2000 Ford Ranger

ON 06/03/2013 AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 HRS, MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2000 FORD RANGER EXTENDED CAB 4X4, TAKING HIS SISTER TO THE DENTIST OFFICE. WHILE ENROUTE THE RPM GAUGE SPIKED TO 5000 RPM'S SO HE LET OFF THE GAS AND IT WENT BACK TO NORMAL. HE CONTINUED A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE DENTIST OFFICE AND AS HE WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND COASTED TO A STOP. JUST AS THE VEHICLE STOPPED, MY DAUGHTER SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE SO SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE. MY SON EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WENT TO LOOK UNDER THE VEHICLE WHEN HE SAW FIRE DRIPPING DOWN TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. FIRE ENGULFED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SPREAD TO INTERIOR OF THE CAB, VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE APRIL 2004 AND RECEIVED NUMEROUS LETTERS FROM FORD MOTOR CO. WANTING TO SELL ME AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT NEVER THE FIRST NOTICE OF ANY FACTORY RECALL. OTHER THAN ROUTINE CARE FOR THE VEHICLE, I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE UNTIL THE FIRE. *TR

THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK IS CRACKED BADLY BEHIND THE CAB ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE IS NOT EXCESSIVE RUST TO JUSTIFY THE CRACKED FRAME. THE TRUCK WAS IN A MINOR ACCIDENT OVER A YEAR AGO AND WAS REPAIRED COMPLETELY. THERE WAS A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF THE WHOLE TRUCK AT THAT TIME AND THERE WAS NO FRAME DAMAGE. THE TRUCK IS MAKING A RATTLING SOUND BEHIND THE CAB AND WE NEED TO MAKE A REPAIR TO FIX THIS BEFORE CONTINUING TO DRIVE IT. WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 2000 FORD RANGER LIKE THE TOYOTA. *TR

WHILE HOME FROM COLLEGE FOR THE WEEKEND I INVESTIGATED THE SMELL OF GAS MY SON WHO DRIVES THIS EXTENDED CAB RANGER XLT NOTIFIED ME OF. UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH I NOTICED A SMALL SHINNY SPOT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK WITH NO DRIPS OR RUNS. AFTER RETURNING TO COLLEGE LATER THAT WEEK HE STATED IT WORSENED TO LEAKAGE ON THE GROUND OF DUEL 4" SPOTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE BELOW THE TANK. AFTER VIEWING A PHOTO OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WET TANK I NOTICED DROPS ON THE FORWARD STRAP. I DROVE THE TRUCK TO MY LOCATION THIS PAST WEEKEND AND PULLED THE BED OFF TO ACCESS THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP WHICH HAD STANDING FUEL. UPON TURNING THE KEY TO ACTIVATE THE FUEL PUMP I SAW A FINE PINHOLE SIZED STREAM PUMPING FROM THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING ON TOP OF THE PUMP. UPON CLOSER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THIS LEAKING FITTING HAD WHAT APPEARED TO BE ABRASION AT THE OUTSIDE TURN. I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A REPLACEMENT FITTING AND REPLACED IT FIXING THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR TO ME WAS THE 8 HOURS VACATION TIME AT $28 PER HOUR I WAS REQUIRED TO USE TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR AND THE COST OF THE NEW FUEL LINE FITTING. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FITTING FAILURE AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WITH LESS AWARENESS OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS WHILE DRIVING THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. HAD THIS FAILURE GONE UNDETECTED, IGNORED OR EVEN SPRAYED FUEL ONTO THE ADJACENT HOT EXHAUST THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. FORD AND THE NHSTA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO FIRST WHAT CAUSES THE DAMAGE TO THESE FITTINGS AND IF REPLACING THIS PLASTIC FITTING WITH A STEEL ONE WOULD BE A WAY TO PREVENT THIS CRITICAL PART FROM BECOMING DAMAGED OR WORN TO THE POINT OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE REPAIR COST SHOULD BE REIMBURSED TO THE OWNERS OF THESE 2000 FORD RANGERS BY FORD SINCE THIS IS AN UNADVERTISED EXPENSE TO US WHO PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. *TR

I TOOK THE TRUCK TO HAVE MUFFLER REPLACED AND BEHIND BOTH FRONT WHEELS THE FRAME IS ROTTEN TO THE POINT IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. 3 YEARS AGO I HAD THE TIE ROD END FALL OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE TRUCK RUNS GREAT, BODY IS STILL SHINY AND IN GOOD SHAPE BUT THE FRAME IS TOTALLY ROTTEN. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD THE OIL PAN ROTTED OUT AND TO REPLACE IT THE MOTOR HAS TO BE PULLED. I MAINTAINED THE TRUCK WELL ONLY TO FIND OUT IT IS JUNK AT 78,000 MILES AND ONLY WORTH JUNK PRICE. SEEM I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS HAPPENING. I HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT FORD TRUCKS BUT NOT ANYMORE. *TR

REAR BUMPER BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME. WHEN INVESTIGATING FOUND THE FRAME WHERE THE REAR BUMPER ATTACHES TO AS WELL AS THE SPARE TIRE IS COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY. EXTERIOR BODY IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE BUT THE FRAME IS BADLY RUSTED FROM FRONT TO BACK. I AM SCARE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OR FEAR OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FRAME. CAN NOT REPAIR TO REATTACH THE BUMPER BECAUSE THERE IS LITERALLY NO SOUND METAL LEFT ON THE FRAME TO WELD TO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER FRONT WHEEL SPINDLE FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT 2 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE WHEEL SPINDLE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.