2021 Ford Ranger Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 57 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 Ford Ranger, half of all 114 complaints filed for the model year. Owners report hard shifts, slipping, and lunging in the 10-speed automatic, with a median failure mileage of 77,500. No related recall is listed.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 57
- 50% of 114
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 77,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Owners describe the 10-speed automatic slipping or failing to hold gear during normal driving, sometimes while merging into traffic.
- Multiple reports describe harsh, jarring downshifts to 1st gear when coming to a stop, strong enough to be felt through the driveshaft.
- Several owners report the transmission lunging or bucking forward at stops or low speed, in some cases nearly causing a collision.
- Some drivers report loss of power or hesitation on acceleration, especially when the engine is cold or the truck is moving slowly.
- One owner reported a full transmission failure, with the truck going from mostly drivable to a complete stop while climbing a grade.
- A few complaints mention clunking noises when shifting into drive or reverse alongside the hard-shift symptoms.
When 2021 Ford Ranger transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Nov 30, 2022, latest Sep 13, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2021 Ford Ranger
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Ranger model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the transmission bad on the 2021 Ford Ranger?
- NHTSA has 57 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 Ranger, half of the year's 114 total complaints. Owners describe slipping, hard shifting, and lunging in the 10-speed automatic, with a median failure mileage of 77,500.
- Is there a transmission recall for the 2021 Ford Ranger?
- No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this problem area on the 2021 Ranger.
- At what mileage does the 2021 Ranger transmission usually fail?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 77,500 for Transmission & Powertrain issues on the 2021 Ranger.
- How does the 2021 Ranger compare to other years for transmission complaints?
- The 2021 Ranger's transmission complaints make up 50% of its total complaints, higher than the 2019 (34%), 2020 (38%), 2022 (46%), 2023 (28%), 2024 (39%), and 2025 (35%) shares.
- Are the 2021 Ranger transmission problems dangerous?
- NHTSA records 2 crashes and 1 fire tied to these Transmission & Powertrain complaints, with no reported injuries.