1997 Ford Ranger

THE GAS TANK STRAPS ON MY 1997 RANGER HAVE RUSTED THROUGH DROPPING THE FUEL TANK WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR STRAP HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. THE TANK IS BEING HELD UP WITH COMMERCIAL GRADES STRAPS. IS THIS MODEL BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECENT FORD RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT? I DID NOT SEE THE EXTENDED CAB RANGER MODEL MENTIONED.

FORD RANGER 1997 REAR LEAF SPRING MOUNTS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. HEARD LOUD BANGING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. INSPECTED TRUCK AND FOUND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER REAR SPRING MOUNTS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. FRONT SPRING MOUNTS ALMOST RUSTED AWAY -NEAR LOSS OF REAR AXEL AND SUSPENSION !!! VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. IF HAD OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED COULD HAVE BEEN TOTAL LOSS OF REAR SUSPENSION. ALSO DROPPING AXEL WITH LEAF SPRINGS NOT GOOD FOR ANY TRAFFIC FOLLOWING VEHICLE. MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AS NO OTHER RUST APPARENT ON TRUCK OUTSIDE OR ELSEWHERE UNDER TRUCK. INFERIOR METAL USED FOR SPRING MOUNTS WHICH IS APPARENTLY VERY PRONE TO RUST COMPARED TO REST OF TRUCK. HIGHLY RECOMMEND ALL FORD RANGER OWNERS BE NOTIFIED AND ADVISED TO HAVE SPRING MOUNTS INSPECTED BEFORE FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS. CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT THERE WERE NO SYMPTOMS NOTED BEFORE FAILURE, AND NO APPARENT RUST ON TRUCK TO INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS. *TR

WITHIN THE PAST TWO MONTHS I HAD A SPLIT IN THE FLEXIBLE FUEL FILLER PIPE ON MY 1997 FORD RANGER XLT. IN THE COURSE OF HAVING IT REPLACED, THE REPAIR SHOP REMOVED THE GAS TANK AND FOUND THE SAME CONDITION WITH THE METAL STRAPS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK IN PLACE, EXTENSIVE CORROSION AS REPORTED ON THE FORD F150. IT APPEARS THE POSSIBILITY OF GAS TANKS DROPPING OUT OF THE VEHICLE MAY BE MORE EXTENSIVE THAN THE INITIAL REPORTS AND MAY APPLY TO OTHER FORD PICK-UP TRUCKS. *TR

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 THE FORD DEALER/SERVICE CENTER THAT I DO BUSINESS WITH, NOW TELLS ME THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OBSOLETE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO CONTACT VARIOUS DEALERS STILL LISTING IT IN THEIR INVENTORY TO SEE IF THEY CAN GET THE PART, AS THE PARTS SUPPLIER FOR FORD THAT MADE THE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. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS FILLED WITH GASOLINE, THE GAS WILL SPILL BACK OUT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BOTTLE NECK ON THE FILLER CAP IS CORRODED. THIS CAUSES A STRONG SMELL OF GAS WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY ALL AND THERE IS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75000.

CRACK IN GASOLINE FILLER TOP CAUSING FUMES AND GASOLINE ODOR IN CAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING RIGHT. * WHEN FILLING TANK WITH GASOLINE, THE FUEL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE FILLER NECK ONTO THE GROUND WHILE FILLING AT THE GAS STATION, AS IF YOU WERE SLOWLY POURING A GLASS OF WATER, MUCH MORE THAN A DRIP. COULD NOT FILL TANK FULL UNTIL REPAIR WAS DONE. MECHANIC REPLACED FILLER AND FILLER NECK. HAD TO REMOVE GAS TANK AND TRUCK BED TO INVESTIGATE AND REPAIR. BIG JOB, BIG HAZARD!! *TR