1997 Ford Ranger

I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT OF THE GROCERY STORE I HAD BEEN SHOPPING AT, AND THE DRIVERS SIDE RECLINING SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CONTROLS THE ANGLE OF, AND LOCKS THE BACK OF THE SEAT INTO POSITION, GAVE WAY AND THE BACK OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS CAUSING ME TO GO BACKWARDS AS WELL. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP MY VEHICLE WITHOUT CAUSING A COLLISION OR INJURY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT HOME, AND WITH INTERNET RESEARCH IT SEEMS THAT THE RECLINING SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN A WEAK POINT WITH FORD RANGER TRUCKS AND FORD EXPLORER SUV VEHICLES FOR YEARS. THE FORD DEALER/SERVICE CENTER THAT I DO BUSINESS WITH, NOW TELLS ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OBSOLETE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO CONTACT VARIOUS DEALERS STILL LISTING IT IN THEIR INVENTORY TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET THE PART, AS THE PARTS SUPPLIER FOR FORD THAT MADE THE REPLACEMENT LATCHES WENT OUT OF BUSINESS DURING THE BAD ECONOMY. I'M AMAZED THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED, GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR GREAT HARM AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH FROM THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE SPEED WAS REDUCED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS RE-BUILT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,099 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 126,431. UPDATED 05/08/09 *BF THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE SEAT BROKE LOOSE. UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB

MY FATHER WAS REAR-ENDED AT 55-65MPH. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, MY FATHER'S SEAT BROKE CAUSING HIS SEAT TO FLY BACKWARDS AND THUS, HIS HEAD TO CRASHED THROUGH THE BACK WINDOW OF HIS PICKUP TRUCK. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS SEAT SHOULD HAVE WITHSTOOD THIS KIND OF IMPACT. BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BREAKING, MY FATHER HAS SUSTAINED NUMEROUS LACERATIONS TO HIS FACE AND NECK, AND MASSIVE NECK INJURIES. MY FATHER'S INJURIES WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO SEVERE IF THE SEAT WITHSTOOD THE IMPACT. MY FATHER WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE ME WITH A LIST OF INSTANCES WHICH A FORD RANGER'S SEAT HAS BROKEN IN THE PAST? ALSO, WHO IS THE MANUFACTURER OF THE SEAT IN THE FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCK? IF YOU COULD INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. MY FATHER WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 180-190PDS AND IS 5'11" THANK YOU, [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *JS *TR

A METAL PLATE/BAR WHICH HELPED TO SUPPORT HEAD RESTRAINT ON DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD HIT BACK OF DRIVER'S HEAD, AND COULD LEAD TO HEAD INJURY IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. MANUFACTURER INFORMED THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF IS WARRANTY, AND UNWILLING TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE PUMP WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AIR CONDITIONER PUMP REPLACED. RIGHT WINDOW IS LOOSE WHILE GOING DOWN. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OCCASIONALLY WHILE TAKING OFF. THERE ARE LOOSE BOLTS UNDERNEATH SEATS. FOG LIGHT FAILED. CONSUMER STATES OIL FROM MASTER CYLINDER DAMAGED HOOD. DOOR LOCK INSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR NEVER WORKED AND WAS REPLACED. *AK *SLC

BRAKES LOCK UP AND TRUCK WILL SKID NO MATTER WHAT SPEED, TRUCK BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON AND SPRAY DURING SOME LEFT TURNS, FOR NO APPARANT REASON. THIS CAUSES THE INABILITY TO SEE. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED(AND TRUCK GOES NUTS)THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT LAUNCHES FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT IS LOCKED INTO POSITION. ONE INCIDENT WAS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO A BUSY STREET WHEN MY WIPERS CAME ON AND SPRAYED FLUID ALL OVER, I TRIED TO APPLY MY BRAKES AND THE TIRES LOCKED UP AND TRUCK STARTED TO SKID, AND THE SEAT HOLDING MY INFANT SON'S CAR SEAT WAS THROWN FORWARD INTO THE DASH. I WAS TRAVELING MAYBE 4-6 MPH. SOME ONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED IN THIS VEHICLE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAY I HAVE NO RECOURSE AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH THINGS HAPPENING WITH THIER VEHICLES. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES INSPECTED AND I AM TOLD THAT THEY LOOK FINE, AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ABS DUMMY LIGHT COMING ON IN THE VEHICLE. PLEASE, PLEASE CAN YOU MAKE FORD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THIS TRUCK POSTED HERE ON NHTSA'S SITE. THANK YOU. *AK

I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. AS I WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE, THE SEATBACK COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR, AND WOULD NOT RELATCHED I HAVE AN EXTENDED CAP SO THE SEAT FELL ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE REAR FLOOR AND WOULD NOT STAY UPRIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THE FRAME OF THE SEAT BROKE AND THAT I NEED A NEW SEAT. I AM WAITING FOR AN ESTIMATED COST FROM THEM. THEY ALSO STATE THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTNDED WARRANTY. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. I ONLY WEIGHT 170 LBS SO I DONT GIVE THE SEAT ANY UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF STRESS. *AK