The 22-year-old pleaded not guilty to drink-driving.
He appeared in court accused of having 50 microgrammes of alcohol in his breath. The legal limit is 35.
Ranger appeared at Newport magistratates’ court in South Wales.
He was arrested at 7.15am on February 2 at junction 23 on the M4 near the Magor Services as he drove east towards the Severn Bridge.
A letter from his Newcastle-based solicitors said Ranger was pleading not guilty because he "wouldn't have driven the car over the limit or in the manner stated by police."
Ranger was told he would stand trial in May.
District Judge Richard Williams told him: "You will stand trial in this court and, if found guilty, you could receive a jail sentence and disqualification from driving."
The court heard Ranger had failed to turn up at Cwmbran magistrates for the first hearing on February 19 because he believed he had to go to Cardiff.
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed a warrant was issued after Ranger failed to show for the court appearance on February 19.
But the CPS dropped the charge of failing to appear in court yesterday.