1997 Ford Ranger

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE INSPECTION AT HALDEMAN FORD OF KUTZTOWN, INC. (15465 KUTZTOWN RD, KUTZTOWN, PA 19530, (610) 683-3553) THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. AFTER HAVING AN EMISSIONS INSPECTION, THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

BELT SEPARATION ON 2 TIRES IN ONE MONTH TIME SPAN. FUSION TOURING 195 70R14 91T. THESE TIRES HAVE 8/32 TREAD REMAINING. FAILURES WERE FRONT RIGHT, THEN LEFT READ ONE MONTH LATER. CAUSED DIFFICULTY STEERING AS THE CAR WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD PLUS BUMPY RIDE. THE TIRES ARE VISIBLY BULGING BALOON. I FELT TIRE TEMP WITH MY HAND. UNIFORMLY WARM EXCEPT AT THE BULGE WHERE IT WAS SO HOT AS TO BURN MY HAND. WOULD NTSB LIKE ME TO SAVE A TIRE FOR EVALUATION? THIS SECOND TIRE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 70 MPH ON I-94 IN MICHIGAN WHEN A SUDDEN VIBRATION OCCURRED AND I OBSERVED THE LEFT REAR FENDER BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. I STOPPED TO INVESTIGATE AND FOUND THE BULGE AND HOT SPOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT SECURED AND WAS HANGING FROM THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 233,479. *TT

I HAD FIVE (5) BF GOODRICH RADIAL ALL TERRAIN TA TIRES FAIL WHILE DRIVING THE SAME VEHICLE OVER ABOUT A TEN YEAR PERIOD. EACH FAILURE IS THE SAME. THE STEEL BELT OF THE TIRE PARTIALLY SEPARATES WHILE ROLLING. THE FIRST OCCURRED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE PULLING A SMALL FLATBED TRAILER. STEEL BELT THEN WHIPS AROUND INSIDE WHEEL WELL DAMAGING WHATEVER IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH. BF GOODRICH RADIAL ALL TERRAIN TA TIRES WERE ON THIS TRUCK WHEN PURCHASED USED. SECOND TIRE FAILED APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS AGO THE SAME WAY AT LESS THAN 30 MPH. REPLACED ALL WITH USED SET OF FOUR TIRES WITH 50 % TREAD LEFT. LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER, THIRD TIRE FAILED ON INTERSTATE ONCE AGAIN IN THE SAME WAY. STEEL BELT CUT THE FIBERGLASS REAR OUTER FENDER IN HALF, RIPPED OUT THE REAR WIRING HARNESS, DESTROYED THE LEFT TAIL LIGHT, AND EVEN DAMAGED THE GASOLINE FILL TUBE AND DESTROYED ITS LOCKING GAS CAP FROM THE FORCE OF THE BELT WHIPPING ROUND AND ROUND THE WHEEL, PARTIALLY ATTACHED AND PARTIALLY OFF. NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, BUT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. ALL TIRES FAILED WHILE IN DRIVER'S REAR WHEEL POSITION. THEN LAST MONTH AGAIN, THE LEFT REAR BF GOODRICH RADIAL ALL TERRAIN TA TIRE STEEL BELT CAME PARTIALLY OFF AT ABOUT 30 MPH. EACH TIME A USED TIRE REPLACED THE FAILED TIRE. THEN TWO DAYS LATER, A FIFTH BF GOODRICH RADIAL ALL TERRAIN TA BEGAN TO FAIL WITH STEEL BELT COMING APART. THIS TIME RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOCATION. NOTICED THE FAILURE BEFORE STEEL BELT CAME COMPLETELY OFF AND ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE. REPLACED WITH BF GOODRICH MUD TERRAIN TA THAT WERE ALSO USED BUT HAVE NOT FAILED.

THE DOME LIGHT STARTED TURNING ITSELF ON WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. SOMETIMES IT WOULD TURN ITSELF BACK OFF. IT WOULD ALSO TURN ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT. I COULDN'T GET THE LIGHT COVER OFF SO I PULLED THE FUSE WHICH LEAVES ME WITH NO WINDSHIELD WASHER SQUIRTER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. NO MATER WHAT IS DONE OR FIXED, THE LIGHT STAYS ON WHICH IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE CARS WILL USUALLY AUTOMATICALLY FAIL INSPECTION WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET IT TO PASS INSPECTION IF ITS ON 90% OF THE TIME? I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY 93 RANGER BUT OTHER PEOPLE WITH RANGERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES & THIS SITE SHOWS OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUES. WHY WON'T FORD RECALL & FIX IT WHEN ITS A KNOWN PROBLEM? THESE THINGS ARE SAFETY ISSUES!! I CAN'T ADD WHEN THESE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY ARE ONGOING ISSUES FOR THE LAST TENISH YEARS!