2002 Ford Ranger

THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEEDS. RECENTLY I BOUGHT A USED 2002 FORD RANGER XLT, W/ 4.0 LITER ENGINE, AND I NOTED THE 125 MPH SPEEDOMETER. LAST EVENING AN 18 WHEELER CUT INTO MY LANE AND I QUICKLY ACCELERATED HITTING ABOUT 90 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE TO AVOID BEING CRUSHED. HOWEVER JUST AS I WAS CLEARING THE FRONT END OF THE SEMI THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FAULTER AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW. PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR DIDN'T INCREASE VEHICLE SPEED OR ENGINE RPM. I WAS SCARED OUT OF MY WITS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT NIGHT AND THEY AGREED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. WHICH THEY LATER DEFERRED ON (BASICALLY THEY KNEW OF THE DEFECT). AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPS AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THE FUEL EJECTORS ARE DESIGNED TO CUT OUT AT HIGH SPEEDS. I PRESSED FURTHER AND TALKED TO OTHER DEALERSHIPS TO FIND OUT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DETEREMINED UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEEDS BY FORD, SO THIS SAFETY FEATURE WAS INCORPORATED IN THE VEHICLE. I GOT LITTLE "POSITIVE" RESPONSES WHEN I ASKED WHY A)THE SPEEDOMOTER WENT TO 125 MPH (NOTING THAT OLER VEHICHLES MANUFACTURED IN THE MID TO LATE 1980'S ONLY HAD 85 MPH SPEEDOMETERS) B)WHY AM I PAYING SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLARS FOR A 4.0 LITER ENGINE AND C) WHY IS THIS UNSAFE CONDITION NOT DISCLOSED ANYWHERE OR AT ANY TIME DURING MY PURCHASE? I ASKED IF FATTY FOODS ARE BAD FOR ME WOULD I PAY FULL PRICE FOR A 2 LB. STEAK AND ONLY BE SERVED A 6 OZ. ONE? HE HAD NO RESPONSE. *AK

EXHAUST ODOR AFTER ENGINE REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMP. THE ODOR IS LIKE ROTTEN EGGS, SULPHUR, PHOSPHORUS. PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN VEHICLE WAS APPROX. 9 MONTHS OLD WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT NEW AND IS A 2002 FORD RANGER WITH 4.0, AUTO, 4X4. VEHICLE NOW HAS 17,405 MILES AND HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 OR 5 TIMES WITHOUT RESOLVE AND IS ABOUT TO GO BACK AGAIN. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING FORD HAS ADVISED THEM TO DO AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO TRY NEXT. THE DEALER SAID FORD WILL NOT AUTHORIZE REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WOULD START OVER AGAIN WHEN THE NEW CONVERTOR "BURNS" IN. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE FIRST TIME IT WOULD GO AWAY IN APPROX. 5,000 MILES. THE SMELL REMAINS AND, IF ANYTHING, IS GETTING WORSE. THE FRUSTRATION BEGAN WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK IN THE FIRST TIME FOR THE EXHAUST ODOR AND A SEVERE JERK WHEN PUTTING THE TRANS. INTO REVERSE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE "JERK" WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE (10,008 MILES) WAS GETTING "BROKE IN" BUT THE SMELL WAS DUE TO THE CONVERTOR JUST "BURNING IN" BECAUSE IT WAS NEW! I'VE HAD 5 RANGERS SINCE 1996 AND PURCHASE 3 OTHER VEHICLES SINCE 1990 AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ODOR IN ANY OF THEM. *JB

I AM HAVING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH MY 6 MONTH OLD TRUCK. A STRANGE OIL LOSS THAT WAS LOOSING 1-2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK, NOW FIXED FOR THE MOMENT. THE CLUTCH DISENGAGES IF ANY PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND WILL NOT ENGAGE UNTIL THE PEDAL IS FULLY RELEASED, DEALER CLAIMS ITS NORMAL. VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS HEAP, INCLUDING FAILING SENSORS, INTERIOR LIGHT COMING ON WHEN IT WANTS TO, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OCCASIONALLY. THIS TRUCK HAS STARTING PROBLEMS SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO CRANK THE ENGINE FOR A LONG TIME(UP TO 30 SECONDS SOMETIMES) BEFORE IT WILL START. HAD TO HAVE A TIRE REPLACED WITH 1066 MILES ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE SOME OF THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO COME OFF, VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED AT THE SAME TIME TO CURE A PULL TO THE RIGHT WHICH DID NOTHING STILL PULLS TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE TRIED TO GET IN CONTACT OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO GET THIS VEHICLE REPLACED UNDER A LEMON LAW TO NO AVAIL. I GET TOLD A STORY AND PUT OFF, THE DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THIS THING FROM DOES THE SAME THING TRIES TO FIX IT TO NO AVAIL AND PUTS ME OFF. I PAID 15 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THIS TRUCK AND NOW MAY LOSE MY JOB BECAUSE IT IS NOT DEPENDABLE! SOMETHING MUST BE DONE THIS IS NOT HOW TO TREAT A REPEAT CUSTOMER, THIS BEING MY 4TH FORD PRODUCT AND MY LAST. *NLM

PURCHASED A NEW 2002 FORD RANGER 4X4 4DR XCAB WITH THE 4.0 ENGINE. VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION # [XXX], ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2002. AFTER COMING TO STOP, ENGINE HAS SURGED. FIRST TIME RPM WENT TO 1500 AND COULD KEEP THE TRUCK IN PLACE WITH BRAKE PRESSURE. TOOK TO DEALER FOR 3000 SERVICE IN DECEMBER AND REPORTED PROBLEM. DEALER PERFORMED NORMAL 3000 SERVICE AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS, HOWEVER THEY ASKED TO BE INFORMED IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS TIME ENGINE SURGED TO OVER 3000 RPM AND COULD NOT KEEP TRUCK STOPPED PUSHING INTO ANOTHER TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. WE HIT BUMPERS AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP MY TRUCK WAS TO SLAM THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTED PROBLEMS OF ENGINE SURGE LIKE THIS. USING REGULAR GASOLINE IN THE TANK. TAKING TRUCK BACK TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *JB INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2002 RANGERS ARE APPARENTLY EQUIPPED WITH A SPEED CONTROL CHIP THAT LIMITS TOP END SPEED AND RPM'S. I WAS NOT INFORMED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS GOING TO BE CRIPPLED BY THIS DEVICE OR I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED IT. WHEN DRIVING IN THE WESTERN US, THIS LIMITER HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT 4 TIMES. FORD SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO TELL BUYERS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS A SPEED LIMITER BEFORE THE SALE IS CLOSED.