1992 Ford Ranger

I OWN 92 FORD RANGER. LAST THURSDAY,5/15/2003, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK I NOTICED MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE TRUCK. AFTER I PARKED AT WORK I INVESTIGATED AND NOTICED THAT THE SHOCK/SPRING TOWER WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT IT WAS ALMOST READY TO FALL OFF. THE SPRING WAS BENT BACKWARDS AND THE SHOCK WAS BROKEN AT THE BOTTOM. AT THE FORD DEALER, THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY ONLY MAKE THAT PART FOR THE RIGHT SIDE? THE LEFT SIDE LOOKS LIKE BRAND NEW. APPARENTLY ONLY THE RIGHT ( PASSENGER ) SIDE RUSTS OUT AND NOT THE LEFT. IT SEEMS THAT METAL IS INFERIOR AND CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. FORD MUST KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY ONLY MAKE THE PART FOR ONE SIDE AND NOT THE OTHER. I CAN'T FIND ANY RECALL INFO ON THIS. BESIDES THE $800.00 COST TO REPAIR, THIS CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING MY 1992 FORD RANGER XLT PICK-UP TRUCK THE DRIVERS SEAT MECHANISM WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY ACTION TO INITIATE THE FAILURE EMITTED A NOISE AND SUDDENLY FAILED. MY TORSO IMMEDIATELY FELL BACKWARDS AS THE DRIVERS SEAT RECLINED COMPLETELY. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND AVOID ANY ACCIDENT, COLLISION OR INJURY SAVE FOR A BIT OF A STRAIN ON MY ABDOMINAL MUSCLES WHICH WAS NOT SERIOUS. THE SEAT WILL NOT RETURN AND STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION NOR WILL IT LATCH DOWN SECURELY (TO PREVENT FROM SLIDING FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS). THE FAILURE HAS RENDERED THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE WITHOUT REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. I AM CONCERNED THAT SHOULD THE FAILURE HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY OTHER TIME I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND SERIOUS INJURY OR DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. IF THIS EVENT CAN HAPPEN IN OTHER SUCH VEHICLES OWNERS SHOULD BE WARNED TO INSPECT THIS MECHANISM FOR WEAR OR WHATEVER CAUSED IT TO FAIL. ALSO I AM RELUCTANT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BY REPLACING IT WITH A USED SEAT SINCE A USED PART MAY BE JUST AS UNRELIABLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT NEW PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM FORD IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE INOPERATIVE DRIVERS SEAT. *JB

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE TRUCK. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRUCK DROPPED DOWN. ON HER WAY HOME, THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON. BY THAT TIME SHE WAS HOME AND TOLD ME WHAT HAPPENED. I CHECKED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS EMPTY. LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND SAW THE BRACKET HOLDING THE RIGHT COIL SPRING HAD RUSTED AWAY. THE BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS OK. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE REPAIR SHOP. *JB

SUSPENSION FAILURE. RIGHT FRONT SPRING SEAT ON MY 1992 FORD RANGER HAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. COIL SPRING AND SHOCK ABSORBER HAVE BROKEN THROUGH FAILED SPRING SEAT CAUSING VEHICLE TO SAG CONSIDERABLY ON THE RIGHT AND PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN DRIVING. ADDITIONALLY, THE FRAME ARM WHERE THE SPRING SEAT IS RIVETED HAS ALSO CORRODED TO THE POINT WHERE FORD REFUSES TO ATTEMPT A REPAIR DUE TO FEAR OF LIABILITY. FORD DEALER CONFIRMS THAT THE LEFT SPRING SEAT IS NOT CORRODED AND APPEARS NORMAL IN APPEARANCE AND FUNCTION.

FUEL ODORS ARE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT FUEL LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THE LEAK IS ACTIVE WHEN STOPPED, AND AFTER STOPPING, THE LEAK CONTINUES UNTIL THE PRESSURE IS RELIEVED ON THIS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL INJECTION LINE. THE LEAKS ARE LOCATED WHERE THE POWER STEERING HOSE RUBS AGAINST THE GAS LINES. *SCC