2002 Ford Ranger

SLOWING DOWN WHILE COMING UP TO A SIGNAL LIGHT, AS I MADE THE RIGHT TURN THE TRUCK SUDDENLY STALLED AND THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES BECAME HARD TO HANDLE. THE TRUCK HOWEVER STARTED UP RIGHT AWAY BUT HAD A LOSS OF POWER FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE TO MY HOME. AFTER TURNING THE TRUCK OFF AND STARTING IT UP AGAIN, THE TRUCK RAN FINE UNTIL THE OTHER DAY WHEN IT STALLED AND LOST POWER AGAIN. TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. READING ALL THE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE FORD RANGERS HAS ME THINKING THAT SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE FORD RANGERS. *NM

FORD 2002 RANGER DRIVEN BY MY MINOR SON TO SCHOOL APPROX 3 MILES. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, A MOTORIST BEHIND MY VEHICLE ALERTED MY SON THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. MY SON AND OTHER MOTORIST PULLED INTO NEXT AVAILABLE PARKING LOT WHERE THE OTHER MOTORIST WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAILLIGHT WITH WORL GLOVES. AT APPROX 8:00 A.M. I DROVE THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE VEHICLE FIRE AND DETERMINE REPAIR COST AND PAYMENT METHOD (OWNER VS. FORD). HALL FORD COULD NOT INITIALLY IDENTIFY WHY THE FIRE STARTED IN THE TAILLIGHT AND FORWARD INCIDENT REPORT TO THEIR REGIONAL MANAGER, WHO IN TURN, FORWARDED THE REPORT TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION ON NOV 28, 2006 THAT SUGGESTED I GO THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHO COULD FILE SUBROGATION CLAIM AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNRESOLVED. THERE IS NO REASON FOR A TAILLIGHT TO CATCH ON FIRE UNLESS THERE IS MATERIAL DEFECT. WITHOUT THE ALERTNESS OF ANOTHER MOTORIST, THE FIRE COULD HAVE CONTINUED UP THE WIRE HARNESS AND PASS THE FUEL NOZZLE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE REAR AXLE DIFFERENTIAL COULD BE CHANGED AT A CHARGE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT. UPDATED 11/30/2006 - WHILE DRIVING THE REAR OF THE TRUCK SHOOK PROFUSELY. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY DETERMINED THAT THE REAR AXLES WERE CRACKED AND THE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO ADMITTED THERE WAS A RECALL BUT STATED THAT IT HAD EXPIRED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP EXPLAINED THAT THE RECALL HADN'T EXPIRED IT JUST DIDN'T EXIST FOR THE CONSUMER'S RANGER. THE SERVICE REP WHEN ON TO TELL THE CONSUMER THAT THE RECALL WAS FIR 2002 RANGER 4X4 WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *NM

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

2002 FORD RANGER FX4- AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE HAD APPROX. 65K MILES AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. DROVE VEHICLE NORMALLY, STARTED NOTICING "CLUNKING" SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED AS A CRACKED REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT THAT WAS VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING AXLE TO LOCK UP. PARTS REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC AT THE COST OF APPROX. $1500. SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO RECALL #02V035000 CONCERNING MANUAL TRANSMISSION VERSION. *NM

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING ABOUT 60 MPH, MY SEAT BELT (DRIVER'S SIDE) CAME UNBUCKLED. AS I ATTEMPTED TO BUCKLE IT AGAIN, I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO STAY BUCKLED. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL CAR DEALER WHO ASKED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR THEM TO INSPECT. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK, I WAS INFORMED OF THE NEED TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT CONNECTOR UNIT REPLACED. THIS WAS DONE THE NEXT DAY, AND I HAVE RETAINED THE REPLACED PART. *JB