1994 Ford Ranger

I WAS CHECKING FOR RECALLS ON MY 1994 FORD RANGER AND WAS SURPRISED AT HOW MANY RECALLS. THE REASON BEING THAT, MY FAMILY HAS OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY 1994, WE'VE ONLY RECEIVED THE FIRESTONE RECALL NOTICE. IRONICALLY, I HAVE HAD AND STILL HAVE SOME OF THE LISTED COMPONENTS THAT WERE RECALLED AS WELL AS AS SOME UNLISTED COMPONENTS SINCE 1996, THESE PROBLEMS HAVE COST MY FAMILY ANY WHERE BETWEEN $1000.00 - $2000.00, EVERY YEAR JUST IN REPAIRS ALONE. THE VEHICLE BARELY HAS 147,000 MILES ON IT AND IS ONLY USED TO COMMUTE TO ANF FROM WORK, AND OCCASSIONAL DRIVES TO L.A. COUNTY. SEE LIST BELOW.... 07/2002 - VEHICLE OVERHEATED RETURNING HOME FROM L.A. COUNTY, CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD - COST $1200.00 02/2002 - BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR OIL CHANGE & ALIGNMENT, AND FOUND THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND FUEL SYSTEM WERE BAD, REPLACED BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS, GASKETS, SEALS, AND HOSES WERE LEAKING, THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS LEAKING AND TO THIS DAY, I STILL SMELL GASOLINE EVERYTIME I PARK . COST - $950.00 07/2001 - BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR TIRES, AND FIND THE RADIATOR NOT WORKING, AND THE COOLING FAN WAS CRACKED ALL THE WASY AROUND ON EVERY BLADE, HAD TO REPLACE RADIATOR, FAN ASSY AND ALL HOSES & CLAMPS. - COST - $ 800.00 01/2001 - FRONT BRAKE DISC ROTORS WERE BAD, REPLACED - COST - $ 300.00 03/2000 - ROUTINE 30K SERVICE + VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE AND SHUDDER WHEN BRAKING, SO REAR BRAKE ROTORS & DRUMS WERE SURFACED AND/OR REPLACED, + REPLACED THE FOLLOWING GASKETS, SEALS, & PLUGS BECAUSE OF MAJOR LEAKS; WORK BY FORD DEALER, #FOTZ6710C OIL PAN GSKT, INTAKE MANIFOLD GSKT & VALVE COVER GSKT, #F5TZ9439A MANIF. GSKT, #F87Z6584AA COVER VALVE ROCKER ARM GSKT, THERMOSTATIC INSERT, , VALVES, OIL FILTER, AND THERMOSTAT - COST - $ 1425.00 SEE WHAT I MEAN...

THE TWO PROBLEMS ARE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY AND HASN'T FOR SOME TIME, AT SPEEDS OVER 55 THE NEEDLE EITHER GOES TO 85 AND STAY'S THERE OR BOUNCES AROUND BETWEEN 50 AND 85, BOTH DEALERS CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM HAVE SAID W/O EVEN SEEING TRUCK IT NEEDS NEW SPEEDO B/C THE ORIGINAL BATCH USED FROM THE FACTORY WERE DEFECTIVE. PROBLEM 2 IS THE PARKING BRAKE, WAS FIXED UNDER RECALL BUT HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY AND DEALER HAS SAID THEY WON'T FIX AGAIN.

I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC AND A POSTINGS ON A FORD RANGER WEB SITE THAT RANGERS HAVE A BAD HABIT OF COLLECTING LEAVES AND OTHER SMALL DEBRIS IN THE FAN COMPARTMENT. THE MECHANIC WHO CLEANED THE COMPARTMENT OUT SAVED A LEAF AND IT SHOWED SINGE MARKS (PARTIALLY BURNT). I WAS TOLD THAT THE BEST WAY TO NOT LET THE BUILD UP GET SO BAD IS TO CLEAN IT OUT AS SOON AS THE WHIRRING NOISE STARTS WHEN YOU TURN ON THE FAN/AIR CONDITIONING. THE BUILD UP OF DEBRIS IN SUCH A SMALL COMPARTMENT CAUSES THE DEBRIS TO BECOME VERY DRY AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE. ALSO, THE O2 SENSOR! NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN TOLD BY OTHERS WHO SUFFERED FROM THIS PROBLEM, BEEN FORWARNED OF IT BY OTHER RANGER OWNERS, IT HAPPENS ONLY ON LONG, EXTENDED DRIVES. A SIMPLE DIAGNOSTIC TEST CONFIRMED MY O2 PROBLEM, ONLY AFTER THE DEALER FAILED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON, CAUSING PANIC (ON A LONG DRIVE, BY YOURSELF), MONEY SPENT TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM DUE TO INEPTNESS AT JOE MYERS, AND THEN EXTREMELY POOR GAS MILEAGE, AND POOR IN-TOWN PERFORMANCE. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT TO REPLACE THE O2 SENSOR AGAIN IN 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR...THEREFORE, POSSIBLY POINTING TO A COMPUTER PROBLEM. AT THE VERY LEAST, IT IS A BUILT-IN BI-YEARLY REPAIR THAT AFFECTS OTHER SYSTEMS. IF I DO HAVE TO REPLACE IT AGAIN (AT A HEFTY $160 A POP) - I'LL LET YOU KNOW.