1998 Ford Ranger

FORD SENT ME LETTER LAST FALL STATING MY FORD RANGER WAS SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL. I STOPPED BY MY DEALER EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR MONTHS AND THEY SAID NOBODY HAS PARTS, BECAUSE THE SUPPLIER WON'T MAKE THESE PARTS 'TIL EVERYTHING IS READY. I'M TIRED OF WAITING... I WANT THE GOV'T TO PRESSURE FORD TO ACT. THE RECALL I LEARNED IS FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL WIRING THAT CAUSES FIRES... EVEN WHEN NOT USING CRUISE CONTROL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO RETURN IN DECEMBER OF 2007. WHEN THE CONTACT RETURNED IN DECEMBER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2008. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,950. UPDATED 04/03/08. *LJ

I OWN A 1998 FORD RANGER. TO BEGIN THE CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING. THEN I NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH ON THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER CAUGHT FIRE. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT IT AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE PRIOR TO ANY SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRING. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY ADVISED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST OF VEHICLES FOR THIS PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THE TRUCK HAD A SIMILAR OR THE SAME SWITCH AS THOSE ON THE RECALLED VEHICLES THAT HAVE CAUSED FIRES IN THE PAST. *JB

PULLED MY 1998 FORD RANGER INTO A STORE PARKING LOT. I WAS GETTING READY TO PARK WHEN I COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. STOPPED THE TRUCK. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW AN ELECTRICAL PLUG BURNING WITH FLAMES. I WAS ABLE TO BLOW THE FLAMES OUT BEFORE MUCH ELSE WAS DAMAGED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL PLUG IS WHAT CAUGHT FIRE. IT ALSO DAMAGED MY RESERVOIR FOR THE BRAKE FLUID. THEY ARE REPLACING THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE CRUISE CONTROL PLUG. OF COURSE, THIS IS AT MY OWN EXPENSE, NOT FORDS. *TR

MY 1998 FORD RANGER CAUGHT FIRE ON JULY 31, 2006. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AND THE ENGINE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND A WATCHFUL NEIGHBOR CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. NOW, THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE IS COMPLETELY CHARRED, PROPERTY ON THE HOUSE IS DAMAGED, AND THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAVE CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND I WILL HAVE A FIRE INSPECTOR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON THE INTERNET HAS LED ME TO BELIEVE THE FIRE MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A FAULTY SPEED CONTROL SWITCH PRESENT ON MANY FORD VEHICLES. THE NHTSA IS CURRENTLY CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS MATTER, AS IT HAS ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 550 COMPLAINTS FROM SIMILAR INCIDENTS. PLEASE MAKE A REPORT OF THIS COMPLAINT AND CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. THANK YOU. *NM

REPLACED FUSE THAT HAD BLOWN ON CRUISE CONTROL ON 1998 FORD RANGER. STEPPED ON BRAKE TO PUT IN GEAR AND NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND MECHANISM IN FRONT OF MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR ON FIRE. SMALL FIRE TORCHED FRONT OF RESERVOIR I PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A TOWEL BREAKING THE MECHANISM, CRUISE CONTROL BRAKE DISCONNECT. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED ON JULY 10, 2003 THERE WAS A FATAL ROLL OVER. THE TIRES SEPARATED AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND BLEW OUT. ACCORDING TO CONSUMER'S INVESTIGATION THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THIS VEHICLE WAS A 1998, FORD, RANGER. THE HIGHWAY PATROL CAME TO THE SCENE AND ISSUED A REPORT. IT WAS CONSUMER'S COUSIN VEHICLE. THE TREAD CAME OFF FROM REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. CONSUMER THOUGHT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THERE WAS TWO OCCUPANTS, AND BOTH WERE KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE EXACT MILEAGE WAS NOT KNOWN.*AK