1997 Ford Ranger Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 411 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Ford Ranger overview page.
What owners report
“SELLING DEALER NOTIFIED EACH TIME, SOME REPAIRS MADE, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED.”NHTSA complaint 705054 — filed 03/29/1999
“VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH WILL SHORT CIRCUIT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER, THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 832774 — filed 12/29/1998
“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH OVERDRIVE HAS ERRATIC SHIFTS AT LOW SPEED. IT SHIFTED, FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL TWICE. THE LAST TIME THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT CAME ON…”NHTSA complaint 537800 — filed 07/07/1998
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 1997 Ford Ranger have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Ford Ranger: 21 of 411 complaints on file (5.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 1997 Ford Ranger have in total?
411 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 40 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 44 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
