1995 Ford Ranger

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE BETWEEN THE BED AND THE CAB. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. ONLY THE FRAME, MOTOR, AND TRANSMISSION REMAINED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT BELIEVES IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL. SHE CONSULTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY FIRE-RELATED RECALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 145,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD RANGER. WHENEVER THE CONTACT POURS GASOLINE INTO THE VEHICLE, IT LEAKS OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK. HE EXAMINED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND NOTICED THAT THE FILLER NECK HAD PREMATURELY RUSTED IN CERTAIN AREAS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO AFTERMARKET PARTS FOR THE FILLER NECK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,326 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,200. UPDATED 06/17/08. *LJ

I HAVE A 95 FORD RANGER. THE "FUEL FILLER NECK AND HOSE" HAS BECOME DEFECTIVE TO THE POINT WHERE GAS POURS OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE WHEN I PUT GAS IN THE TRUCK. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SHOP (NOT A FORD DEALERSHIP) AND CALLED SEVERAL OTHER PLACES AND WAS TOLD BY EVERYONE THAT THIS PART IS NOT SOLD AFTER-MARKET, AND YOU CAN ONLY BUY IT FROM FORD. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MANY FORD RANGER OWNERS ARE LOOKING FOR THIS SAME PART. I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT FORD HAD A MONOPOLY ON THIS PART GIVEN THAT IT SUCH A KEY SAFETY COMPONENT. I AM BEING FORCED TO PURCHASE A FORD PART JUST SO MY TRUCK WON'T LEAK GAS, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S LEAKING GAS IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT'S A BASIC SAFETY FEATURE! I UNDERSTAND THAT ALL VEHICLES NEED REPAIR FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT GAS IN MY TRUCK WITHOUT FEAR OF FIRE FROM THE LEAK. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT FUNCTION AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT TO THE SERVICE CONTROL UNIT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V388000, REGARDING THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKED. *NM

!) DRIVING 1995 FORD RANGER ON DESERTED STRETCH OF ROAD. ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS. ) THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER CAME LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNTING BRACKET, DISABLING GEAR SHIFTING. NO WRECK OR OTHER DAMAGE DUE TO BEING ALONE ON ROAD. TRUCK DISABLED IN ROAD. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER SHOP. ) DEALER NOT OPEN NEXT DAY ( SATURDAY). I EXAMINED REPAIR MANUAL AND FOUND THAT CYLINDER TWISTS INTO PLACE AND SHOULD BE HELD IN PLACE BY RECESSES IN MOUNTING BRACKET. I RE-INSERTED CYLINDER INTO MOUNT AND CLUTCH WAS RESTORED. BUT CYLINDER WOULD NOT STAY IN MOUNTING RECESSES AND APPEARED LIKELY TO COME LOOSE AGAIN. RETURNED TO DEALER 5 DAYS LATER. THEY TIGHTENED MOUNT BRACKET (DIDN'T SEEM LOOSE TO ME), BUT CANNOT UNDERSTAND INCIDENT, SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT RECUR. CYLINDER STILL APPEARS SLIGHTLY UNSEATED FROM MOUNT. DESIGN APPEARS MARGINAL TO ME. 45 DEGREE ROTATION OF CYLINDER DETACHES IT FROM MOUNT. THE RECESSES TO RETAIN CYLINDER IN POSITION ARE VERY SHALLOW. IT IS ALREADY PARTLY ROTATED DUE TO CONNECTORS' STRAIN. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO FIND THIS SITUATION IN OTHER TRUCKS. ENTIRE CLUTCH SYSTEM, INCLUDING MASTER CYLINDER, WAS REPLACED LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AGO. *AK