The 2004 Ford Ranger may have felt a bit dated the year it came out, but today it’s one of the best pickup trucks available for under six grand. With more than four tons of towing power and a trio of reliable engines, the Ranger is hard to beat on overall value.
Is the 2004 Ford Ranger a Good Used Truck?
- Overall Rating 8/10 – Simply one of the best used pickups on the market today.
- Interior, Comfort & Cargo 7/10 – The seats are comfortable, the suspension has held up well over the years, but the backseat is tight and the ride is a bit bumpy. Still, the truck is a powerhouse when it comes to payload and towing capacity.
- Reliability 8/10 – Some drivers report getting 300,000 miles on the original engine and transmission. Even if you don’t make it quite that far, repairs are inexpensive and breakdowns are infrequent.
- Safety 6/10 – Onboard safety tech is outdated and the truck’s crash test ratings were underwhelming on release.
- Gas Mileage 7/10 – The entry level XL gets 24/29 miles to the gallon, city/highway, which isn’t bad for a twenty year old pickup.
- Value 8/10 – The Ranger comes with a relatively low cost of ownership. Even if you can’t talk the price down, you’ll be saving more than you spend on a used Ranger.
Positive Owner Reviews
Negative Owner Reviews
What Do Critics Say About the 2004 Ford Ranger?
Consumer Reports found the 2004 Ford Ranger to be stiff-riding, unwieldy on city streets, inefficient, cramped, “crudely finished,” and uncomfortable. They had faint praise for the truck’s spacious bed, but few other positive remarks for the compact truck.
Kelley Blue Book users give the 2004 Ranger a strong 93% recommendation, praising the comfortable seating and fun driving. The truck’s tasteful body design and reliable V6 engine earned high marks. Drivers generally agree that the ride is a bit bumpy if you don’t have anything in the bed to weigh the suspension down a bit.
Edmunds praised the powerful 4.0L V6 engine and the wide range of interior options. They were less excited about the weaker base engine and the lack of a crew cab configuraiton. In conclusion they found the truck a bit dated.
What Common Problems Does the 2004 Ford Ranger Have?
The 2004 Ford Ranger has been recalled 6 times for airbag issues, with 181 airbag reports making up almost half of the truck’s 394 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recalls mostly have to do with ruptured airbag inflators, while many complaints cover missing recall notifications.
Structural issues have been a concern for a handful of drivers, with owners reporting premature rust in the frame. One driver reports that the gas tank hangers rusted all the way through, with many stating that the truck isn’t good for anything but parts. This is an easy problem to prevent with anti-rust coating, but impossible to fix.
Engine and powertrain issues have been scarce, making up fewer than 40 complaints combined, but you’ll want to be on the lookout for hesitation and sudden surging when braking. These may be early signs of transmission failure.
In total, the 2004 Ranger has 10 recalls on file. This is about average for a twenty year old truck, so as long as you can find a Ranger in good shape you won’t have too many problems beyond your usual wear and tear.
How Long Will the 2004 Ford Ranger Last?
Buy a 2004 Ford Ranger brand new and you might well past 300,000 miles on the original transmission. But, seeing as that’s no longer an option, and you can’t vouch for the previous owner’s driving and maintenance habits, you should expect to reach somewhere in the area of 250,000 miles with regular maintenance.
RepairPal estimate an annual maintenance cost of $615, with the most expensive common fixes being new fuel tanks starting at $1,578 and new catalytic converters at $1,543.
How Is the Technology?
Entertainment technology is adequate for a 2004 work truck, but the Ranger was never oriented around high-end audio equipment and cutting edge entertainment features in the first place. You’ve got a CD player in most trims and that’s about as fancy as it gets.
Safety features are adequate for the release year, as well. You’ve got anti-lock brakes, full airbags, and not much else.
Is the 2004 Ford Ranger a Good Value?
The 2004 Ford Ranger is fairly priced. A mid-range XLT Regular Cab typically lists for around $5,674, which isn’t bad. It’s not exactly a steal, but it’s worth the sticker price, especially when you consider the relatively low cost of ownership, with the Ranger being more cheaper to maintain and refuel than a comparable F-150.
