1997 Ford Ranger

DURING DRIVING, WHEN I SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD (MOST OF THE TIME), THE THROTTLE STICKS AT AROUND 2500-3000 RPM'S. IT DOES RELEASE ITSELF BUT AFTER I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH TO THE NEXT GEAR, I CAN TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND LEAVE IN NEUTRAL AND IT WILL STILL BE AROUND 2500 RPM FOR ABOUT 3-8 SECONDS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THEY THOUGHT I WAS NUTS. I TOOK IT TO BURTS FORD IN COLORADO AND THEY FIRST REPLACE A FUEL ASSEMBLY PART, THE 2ND TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY 3RD WITH BURTS, I TOOK A MECHANIC OUT FOR A DRIVE AND SHOED HIM THE PROBLEM. THEY LOOKED THE CAR OVER WHILE IT WAS IN SHOP FOR A WEEK AND SAID THAT THEY CAN WILLINGLY REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS BEING SHIFTED. NO FIX. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STICK CARS FOR OVER 26 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT, WHEN SHIFTING, THE RPM'S WOULD ACCERLATE. THIS IS A PROBLEM, IF I GET TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN AND THE CAR WILL NOT RELEASE THE RPM'S, THEN ENGINE COULD CONTINUE TO RACE AND POTENTIALLY BLOW UP OR EVEN RUIN THE ENGINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY SQUEELING SOUND (BELT). ENGINE POWER EFFECTED, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE CONTROLLED SAFELY AND DRIVER MUST PULL OVER. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS IN EVEN IN SMALL PUDDLES! I HAVE A TRCUK THAT CANNOT OPERATE SAFELY IN RAIN! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW WITH THE SAME RESULTS. IF THE BELT GETS WET THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. WHAT GOOD IS A TRUCK THAT CAN'T BE OPERATED IN BAD WEATHER OR DRIVE THROUGH A PUDDLE THAT A MAZDA MIATA CAN EASILY HANDLE?

CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED,CLIMBING A SMALL RISE. ALSO, NEEDS TO SHIFT MANUALLY FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ENGINE WILL RACE TO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE FOR SECOND ,AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK TO IDLE.DEALER CLAIMED CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DEACTIVATE BY APPLYING CLUTCH PEDAL , ONLY BY APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL AND BUTTON. THIS IS IN CONFLICT WITH OWNER'S AND SERVICE MANUAL. *AK

LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE (MOST RECENT INCIDENT) WHEN I HIT A WASHBOARDED SECTION ON A DIRT ROAD (KOEHN RD. BETWEEN CAPAC RD. AT KNOLL RD., MUSSEY TWP., ST. CLAIR COUNTY). RANGER REPEATEDLY LOSES CONTROL WHEN IT HITS BUMPS OR WASHBOARDS, OFTEN CAUSING LANE CHANGES OR SEVERE SKIDS. DEALER DISMISSED COMPLAINTS, SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR TRUCK SUSPENSION. OUR OTHER TRUCKS ('74 CHEVY C-10, '85 ASTRO, '85 S-10 BLAZER, '88 S-10 BLAZER, '94 CARAVAN, '95 SONOMA) HAVE NEVER DONE THIS. WE WERE ABLE TO ALLEVIATE A LITTLE OF THE PROBLEM BY REDUCING THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES TO 30 PSI, BUT WE STILL LOSE CONTROL FREQUENTLY, ON BUMPY PAVED ROADS AS WELL AS DIRT ROADS.