2001 Ford Ranger

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND HAVE TO BE PUMPED TO WORK PROPERLY. WHEN THE REAR WHEELS WERE REMOVED, THE BRAKES FELL APART. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND SHOES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE REAR BRAKE PADS, SHOES, AND DRUMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE. THESE COMPONENTS MUST BE REPLACED EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS IS HOW THE BRAKES WERE MANUFACTURED.

IT HAD BEEN RAINING AND IT WAS SLUSHY OUT, MY TRUCK GOT PULLED BY SLUSH AND I HIT A GUARD RAIL ALMOST HEAD ON AND BOUNCED OFF OF IT AND WOUND UP RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE INSIDE LANE OF THE HIGHWAY ONCE THE TRUCK WAS STOPPED MY AIRBAGS WENT OFF, I THEN HAD AN ASTHMA ATTACK FROM THE POWDER THAT CAME OUT OF THE AIR BAGS. HOW IRONIC THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS SHUT OFF YET IT STILL WENT OFF. ALSO WHEN MY TRUCK WENT IN THE SHOP TO BE FIXED I FOUND OUT THAT BOTH SEATBELT PRE-TENSIONERS HAD TO BE REPLACED SINCE BOTH OF THEM HAD BROKE YET I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE TRUCK. THIS TRUCK WAS FIXED BY A FORD DEALER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BROKE AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAG WENT OFF WHEN IT WAS SHUT OFF. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE. I ASKED THE FORD DEALER WHY THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD WENT OFF AND WHY THE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER HAD BROKE AND ALL THEY COULD TELL ME IS THEY DID NOT KNOW. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT ANSWER AND I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED. I HAD TO PAY DOUBLE OF WHAT IT WOULD HAVE COST ME TO REPLACE ONE AIR BAG AND ONE SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT 2001 FORD RANGER CRASHED WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT/ SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DAMAGE WAS CAUSED TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. FORD M HAS NOT BEEN CALLED. T A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. ALSO, PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE TO VIEW.*AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOMEONE WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND HAD AN ACCIDENT. THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT HOLD THE CONTACT BACK, AND HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER DRIVER HIT STEERING WHEEL. HE SAID THE FUEL SAFETY CUT OFF SWITCH DID NOT WORK BECAUSE HE COULD START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT HITTING THE CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE CONTACT WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MPH, SLID INTO A CAR AT A GREEN LIGHT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE POLICE CAME AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK UPDATED 11/29/2005 - THE SEAT BELT DID NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE CONSUMER RESULTING IN MULTIPLE BREAST CONTUSIONS. THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AFTER THE CONSUMER'S HEAD HAD ALREADY HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. *NM

DT: THE CALLER SAID BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING NOISES IN THE FRONT END. THIS WAS THE ONLY INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE BAD. THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE BALL JOINTS SHOULD NOT GO BAD AT THAT MILEAGE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO HELP. THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW IF THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE LOWER JOINTS. *AK (11/15/05) THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM BOTH BALL JOINTS AND THE CV JOINT. *SC

DT: THE TRANSMISSION WAS SELF DESTRUCTIVE. IT WOULD NOT DECLUTCH FROM THE ENGINE. WHEN USING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO SURGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AMCO AND THEY FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN GRINDING METAL. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE FORD DEALER TWICE, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY FLUSHED THE FLUID. THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE IMMEDIATELY AFTER. THE DEALER SAID THEY HAD TOO MANY RECALLS AT THE TIME, AND IT WOULD TAKE 5-7 WEEKS BEFORE GETTING TO THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THIS STARTED OCTOBER 1, 2004. *AK (11/15/05) *SC

DT: CONTACT STATES: SHE BOUGHT A BRAND NEW FORD RANGER IN 2000 AND SHE HAS HAD TO PUT 2 TRANSMISSIONS AND 2 TORQUE CONVERTERS ON THE VEHICLE WITHIN 70,000 MILES. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WERE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. SHE WROTE A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD AND TO THE NEW MOTOR VEHICLE BOARD AND TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS. SHE HAS TALKED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT FORD. SHE HAS ALSO TALKED TO THE REPRESENTATIVE IN DEARBORN MI. THERE WAS 34,000 MILES ON THE FIRST TRANSMISSION SHE REPLACED. THE SECOND TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. *NM THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO FEEL A SLIPPING SENSATION WHEN GOING UP AN INCLINE. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED.*JB

DT: 2001 FORD RANGER. THERE IS AN AIR BAG ON AND OFF SWITCH THAT CAME WITH THE TRUCK. IT MALFUNCTION, AND THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $400.00 TO CHECK THE WIRING. THE PART WILL THEN BE ORDERED BY FORD. CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW IT THERE WERE ANY RECALLS. WAS TOLD NO RECALL. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WAS BLINKING, AND THE OWNERS MANUAL SAID TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP. CONSUMER CALLED DEALERSHIP, AND THAT WAS WHEN THEY SAID IT WOULD COST TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT HE HAD SEEN AT LEAST 4 OR 5 OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. CALLED MANUFACTURER, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THE OTHER VEHICLES THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK