2019 · 50k mi |
| Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard | 3.1% 12 | 22% 110most in 2019 · 62k mi |
| Fuel pump failure | 11% 44most in 2019 · 12k mi | 0 |
| Check engine light or misfire | 5.2% 2048k mi | 5.3% 2736k mi |
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 2.6% 10 | 7.3% 3736k mi |
| Transmission fails or needs replacement | 0 | 6.1% 3160k mi |
| Adaptive cruise or lane keeping misbehaves | 2.6% 10 | 2.0% 10 |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Tacoma owners report problems earlier. Half the Tacoma complaints that give a mileage come before 10,000 miles; for the Ranger the halfway point is 38,000. 83% of Tacoma reports and 63% of Ranger reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Toyota TacomaFord Ranger
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 181 for the Tacoma and 210 for the Ranger.
Worst and best years
The 2024 Tacoma draws 3.7 times the complaints of a typical Tacoma year for its age. The 2019 Ranger draws 1.8 times the complaints of a typical Ranger year for its age.
Toyota Tacoma
Toyota TacomaFord Ranger
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Ranger draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Tacoma. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Toyota Tacoma
4 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (2), service brakes, hydraulic (1) and equipment (1).
- 20V-682 (fuel system) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA19001: Electrical overstress (closed, led to a recall)
Ford Ranger
15 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: transmission and drivetrain (3), backup camera (3) and visibility (2).
- 21V-811 (seat belts) covers 3 model years
- 23V-379 (equipment) covers 3 model years
Investigations
- RQ21002: Rearview camera fmvss 111 noncompliance (open)
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
A larger share of Tacoma complaints report a crash: 6.8%, against 4.9% for the Ranger. Fire reports: 1 for the Tacoma and 6 for the Ranger. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Tacoma and 0 in the Ranger for these model years.
Toyota TacomaFord Ranger
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Toyota Tacoma or the Ford Ranger more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Ranger looks better on 3 and the Tacoma on 1, with 3 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Tacoma has 385 complaints and the Ranger 508 for model years 2019 to 2021, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Ranger?
The Tacoma has 4 recall campaigns and the Ranger 15 across model years 2019 to 2021. The Ranger draws more recalls: 5.0 campaigns per model year against 1.3 for the Tacoma.
What are the most common problems on the Tacoma and the Ranger?
The most reported problem on the Tacoma is brake wear (21% of its complaints). On the Ranger it is transmission shudder (22% of its complaints), against 3.1% on the Tacoma.
More comparisons
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- Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline2017 to 2023
- Toyota Tacoma vs Jeep Gladiator2020 to 2022
- Honda Ridgeline vs Ford Ranger2019 to 2021
- GMC Canyon vs Toyota Tacoma2015 to 2024