Head-to-head reliability
FORD Ranger vs Toyota Camry
How the FORD Ranger and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
FORD Ranger averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. FORD Ranger has 1,317 complaints and 80 recalls on record; Toyota Camry has 2,015 complaints and 27 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | FORD Ranger | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,317 Better | 2,015 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 80 | 27 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 60 Better | 175 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 131.7 Better | 201.5 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 242 | 160 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
FORD Ranger
- 01AIR BAGS472
- 02POWER TRAIN293
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM113
- 04ENGINE101
- 05SERVICE BRAKES97
“Hit a tree head-on going 30+mph. Impact point on the vehicle was next to the airbag sensor. Air bags did not deploy”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN368
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER316
- 03ENGINE307
- 04SERVICE BRAKES284
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM223
“The vehicle allows the engine to be turned off, key removed, while the vehicle is still in drive with no warning lights or sounds. I have tested and the vehicle can roll away. Complained to the toyota dealership and they said the service tech consulted with t…”
“Transmission (UB80E) 2023 Toyota Camry; when pushing on the gas pedal there is a whining/whistling sound: vehicle shutters and all at once takes off like an airplane; gear shifting is not right. Inspected 0n 6/8/2026 by Toyota Dealer - noise coming from the t…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
FORD Ranger — 80 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Ranger Super Cab vehicles equipped with rear seats containing fixed head restraints. The fixed head restraints may interfere with proper installation of certain types of child seats. Additionally, the child seat may not attach properly to the…
The risk: An improperly attached child seat can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the rear-lower child restraint anchorages for correct alignment and adjust as necessary. Separately, dealers will replace the non-removable head restraints with removable head restraints, free of charge. Interim owner…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Ford Ranger Super Cab vehicles. The front passenger outboard seat belt may not have been assembled properly, allowing the seat belt to be misrouted. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
The risk: A misrouted seat belt may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will provide owners with instructions to perform a preliminary inspection of their front seat belts. Owners that detect an issue with the driver's seat belt, are unsure of the results, or do not want to perform an inspection, should n…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ford F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, Explorer, Mustang, Transit, Expedition, Escape, Ranger and Edge, and Lincoln Nautilus and Corsair vehicles. Due to a poor electrical connection, the rearview camera may intermittently display a blank or dist…
The risk: Reduced rearward visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. The recall began November 17, 2020. Remedy became available on February 1, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 1, 2021. Owners may…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2020 Ranger and F-150 vehicles equipped with 10-speed automatic transmissions and certain 2020 Expedition vehicles equipped with a "police" package. The transmission shift cable lock clip may not be fully seated, allowing the transmission to actually b…
The risk: If the transmission selection does not match the indicated gear selection, and the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement can occur, increasing the risk of injury or crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and correct the shift cable locking clip installation, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's numb…
Toyota Camry — 27 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Camry Hybrid and 2026 Corolla Cross Hybrid vehicles. A bolt inside the inverter may not have been tightened properly, causing incomplete contact at the inverter terminal.
The risk: Incomplete contact can cause a loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a loose bolt can cause an electrical short while the vehicle is powered on, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Dealers will replace the inverter assembly, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed March 11, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the remedy becomes available, anticipated in late Ma…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | FORD Ranger | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 69 |
| 2025 | 26 | 130 |
| 2024 | 54 | 44 |
| 2023 | 32 | 57 |
| 2022 | 70 | 56 |
| 2021 | 206 | 151 |
| 2020 | 117 | 260 |
| 2019 | 256 | 378 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific FORD Ranger or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- FORD Ranger vs Toyota Camry
- FORD Ranger total complaints
- 1,317
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,015
- FORD Ranger total recalls
- 80
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 27
- FORD Ranger avg complaints/year
- 131.7
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 201.5
- More reliable overall
- FORD Ranger
- FORD Ranger top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN