1994 Ford Ranger

THE TRUCK WOULD STALL UNEXPECTEDLY DURING COLD WEATHER RUNNING. THE PROBLEM BEGAN APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AFTER MY PURCHASE. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN IGNITION MODULE WHICH WAS REPLACED, BUT I WAS NOT CONVINCED THAT WAS THE ENTIRE PROBLEM. THREE MONTHS LATER IT OCCURRED AGIN ON A ROAD TRIP. PRIOR TO THE TRIP FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO CANADA, I WROTE A LETTER TO THE V.P OF CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS AND SATISFACTION EXPLAINING THE DANGER OF THE SAME COMPONENT FAILURE IF ONE WERE TRAVELING ON A REMOTE HIGHWAY IN A COLD ENVIRONMENT. I EXPLAINED THAT ONE COULD DIE OF HYPOTHERMIA AND SUGGESTED THEY FIND THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY REFUSED. MY FORESIGHT WAS EXACTLY CORRECT. THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZZARD IN MONTANA AND IF I AND MY TRAVELING COMPANION WERE NOT IN GOOD PHYSICAL SHAPE WE BOTH WOULD HAVE DIED. AFTER WAITING IN THE VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, WITH NOT A SINGLE VEHICLE PASSING US, THE TEMPERATURE IN THE CAB DROPPED TO ABOUT 15 DEGREES. IT WAS NEAR 0 DEGREES OUTSIDE. SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE. I RAN FOR TWO MILES ACROSS A FIELD UNTIL I LUCKILY REACHED A HOUSE WHERE THEY CALLED A TOW TRUCK. WE WERE ALSO LUCKY WE WERE GOING ON A SKI TRIP, SO WE HAD PLENTY OF WARM GEAR, BUT WE WERE STILL NEARLY FROSTBITTEN BY THE TIME THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. I AM SURE AN ELDERLY PERSON WOULD HAVE PERISHED IN THE COLD. ANOTHER IGNITION MODULE WAS INSTALLED IN MONTANA. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN IN JULY OF 1998. THIS TIME THEY TOLD ME THE WIRING HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND THEY COULDN'T TRACE THE PROBLEM. SO THEY MADE ME PAY $806 FOR THE REPAIR, ALL THE WHILE CLAIMING THIS WAS NOT DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY. I DISAGREED. AFTER THE THIRD PROBLEM, I WROTE A LETTER TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALSO SENT COPIES TO THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO V.P. OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ALL I RECEIVED WAS A CALL FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO HAD NO IDEA WHY SHE WAS CALLING ME; SHE WAS ONLY INSTRUCTED TO GIVE ME A CALL!*AK

PROBLEM IS WITH THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT. IN THE TIME THAT I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE, I HAVE REPLACED THE ORIGINAL AND ONE REPLACEMENT MECHANISM. THE THIRD MECHANISM IS NOT NOW WORKING PROPERLY AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. JOE SPAW, ON 22 SEPTEMBER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. HE REPLIED THAT THE MECHANISM SHOULD HAVE A LONGER USE LIFE (THREE WEARING OUT) AND THAT HE WOULD ORDER A REPLACEMENT. TO DATE I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER RESPONSE FROM CASTRUCCI FORD. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT A SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE A LONGER USE LIFE AND NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT EVERY TWO YEARS.*AK

I HAD A BLOWOUT WITH THE BACK LEFT TIRE. HAD MY TIRES CHECKED. FRONT RIGHT TIRE STARTING TO SEPARATE ALSO. SHIPPED BLOWN TIRE TO FIRESTONE. DENIED COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES. DENIED COMPENSATION FOR PRORATION ON REPLACEMENT TIRE. TIRES HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THEM. FIRESTONE SAID THAT THE TIRE HAD A CUT IN THE TREAD FACE WHICH ALLOWED MOISTURE TO CONTAMINATE THE STEEL BELTS CAUSING A BREAK DOWN IN THE RUBBER TO STEEL ADHESION CAUSING THE DETACHMENT. BECAUSE I HAD ANOTHER TIRE BEGINNING TO SEPARATE AT THE SAME TIME, I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THEIR DECISION. ALL I HAVE IS THE WORD OF THEIR OWN INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTION OF THE TIRES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY AN IMPARTIAL PARTY AND THE FACT THAT I HAD ANOTHER RUINED TIRE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE DECISION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: VDFCJBA257 TIRESIZE: 22570R14)

SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS 3 YEARS OLD THE HEATER FAN WHEN SET ON THE LOWEST TWO SETTINGS , WILL START TO SMOKE AND ONE CAN SMELL BURNING UNDER THE DASH. IT WILL STOP WHEN FAN SWITCH IS ON 3,4 OR 5 SETTING. CONTACTED FORD YEARS AGO THEY SAID NOT UNDER WARRENTY. ON 9/3/01 MECHANIC TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH FAN SET ON 2, CAB FILLED WITH SMOKE HAD TO STOP IN MIDDLE OF A BRIDGE COULD NOT SEE.*AK

THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES-CAUSED BY OVERHEATING OF THE MODULE,WHICH IS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, ON THE DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY. SEVERAL OF THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.. THE ENGINE SIMPLY SHUTS OFF, LEAVING ME WITH NO STEERING OR BRAKE CONTROL UNTIL THE ENGINE CAN BE RESTARTED (AFTER IT COOLS DOWN) I HAVE BEEN QUOTED COSTS AS HIGH AS $400 TO REPLACE THE MODULE.. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR.