1998 Ford Ranger

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUTTER RAPIDLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE DROVE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MINUTES TO A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR BECAME LOOSE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE CLAPPING SCREW ON THE SHAFT SENSOR AS A TEMPORARY REPAIR. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN COMPLETELY REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR HIS VEHICLE (ITEM NUMBER 10000592). HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,300. UPDATED 04-09-08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LOOSE CAM SHAFT SENSOR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. AS OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SNAPPED, WHICH SHE BELIEVED WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,000.

I OWN A 1998 FORD RANGER. TO BEGIN THE CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING. THEN I NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH ON THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CAUGHT FIRE. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT IT AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE PRIOR TO ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRING. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST OF VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE TRUCK HAD A SIMILAR OR THE SAME SWITCH AS THOSE ON THE RECALLED VEHICLES THAT HAVE CAUSED FIRES IN THE PAST. *JB

ON JULY 10, 2003 MY COUSIN'S 1998 FORD RANGERS LEFT REAR TIRE PEELED APART, CAUSING THE TRUCK TO FLIP AND BLOW-UP. THERE WAS NO WARNING, WHAT-SO-EVER. MY COUSIN AND A PASSENGER WERE BOTH KILLED. THE REAR TIRES WERE COOPER DISCOVERER H/T TIRES. A TIRE EXPERT LATER DETERMINED THAT THIS TIRE HAD BOTH A MANUFACTURING AND DESIGN DEFECT. THE FAMILY ATTEMPTED TO MITIGATED THIS TRAGIC EVENT BY CONTACTING COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY DIRECTLY. COOPER TIRE COMPANY OFFERED NO DEFENSE, NOTHING. WE ARE NOW IN LITIGATION. I PERSONALLY ASKED COOPERS' ATTORNEYS ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THEIR TIRES RUBBER. I WAS TOLD, "COOPER GETS THEIR RUBBER FROM VARIOUS SOURCES." WE REQUEST THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE COOPER TIRE AND RUBBER COMPANY'S MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW IF THIS COMPANY USES UNSAFE RUBBER MADE IN CHINA IN THE MANUFACTURER OF ITS H/T DISCOVERER TIRE. WE ALSO REQUEST THE NHTSA DISCUSS WITH COOPER ITS MISLEADING USE OF THE LETTERS " H/T" WHICH SUGGEST THE TIRE IS SAFE FOR BOTH HIGHWAY AND TERRAIN (OFF ROAD) USE. THIS IS AN UNSAFE TIRE. *TR

PULLED MY 1998 FORD RANGER INTO A STORE PARKING LOT. I WAS GETTING READY TO PARK WHEN I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. STOPPED THE TRUCK. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW AN ELECTRICAL PLUG BURNING WITH FLAMES. I WAS ABLE TO BLOW THE FLAMES OUT BEFORE MUCH ELSE WAS DAMAGED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL PLUG IS WHAT CAUGHT FIRE. IT ALSO DAMAGED MY RESERVOIR FOR THE BRAKE FLUID. THEY ARE REPLACING THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE CRUISE CONTROL PLUG. OF COURSE, THIS IS AT MY OWN EXPENSE, NOT FORDS. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON. FLASHING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING A PROBLEM. WENT TO FORD DEALER (SUBURBAN IN SANDY, OR) AND THEY SAID THE 'RESISTANCE' LEVEL HAD INCREASED CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO NO LONGER FUNCTION. CALLED FORD, THEY GAVE ME A "SENIOR DISCOUNT", ALTHOUGH NOT A SENIOR. SAID THAT AIRBAGS FALL UNDER 5 YEAR/50000 MILE WARRANTY. THE RANGER HAS 56,000. FORD SAID THAT THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE THE FUNCTION OF AN AIRBAG FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ASCERTAIN IF THE AIRBAG STOPPED FUNCTIONING ALL AT ONCE OR IF MY SAFETY WAS IN JEOPARDY OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AS THE AIRBAG SLOWLY STOPPED WORKING. AIRBAGS ARE A MANDATORY SAFETY DEVICE AND SHOULD BE COVERED FROM DEFECT FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED WITH FORD'S ATTITUDE ABOUT MY SAFETY. I HAVE THE AIRBAG MODULE AND CAN PROVIDE IT TO NHTSA TO STUDY AND DETERMINE IF THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE MECHANICS OF AN AIRBAG, I WOULD ASK FOR SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SEND IT TO YOU. *JB