1996 Ford Ranger

IN MAY OF 1996 I PURCHASED A NEW 1996 FORD RANGER 4 WHEEL DRIVE XLT MODEL. IN THE SPRING OF 1997 (APPROX. MAY) I CHANGED THE MUD FLAPS AND DISCCOVERED THAT I HAD 2 EACH CRACKED ROTORS. I TOOK THE TRUCK BACK TO PORT CITY FORD--ROUTE 104 EAST, OSWEGO N.Y. 13126--WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. IN 1998 THIS DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED SO I TOOK MY BUSINESS TO FRED RAYNOR FORD IN FULTON N.Y. PORT CITY FORD REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS IN MAY 1997 UNDER WARANTEE. IN JAN. 1998 TOOK VEHICLE TO PORT CITY FORD FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT ROTORS WERE AGAIN CRACKED. PORT CITY FORD AGAIN REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS UNDER WARANTEE. APPROX. MILEAGE WAS 33,000 MILES. IN MARCH OF 1999 I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT ROTOR WAS CRACKED. PORT CITY FORD HAD GONE OUT OF BUSINESS SO I TOOK MY TRUCK TO FRED RAYNOR FORD IN FULTON,NY. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T RETRIEVE MY RECORDS FROM PORT CITY FORD AND THAT MY 12000MILE/12 MONTH WARANTEE ON FORD PARTS HAD EXPIRED. I PAID THEM FOR A NEW RIGHT ROTOR, TURNED DOWN RIGHT ROTOR, NEW BRAKE PADS AND BACK BRAKE INSPECTION. IN JUNE, 1999, I REPLACED MY REAR BRAKE SHOES MYSELF AND HAD THE TRUCK INSPECTED. THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY IL NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDDAL PULSATING AND DISCOVERED THAT MY LEFT FRONT ROTOR HAD CRACKED. I WENT TO FRED RAYNOR FORD AND TALKED WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER--BRAD STEVENS-- AND SET UP AN APPT. FOR TODAY-7/23/99- AT 8AM. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SO THEY CALLED THE FORD TECH HOT LINE AND TALKED TO SOMEONE WHO SPECIALIZED IN FORD RANGERS. THAT PERSON SAID THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS NOR DID THEY HAVE ANY KNOWLEGE OF ANY FORD RANGERS HAVING ROTOR PROBLEMS. I PAID FOR ANOTHER FORD ROTOR TODAY BUT I RECEIVED A 10% DISCOUNT AND FREE LABOR. THESE PEOPLE ARE TREATLING ME AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THEIR HANDS ARE TIED. WHERE DO GO FROM HERE? THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN INHERENT TO THIS VEHICLE FROM DAY ONE.

AFTER RESEARCHING YOUR SERVICE BULLETIN DATABASE I FOUND 2 LIKE PROBLEMS RELATING TO MINE. COMPRESSOR FAILURE. # 96-20-6 AND # 96-22-6 THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY ON ITS SECOND SUMMER OF USE. AN AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR SHOULD NOT SELF DESTRUCT CAUSING EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT THAT FORD IS AWARE OF AND THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT IN MY BUDGET TO HAND OUT $1200 (FORDS ESTIMATE) FOR A PIECE OF FAULTY EQUIPMENT WHICH FAILED DUE TO AN ERROR AT THE FACTORY. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS, AND CAN HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT AGAIN IF THIS IS HOW FORD TREATS THEIR CUSTOMERS. PLEASE HELP. SINCERELY, MARK LACHAPPELL