1998 Ford Ranger

PE00020. ORIGINAL TIRES ON A 1998, FORD, RANGER, 23570R15. LEFT REAR AND LEFT FRONT TIRES HAVE FLAT SIDES, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH AND HAD A BLOWOUT ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE. FIRST CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE, THEN TIRE BLEW OUT, AND CONSUMER COULD SEE PART OF THE TIRE GO RIGHT PASSED HIM. *AK THERE WAS THUMPING NOISE. AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRES, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR TIRES HAD A FLAT SIDE. *YH

ALL TIRES HAVE HAIRLINE CRACK ALONG TOP EDGE OF TIRE. I WAS TOLD BY BOTH A FORD DEALER AND FIRESTONE DEALER THAT WAS AN EARLY INDICATION OF EARLY TIRE SEPERATION. THESE ARE NOT THE RECALLED TIRES I CAN NOT RECIEVE REPLACEMENTS. FIRESTONE OFFERED TO PRO-RATE THE TREAD LIFE AND USE THEIR NORMAL WARRANTY TO GIVE A DISCOUNT ON NEW TIRES, WHICH THEY DO NOT HAVE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THE CRACKS HAVE BEEN THERE, AS I JUST LOOKED BECAUSE OF THE RECALL IN THE NEWS. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THEM AT MY OWN COST WITH ANOTHER BRAND, IF I CAN FIND THEM. I SUGGEST THAT FORD, FIRESTONE AND NHTSA LOOK AT ALL OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES AND NOT JUST THE ONES MADE IN ILLINOIS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VNHL TIRE SIZE: 235/70R15 )

ON TAKE OFF AND STOPPING THERE IS A JURKING IN THE VECHICLE UPON TAKING IT TO A FORD DEALER NEAR ME ( JEFFERS FORD IN NEW LEXINGTON OHIO) FIRST TIME IT WAS IN THEY TOLD ME THEY FIXED IT . ON THE SECOND TIME THE HEAD MAINTANCE MAN TOLD ME HE CALLED FORD AND THEY WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVE SHAFTS BEING BAD (TO LONG ) IS WHAT I THINK HE SAID FROM 1997-2000 FORD RANGERS .SO THEN HE WANTED TO CHARGE ME TO INSTALL A NEW ONE AT MY COST.AT WHICH HE DID SAY MY WARRENTY WAS OVER MILES SO IT WAS EXPIRED BUT IT WASNT AT THE FIRST TIME I HAD IT IN TO THEM WHICH THEY SAID THEY FIXED. I JUST HOPE NOT TO MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE THIS EXPERANCE AND HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF THERE POCKETS ..ISNT THIS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM?OH I DID ASK THE MAINTANCE IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE HE RESPONDED THEY (FORD MOTOR CO.) DIDNT SAY. THAT MADE ME FEEL REAL GOOD AND SAFE OUT ON THE ROAD ..THANK YOU . EDWIN W HALSEY

BOUGHT THIS TRUCK WITH 16,000 MILES ON IT FROM EARNHEART DODGE. DEC . 11,1999.ON JAN 24,2000 TOOK IT TO BERGE FORD SERVICE DEPT. FOR NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE (LIKE MARBLES RUNNNING AROUND IN IT) TRUCK STAYED THERE TO HAVE ENGINE LOOKED AT FOR 5 DAYS. IN THE MEANTIME I HAD TO PAY FOR RENTAL.GOT TIRED WAITNG FOR TRUCK TO BE LOOKED AT AND CALLED EARNHEART FORD SERVICE TO COME PICK UP AND TAKE TO THEIRS. SERVICE REP SAID COULD BE JUST CARBON IN IT. SO THEY DECARBONED IT.THE NOISE STILL WAS THERE. AFTER 20,000MILES ON THE TRUCK TOTAL ,THEY PUT IN FORD FACTORY REBUILT ENGINE IN IT. OKAY FOR ABOUT 1,000 MILES , NOISE CAME BACK.TOOK BACK TO FORD SAID IT WAS PROBABLY CARBON AGAIN.HOW COME SAME PROBLEM WITH NEW REBUILT ENGINE ? THEY DECARBONED IT.WHEN TRUCK PICKED UP THERE WAS STILL NOISE. SERVICE SAID DECARBON STUFF STILL HAD TO WORK MORE. NOISE GOT LOUDER. GOT IN TOUCH TO SEE WHAT NOW THEY WERE GOING TO DO.SERVICE MANAGER SAID WOULD BE IN TOUCH.NO CALLS. TRIED CALLING AND LEAVE MESSAGES NUMBER OF TIMES NO ANSWER. FINALLY ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF SERVICE MANGER AND HE SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING MORE FOR ME EVEN THOUGH STILL UNDER WARRENTY.SAID HIS MECHANIC CALLED THE FORD HOTLINE AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF SOME OF THE RANGERS HAVING THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE ,BUT IT WOULD NOT HURT THE ENGINE . IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE VALVES IN SOME OF THE ENGINES. I SAID WAIT A MINUTE NOT ONLY I FEEL MY TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE MAKING THIS RACKET AS I DRIVE THE FREEWAYU TO WORK 4-5 TIMES A WEEK 40 MILES 1 WAY,BUT WHY SHOULD I BE STUCK WITH A NOISY ,UNSAFE VEHICLE AFTER PAYING ALL THE MONEY I HAVE FOR IT AND TO BE UNHAPPY WITH IT? QUESTION.. IF THIS ONLY A NOISE PROBLEM WHY WAS THE CONSUMERS NOT WARNED ABOUT IT WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT.AND WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE FIRST ENGINE?I THINK THESE ENGINES SHOULD ALL BE RECALLED TO FIND OUT THE TRUE PROBLEM BEFORE IT BECOMES ANOTHER "FIRESTONE" DISASTER. PLEASE RESPOND.