2002 Ford Ranger

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE POTENTIAL OF AN UNDERHOOD FIRE IN HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE UNAVAILABLE UNTIL THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2007. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ANY LEAKAGE, WHICH POSES THE THREAT OF AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. THE FAILURE COULD OCCUR WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OR IN MOTION. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,700.

I PURCHASED 2002 FORD RANGER EDGE 4X4 USED IN AUG 2005 W/36K ON IT. I HAD IT 3 WEEKS WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WOULDN'T STOP WITH THE BRAKE TO THE FLOOR. IT SKIDDED 70 FEET JUMPED THE CURB AND DROVE ON OUR LAWN AND BACK ON THE STREET BEFORE I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT SLOWED ENOUGH TO STOP JUST INCHES FROM THE REAR END OF A PARKED VEHICLE. I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG SINCE THIS WAS MY FIRST TRUCK IN THIS CLASS SO I READ THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL AND COULDN'T DETERMINE IF I HAD DONE ANYTHING WRONG. I TELECOMMUTE FROM HOME AND DON'T DRIVE OFTEN SO IT WAS WEEKS LATER WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS TIME GOING UP A HILL ON WET PAVEMENT, THE TRUCK FISHTAILED AND WENT INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE. THANK FULLY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE OTHER LANE. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY PROBLEM AND IT WOULDN'T REPLICATE FOR HIM. IT HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE THEN AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES AND AM FRUSTRATED THAT NO ONE CAN FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. OUR 2ND VEHICLE HAS DIED AND NOW THIS IS OUR ONLY TRANSPORTATION AND SINCE I OWE THOUSANDS ON IT STILL I AM STUCK-WILL GET NOTHING ON A TRADE IN AND CANT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL IT TO ANYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JB

THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEEDS. RECENTLY I BOUGHT A USED 2002 FORD RANGER XLT, W/ 4.0 LITER ENGINE, AND I NOTED THE 125 MPH SPEEDOMETER. LAST EVENING AN 18 WHEELER CUT INTO MY LANE AND I QUICKLY ACCELERATED HITTING ABOUT 90 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE TO AVOID BEING CRUSHED. HOWEVER JUST AS I WAS CLEARING THE FRONT END OF THE SEMI THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FAULTER AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW. PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR DIDN'T INCREASE VEHICLE SPEED OR ENGINE RPM. I WAS SCARED OUT OF MY WITS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT NIGHT AND THEY AGREED TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. WHICH THEY LATER DEFERRED ON (BASICALLY THEY KNEW OF THE DEFECT). AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPS AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THE FUEL EJECTORS ARE DESIGNED TO CUT OUT AT HIGH SPEEDS. I PRESSED FURTHER AND TALKED TO OTHER DEALERSHIPS TO FIND OUT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DETEREMINED UNSAFE AT HIGH SPEEDS BY FORD, SO THIS SAFETY FEATURE WAS INCORPORATED IN THE VEHICLE. I GOT LITTLE "POSITIVE" RESPONSES WHEN I ASKED WHY A)THE SPEEDOMOTER WENT TO 125 MPH (NOTING THAT OLER VEHICHLES MANUFACTURED IN THE MID TO LATE 1980'S ONLY HAD 85 MPH SPEEDOMETERS) B)WHY AM I PAYING SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLARS FOR A 4.0 LITER ENGINE AND C) WHY IS THIS UNSAFE CONDITION NOT DISCLOSED ANYWHERE OR AT ANY TIME DURING MY PURCHASE? I ASKED IF FATTY FOODS ARE BAD FOR ME WOULD I PAY FULL PRICE FOR A 2 LB. STEAK AND ONLY BE SERVED A 6 OZ. ONE? HE HAD NO RESPONSE. *AK

THE JACK BROKE WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS CHANGING A TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE WAS A DIFFERENT SIZE FROM THE REGULAR TIRES WHICH CAUSED REAR END NOISE. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO STOP WHICH CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE SHOES. THE REAR DOOR AND SPEAKERS VIBRATED WHEN THE RADIO WAS IN USE. THE DEALER REPOSITIONED THE LOOSE INSULATION. WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED THE VEHICLE MADE NOISE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VIBRATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR CABLE AND PEDAL. WHEN ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. *AK *CB *NLM

ON OCTOBER 30 2002,I WAS DRIVING A 2002 FORD RANGER,MY WIFE AND I WERE GOING TO K-MART AND JUST AS I WAS TURNING INTO THE PARKING SPACE,MY RANGER JUST TOOK OFF AND I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES TRYING TO STOP MY TRUCK,THE ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS RUNNING WIDE OPEN AND I DID MANAGE TO STOP MY TRUCK WITHIN EIGHT FEET. BUT BY THAT TIME I HIT A SHOPPING CART AND A WHEEL/CHAIR SIGN. THE SHOPPING CART WEDGED BETWEEN MY TRUCK AND THE DODGE NEON THAT IT HIT. AND DID DAMAGE TO. AND THE SIGN BOUNCED OFF MY TRUCK AND HIT ANOTHER CAR,BUT IT ONLY PUT A SCRATCH ON THE OTHER CAR. THERE WAS AN WITNESS THAT HEARD AND SAW EVERYTHING. AND NOW MY INSURANCE COMPANY WILL NOT RENEW MY POLICY AS OF JULY 18 2003. I DID TAKE MY RANGER TO THE FORD GARAGE THE SAME DAY TO HAVE IT TESTED. AND ON NOVEMBER 10 2002,MY RANGER DID THE SAME THING AGAIN, BUT THANK GOD THERE WASN'T NO OTHER VEHICLE CLOSE BY AND I DID GET MY RANGER STOPPED. SO NOW WHO DO I NEED TO TURN TO FOR HELP....RLP PS. THIS ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE K-MART POLICE. *NLM

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE ROCKS WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE SPARK PLUGS NEEDED REPLACING. *MR THE CONSUMER SATES THAT THE VEHICLE GOES AT A RATE OF 2500+3000 RPM 202 RANGER, SHAKES IN THE NET OR PARK. THE ENGINE CUTS OUT AND JERKS AT HIGH SPEEDS, ALSO WHEN PASSING VEHICLES OR TRUCKS ON THE FREEWAYS-CUTS OUT, ITS VERY UNSAFE, AND THE BRAKES PULSATE/SHAKE WHEN APPLIED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. (6000 RPM, PLUS THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS 120 MPH) CERTIFIED MECHANIC(S) HAVE STATED THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *SCC