An FX4 model, built for off-roading, typically lists for around $8,185. That’s a bit cheaper than a comparable Wrangler, but either way it’s probably more than you want to spend on a twenty year old vehicle.
What are the Different Models of the 2004 Ford Ranger?
The 2004 Ranger is available in five different trim levels, from the entry-level XL to the high-end Tremor and the off-road FX4.
With the base XL you’re getting:
- Vinyl seating
- AM/FM radio with two speakers
- Securilock anti-theft
- Anti-lock brakes
- Full airbags
Next up is the XLT, adding:
- Cloth seating
- CD player
- Two extra speakers
- Manual air conditioning
The mid-range Edge adds:
- Fog lights
- MP3 player
With the top of the line Tremor you’re adding:
- Remote keyless entry
- Power windows and door locks
- Tremor audiophile sound system with 6-disc CD player and 10″ subwoofer
Finally, the off-road FX4 adds:
- Leather wrapped steering wheel
- Premium gas shock absorbers
- Skid plates
What Engines Come In the 2004 Ford Ranger?
- Rear wheel drive Rangers come packed with a 2.3L inline-four delivering 143 horsepower and 154 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 5-speed automatic transmission and tows up to 2,240 pounds, depending on your options. You should average 24/29 miles to the gallon, city/highway, with the 2.3L.
- Four wheel drive models come with a 3.0L V6 engine delivering 148 horsepower and 185 lb.-ft. of torque. This is paired to a 5-speed automatic and can tow up to 4,040 pounds. The 3.0L averages 18/22 miles to the gallon.
- The FX4 model comes with a hefty 4.0L V6 delivering 207 horsepower and 238 lb.-ft. of torque. 5-speed automatic, and you can expect to get an average mileage of 15/19 to the gallon. You can tow up to 5,860 pounds with this one.
What Colors Does the 2004 Ford Ranger Come In?
How Comfortable Is the 2004 Ford Ranger?
The consensus on the Ford Ranger, when it comes to comfort, is that the interior is spacious, the seating is comfortable, but the ride is a bit bumpy. If the bed is loaded down with a stack of 2x4s or a ton of gravel, that might smooth the ride out a bit.
You’ve got about 52.7 inches of hiproom, so you can comfortably seat up to four adults in the Extended cab, but it might be a tight fit with a fifth crew member.
How Much Storage Space Does the 2004 Ford Ranger Have?
The 2004 Ranger might not compete with the F-150 for payload capacity, but you’ve got as much space in the bed as you’re likely going to need and you can pack up to 1,790 pounds, depending on your options.
For bed options you’ve got a six foot or a seven foot box. Whatever your options, your bed is going to be 54.3 inches across at the widest, and 16.6 inches deep.
What Are the Differences Between Years?
The 2004 Ford Ranger was the 7th model year for the truck’s 3rd Generation, running from 1998 to 2011.
2002: Ford added MP3 players and SecuriLock for 2002.
2003: The XLT got a new vanity mirror and other trim levels got a standard step bar.
2004: Ford gave the suspension system a total overhaul for 2004 with new bushings, shocks, and springs.
2005: Flareside beds were discontinued and a range of new tire and wheel options were added.
2006: New grille inserts, fender flares, headlights and badges were added for 2006, and the Edge trim was renamed the Ranger Sport.
2007: SecuriLock became a standard feature for 2007, as did tire pressure monitoring.
How Does the 2004 Ford Ranger Compare to the Competition?
In terms of price, the 2004 Ranger is priced in about the same range as that year’s Dodge Dakota, but two thousand dollars cheaper than the Chevrolet S-10. But, the Ranger tends to last longer than the Dakota and it’s cheaper to maintain, making the Ranger the best overall value for compact pickup trucks from 2004.
The S-10 and Dakota are both stronger at the entry level, but less fuel efficient, making them a poor choice for a daily driver.
Ford Rangers are considered to be among the best pickup trucks ever made, with used models tending to maintain a strong resale price. The S-10 and Dakota both have plenty of appeal, but the Ranger is hard to beat in terms of overall value.
