2003 Ford Ranger

WHILE STATIONARY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, A SMELL OF GASOLINE ENTERED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED A FEW SECONDS LATER BY A MUFFLED EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND UNDER THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED FORWARD OF THE TRUCK BED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO FILL WITH FUEL. ONCE THE TANK WAS FILLED, GASOLINE WOULD SPILL BACK OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT INSTALLED A NEW FUEL FILTER IN THE VEHICLE IN MARCH OF 2008. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,000. UPDATED 6/15/09 *CN UPDATED 06/16/09.*JB

FAILURE OCCURS ON A 2003 RANGER EDGE 4WD 4.0L EXTENDED CAB, IN THIS CASE, AS WELL AS IN MANY OTHER MODEL YEARS AND STYLES OF THE FORD RANGER PICKUP. FORD DESIGN FLAW IN PLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP CUTOFF SWITCH (INERTIA SWITCH) IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHERE IT CAN BE EASILY KICKED (TRIGGERED) BY PASSENGER. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT: 1. ENGINE TURNED OFF AT SUPERMARKET, VEHICLE PARKED ON A COLD JANUARY NIGHT. PASSENGER INADVERTENTLY TRIPS FUEL PUMP CUTOFF SWITCH WITH FOOT WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE. PARTIES RETURN TO A VEHICLE THAT WILL CRANK BUT WILL NOT START. UNAWARE OF FORD'S DESIGN FLAW, PARTIES WALK HOME IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES BURDENED WITH VALUABLES AND GROCERIES. INTERNET RESEARCH ON WIKI ANSWERS SITE REVEALS TRIPPED FUEL CUTOFF SWITCH AS COMMON PROBLEM AS A RESULT OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT PLACES SAID SWITCH WITHIN EASY KICKING DISTANCE OF PASSENGER'S FEET. OWNER RETURNS TO TRUCK NEXT DAY, RE-SETS THE SWITCH AND VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY. 2. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHENEVER PASSENGER RAISES THEIR RIGHT FOOT, INADVERTENTLY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE SWITCH. 3. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY RE-SETTING THE SWITCH, BUT DESIGN FLAW PERSISTS. THIS DESIGN FLAW COULD BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS IF SWITCH WAS KICKED (TRIGGERED) AT SPEED ON CROWDED FREEWAYS OR IN REMOTE LOCATIONS. THIS IMPROPER PLACEMENT MAY BE PURPOSEFUL TO KEEP FORD REPAIR TECH'S BUSY, AS THIS DESIGN FLAW IS FOUND IN MANY MODEL YEARS AND STYLES OF THE RANGER PICKUP. VEHICLES SHOULD BE RECALLED TO HAVE SWITCH RE-MOUNTED UP A MINIMUM OF 4 INCHES, OR REROUTED AND PLACED UP UNDER THE DASH SO INADVERTENT TRIGGERING COULD NOT OCCUR BY PASSENGER SHIFTING FEET OR EXITING VEHICLE. *TR

THE INERTIA SWITCH LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD ENGAGES AT THE SLIGHTED BUMP. I'VE HAD THIS CAR FOR 5 YEARS AND CONTINUE TO GET FALSE INFORMATION FROM THE FORD DEALERSHIP ABOUT AVENUES OF RECOURSE OR RECTIFICATION. ITS A FAULTY DESIGN FOR THE INERTIA SWITCH TO BE LOCATED NEAR POSSIBLE CONTACT WITH A PASSENGER. LEGAL RECOURSE WILL BE PURSUED. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON STATE HWY.20 @ 615PM, WHEN I NOTICED NO POWER WHEN I PRESSED ON THE ACCELERATOR, RPM SHOT TO 4000, THEN DROPPED DOWN WITH NO POWER,CARS BEHIND ME WERE FLASHING THERE LIGHTS, ARMS WAVING OUT THERE WINDOWS WHEN THE CAR CAME TO MY SIDE THEY WERE FRANTICALLY YELLING THAT I WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF HWY. AND FLAMES WERE ROLLING INTO THE CAB OF THE TRUCK, IT WAS IN 2 WAVES THEN I WAS ABLE TO OPEN MY DOOR AND EXIT THE TRUCK.NOW FLAMES WERE ROLLING OUT OF THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL, LUCKILY I HAD A FIRE EXTINGWISHER IN THE BED OF THE TRUCK WHICH I EXTINGWISHED IN THE WHEEL WHELL AND AS FAR BACK AS I COULD REACH,THIS PUT OUT THE FIRE,BUT NOT WITHOUT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE UNDERNEATH OF TRUCK INCLUDING THE GAS TANK WHERE GRASS VALLEY FORD DETERMINED THE FIRE ORINGINATED.AS THE HOT SPOT IS VERY DISTINGUISHING.FORD MOTOR CO IN DEARBORN MI.SENT ME A LETTER SAYING THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS FAILER,AND WILL NOT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION TO CONTACT ANYONE THAT CAN HELP RESOLVE THIS MATTER.A 4 YEAR OLD TRUCK THAT HAS NO MODIFICATIONS,AND HAS BEEN WWELL TAKEN CARE OF SHOULD NOT BURST INTO FLAMES,ENDANGERING LIVES.THEY ARE AT THIS POINT OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM.I CAN PROVIDE ESTIMATES FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH PARTS LIST INCLUDED AS WELL AS THEM DETERMING THAT IT WAS A FIRE ORIGINATING AT THE GAS TANK..THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING TO THIS FAILER, NEVER A GAS SMELL JUST INSTANTLY INTO FLAMES..THANKS FOR YOUR TIME IN THIS MATTER..

ROUGH IDLE AT NORMAL OR COLD TEMPERATURES EITHER IN GEAR OR OUT AND ALSO IF AIR CONDITIONER IS ON OR OFF. THIS IS OCCURING ON A 2003 FORD RANGER V6 3.0L .. FORD DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A COPY OF A SERVICE MESSAGE UNDER 618400 ROLLING IDLE SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGES 16180.. IT STATES IF THE CONDITION IS STILL PRESENT, MAKE SURE YOUR WDS IS UPDATED WITH THE LASTEST CALIBRATUON FILES, WDS RELEASE B20.10 OR LATER AND REPROGRAM THE PCM. THEY DID THAT AND I AM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEACH AND IT SEEMS THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE NOV02. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC I TALKED TO STATED IF IT DIDNT FIX THE PROBLEM DONT WORRY FORD IS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN 8 MONTHS NOW. DO WE KNOW IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM?*AK