1997 Ford Ranger

I OWN A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT 4X4 4.0LTR.MANY SHOPS HAVE WORK ON THE FRONT AXEL WHEEL BEARINGS AND SEALS AND RETAINER NUT THIS NUT TAKES A SOCKET 2.3/8 R-6 MOST SHOPS DON'T HAVE IT SO THEY USE WHAT EVER THEY HAVE,CHISELL,LOCKING PLYERS ECT...CREATING FRONT END DAMAGE TO WHEEL BEARINGS,SEALS, BRAKES,CALIPERS,BRAKE DRUMS, MOST OF AL THE TIRES..I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB ALSO DID NOT REMOVE LCKING PIN FROM SPINDEL. *TR

FOUND DRIVERS SIDE REAR SPRING SUPPORT (FRONT) THAT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME RAIL WAS BROKEN FROM RUSTING APART. WHILE REPLACING IT, ALSO FOUND THE REAR SPRING SUPPORTS (REAR) ON BOTH SIDES BROKEN FROM RUSTING APART. THIS APPEARS TO BE A POOR DESIGN OR UNDER ENGINEERED PART. THE TRUCK IS 1997 FORD RANGER PICKUP WITH ONLY 73K MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO CARRY ANYTHING HEAVY. THIS SEEMS TO BE HIGHLY UNUSUAL THAT THREE BRACKETS ARE BROKEN ON ONE TRUCK FROM RUSTING APART. *TR

A FEW THINGS HERE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT RANDOM. HAD IT CHECKED A FEW TIMES. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. DOME LIGHT/DOOR CHIME WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN DOOR IS SHUT AND/OR CAR IS TURNED ON. LEFT HAND BLINKER WENT NUTS A FEW TIME, BASICLY IT WAS BLINKING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. A FEW SECOND 'POWER LOSS' HAPPEND A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER TO RAIDO, AND LIGHTS. THE REAR END BOUNCES WAY TOO MUCH WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING MY RANGER IF I HIT A SMALL BUMP OR POTHOLE THE TRUCK BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WANTS TO JUMP UNCONTROLLABLY FROM LANE TO LANE POSING DANGER TO MYSELF OR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. RECENTLY I NOTICED A SMALL HAIRLINE CRACK IN THE ROOF OF THE CAB ABOVE THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER PANEL PROTRUDES AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS TELLS ME SOMETHINGIS SERIOUSLY WRONG AND THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD.NOT ONLY IS THE TRUCK A HAZARD BECAUSE OF THE UNSTABLENESS OF OPERATION NOW IT HAS A STRESS PROBLEM AS WELL AND IF IN AN ACCIDENT I WONDER IF THE THE STRUCTURE WOULD HOLD UP AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY HAZARD AM REFRAINING FROM OPERATING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL A LATER DATE. I HOPE SOMETHING IS DONE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *AK

LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE (MOST RECENT INCIDENT) WHEN I HIT A WASHBOARDED SECTION ON A DIRT ROAD (KOEHN RD. BETWEEN CAPAC RD. AT KNOLL RD., MUSSEY TWP., ST. CLAIR COUNTY). RANGER REPEATEDLY LOSES CONTROL WHEN IT HITS BUMPS OR WASHBOARDS, OFTEN CAUSING LANE CHANGES OR SEVERE SKIDS. DEALER DISMISSED COMPLAINTS, SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR TRUCK SUSPENSION. OUR OTHER TRUCKS ('74 CHEVY C-10, '85 ASTRO, '85 S-10 BLAZER, '88 S-10 BLAZER, '94 CARAVAN, '95 SONOMA) HAVE NEVER DONE THIS. WE WERE ABLE TO ALLEVIATE A LITTLE OF THE PROBLEM BY REDUCING THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES TO 30 PSI, BUT WE STILL LOSE CONTROL FREQUENTLY, ON BUMPY PAVED ROADS AS WELL AS DIRT ROADS.