1997 Ford Ranger

1997 FORD RANGER TRUCK-SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING MY HOME, WITHIN 10 MINUTES, I NOTICED A CLICKING NOISE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR NEXT TO ME, I LOOKED AT MY GAUGES AND NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 1 MINUTE THE CAR LOST POWER. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. JUST BEFORE TURNING OFF THE IGNITION THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SPIKED TO HOT. UPON EXAMINATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE ENGINE GOT HOT ENOUGH TO CRACK ALL FOUR VALVES IN THE ENGINE HEAD. BASICALLY A NEW ENGINE IN A CAR WITH 84,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ENGINE IS RATED TO LAST 200,000 MILES. *LA

I HAVE A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT SUPERCAB, 2.3L 4X2. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AT WORK, AND 2 OF THE 3 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE STEERING COLUMN TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE, AND I COULD EVENTUALLY TURN TO THE RIGHT, WHEN THE GEAR BOX LODGED AGAINST THE FRAME. I'VE NOTICED 3 OTHER INCIDENTS IN SEARCHING THIS WEBSITE. I THINK THIS IS AN AGE ISSUE WITH RANGER. BOLTS SHOULDN'T JUST BREAK IN TWO. I DIDN'T TAKE THIS TO A DEALERSHIP, BUT MY FRIEND IS A MECHANIC AND DID THE WORK FOR ME. HOWEVER, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY, BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY, SERIOUS FATALITIES CAN OCCUR.*AK

FAULTY FUEL TANK VENT HOSE. WHEN FILLING UP THE GAS TANK AND THE PUMP KICKS OFF WHEN FULL, GAS POURS ONTO PAVEMENT BELOW. I PULLED THE PART OFF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE HOSE WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY AROUND. THIS PART IS ALL ONE UNIT WITH THE FILL LINE AND IT COSTS A WHOPPING $247 TO BUY THE PART. I ASKED AUTOWAY FORD IN ST, PETERSBURG FLORIDA IF THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT BUT SINCE IT'S NOT UNDER RECALL THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT. WE PURCHASED ONE FROM GATOR FORD THAT SAME DAY. I NOTICED YOUR SITE SHOWS EIGHT OTHER COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS FAULTY HOSE. I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THERE ARE PLENTY MORE POTENTIAL FIRES LURKING UNDER OTHER FORD RANGERS. WE HAVE THE OLD PART ON HAND IF ANY BODY WANTS TO INSPECT IT. *AK

97 FORD RANGER 4WD ~79K MILES, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FREOM WORK ON BACK ROAD DOING 30 MPH. SHE THOUGHT SHE RAN OVER SOMETHING AND THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY DIED. NO ENGINE, POWER STEERING OR ANYTHING. *AK WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE CRAK SHAFT BROKE OFF AT THE ENGINE BLOCK. A WHOLE ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS NEEDED. INSPECTING WHERE THE SHAFT BROKE OFF IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME, THE MECHANIC AND OTHERS THAT PART WAS DEFECTIVE IN THE MANUFACTURE PROCES. ABOUT 40% OF THE RING OF THE SHAFT LOOKS FINE (SOLID STEEL). THE REMAINDER OF THE RING IS ALL POUROUS. IT LOOKS LIKE A BAD FORGE PROCESS. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR INJURY OR WORSE, I DO BELIEVE THIS DEFECT PRESENTED A DANGEROUS SAFTEY ISSUE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HYWAY THE CONCEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. THE DEFECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN SOME QUALITY CONTROL PORCESS. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD ABOUT REIMBURSMENT FOR THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT BUT THEY WILL NOT CONSIDER IT. I HAVE THE PART THAT BROKE OFF AND CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH DIGITAL PHOTOS IF THAT WOULD HELP. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT.

1997 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB. WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES, INSTEAD OF STOPPING AT THIS "T" HWY INTERSECTION, I RAN PAST IT, AND HIT A 12" DIAMETER TREE HEAD ON. ICE ON THE ROAD. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. NEITHER THE DRIVER'S SIDE NOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE INDENTATION ON THE FRONT BUMPER WAS OVER TWO FEET DEEP. MY HEAD AND RIGHT SIDE OF MY BODY SMASHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL, AND MY I BROKE MY LEFT COLLAR BONE, FRACTURED AND BRUISED SEVERAL RIBS ON MY RIGHT SIDE, BROKE MY RIGHT FOOT HEEL BONE, CUT MY NOSE, PLUS NUMEROUS OTHER MINOR CUTS, BRUISES AND ABRASIONS. AFTER ABOUT 45 SECONDS, A HUGE BALL OF FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE CRUMPLED HOOD. I FELT THE SUDDEN HEAT ON MY FACE, SINCE THE WINDSHIELD WAS GONE AND THERE WAS A HUGE GAP BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE TRUCKS BODY. A LADY, AN ANGEL OF GOD REALLY, HELPED ME OUT OF THE TRUCK AND INTO THE BACK SEAT OF HER CAR. SHE DROVE ABOUT 100 YARDS TO WAIT FOR THE AMBULANCE TO ARRIVE. BEFORE WE CAME TO A STOP, I HEARD THE TWO FRONT TIRES OF MY TRUCK BLOW UP. ALL I COULD SEE WAS A BALL OF FIRE BURNING ABOUT 20 FEET HIGH. TWO THINGS SEEM TECHNICALLY WRONG: THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, AND THE FUEL PUMP MUST HAVE KEPT PUMPING FUEL, FOR THE FIRE TO SPREAD SO RAPIDLY AND BURN THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK SO VERY COMPLETELY. THIS WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THE POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE AIR BAG CRASH SENSORS AND THE FUEL PUMP SAFETY CUTOFF SWITCH. MY TIRES WERE ONE MONTH OLD MICHELINS, SO THEY WEREN'T A FACTOR. THE TRUCK WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND IT WAS CAREFULLY MAINTAINED AND GARAGED. EVERYTHING WORKED ON IT AND NO MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHTS OF ANY KIND WERE ON PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. I HAVE VERY GOOD MAINTENANCE RECORDS ON IT. I CONTACTED FORD BY TELEPHONE AND VIA E-MAIL, TO LET THEM KNOW OF WHAT I THOUGHT COULD BE A POTENTIAL COMPONENT DEFECT AFFECTING OTHERS ALSO. I ALSO CONTACTED THEIR LEGAL OFFICE VIA PHONE, AND THEY NEVER RETURNED MY CALL. *NLM