1998 FORD RANGER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED A SQUEAKING NOISE CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS, TIE RODS AND BEARINGS WERE REPLACED.

THE CAB OF MY 1998 FORD RANGER TRUCK LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SEAL OVER THE PASSENGER DOOR, BUT THE WATER IS RUNNING IN THE CAB ABOVE THE REAR WINDOW AND THE SEAL IS TIGHT ON THE WINDOW. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THE WATER IS GETTING IN ALONG THE SEAM OF THE CAB ROOF JUST BEHIND THE DOOR ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAB. THE WATER HAS FOUND ITS WAY UP INTO THE FELT AND ROOF INSULATION AND LEFT WATER MARKS BUT (THANKFULLY) NO SEPARATION OF THE ROOF FELT FROM THE CAB BODY YET. I DID USE GE SILICONE CAULK TO FILL IN THE SEAMS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAB, AND IT DID REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER GETTING IN, BUT YESTERDAY IT RAINED AND I NOTICED THAT THE WATER IS STILL GETTING IN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAB ROOF. I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE INSPECTED THE DOOR SEALS AND THEY SEEM PLIABLE AND FIRMLY AFFIXED TO THE BODY OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT AND I AM THE ONLY DRIVER. IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE KNOWING BECAUSE THE WATER HAS RESULTED IN TWO SHORTS IN THE TRUCK'S INTERIOR LIGHTING CAUSING ME TO PULL THE FUSE FOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS. WHEN THE CAB GETS WET INSIDE, THE "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF WHEN L TURN THE TRUCK OFF. THE REMOVAL OF THE FUSE, ALTHOUGH GIVING A REMEDY TO THE DOME LIGHT PROBLEM, HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AT NIGHT WITH NO INTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE FLOOR OR DOME. QUITE FRANKLY, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A FIRE WITH ALL THIS DAMPNESS IN THE CAB. *NM

TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN LEAVING A PARKING LOT THE SPARE TIRE AFFIXED UNDER THE TRUCK BED OF MY 1998 FORD RANGER PICKUP WITH 79,000 MILES FELL OFF. WHEN I RETRIEVED THE TIRE AND METAL PIECE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE I OBSERVED THAT THE CABLE HAD APPARENTLY SNAPPED. HAD I BEEN ON AN INTERSTATE OR OTHER MAJOR HIGHWAY SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD THEY SAID THEY HAD NO OTHER REPORTS OF THIS TYPE FAILURE AND I WAS TO PAY A DEALER TO REPLACE THE DEVICE AND RECEIVE A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE MILEAGE AND AGE OF THE TRUCK INDICATE TO ME THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT JUST WEAR AND TEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS HAPPEN, BUT A LIFE OR LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST. I AM DEBATING AS HOW BEST TO SECURE MY SPARE AND CURRENTLY JUST CARRY IT IN MY TRUCK BED AND BRING IT INTO MY HOME AT NIGHT TO PREVENT THEFT. THE CABLE IS STILL IN THE TRUCK MECHANISM AND I HAVE THE METAL PIECE THAT HOLDS THE TIRE IN PLACE. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK RESPONDED WITH AN "OH WELL", FORD MOTOR COMPANY TOOK AN INTEREST, BUT AS NO ONE WAS INJURED AND THEY SAY NO OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS TYPE ARE IN THEIR RECORDS TOO BAD FOR ME. THEY REFERRED ME TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IN TOWN WHO WANTS $100 TO FIX IT. I WILL NOT PAY THEM OUT OF SPITE AND WILL TRY TO DETERMINE ANOTHER SAFE METHOD OF CARRYING MY TIRE. I DO NOT TRUST THEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ORIGINAL LEFT REAR WHEEL IS CRACKED AND RUSTING ALONG THE INNER PORTION BY THE VALVE STEM OF THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP PERSONNEL DETERMINED THE RIM FRACTURED DUE TO RUSTING OF THE STEEL MATERIAL OF THE WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM ONLY EXISTED ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL RIM. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPOSED TO HARSH WEATHER OR OTHER ELEMENTS, THE RUSTING RIM ALLOWS AIR TO ESCAPE FROM THE ATTACHED TIRE. *NM

1998 FORD RANGER HAD THE DOOR AJAR SWITCH REPLACED 3 OR 4 TIMES IN AS MANY YEARS. THE DOOR AJAR IS LINKED TO THE DOME LIGHT. IF THE DOOR AJAR SWITCHES BECOME CORRUPTED OR MALFUNCTION, THE DOME LIGHT GOES ON AND STAYS ON. THE POSES A SAFETY HAZARD IF IT HAPPENS AT NIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN THE DOME LIGHT OFF WHILE DRIVING EVEN THOUGH THE DOORS ARE FIRMLY CLOSED AND LOCKED. THE GLARE FROM THE DOME LIGHTS MAKE DRIVING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE, AND COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH NO REPAIR FACILITY CLOSE BY.*JB

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE 1998 FORD RANGER ENGINE WAS MAKING NOISE AND THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD CONSIDERABLY LESS POWER AFTER THE LOSS OF THE SPARK PLUG. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG EARLIER TODAY. WHEN THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE SPARK PLUG FAILED IT WAS HANGING BY ITS WIRES. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT CONTACTED FORD AT THIS TIME. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED AT THIS POINT. *AK (11/15/05) *SC

REPLACED FUSE THAT HAD BLOWN ON CRUISE CONTROL ON 1998 FORD RANGER. STEPPED ON BRAKE TO PUT IN GEAR AND NOTICED EXCESSIVE SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND MECHANISM IN FRONT OF MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR ON FIRE. SMALL FIRE TORCHED FRONT OF RESERVOIR I PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A TOWEL BREAKING THE MECHANISM, CRUISE CONTROL BRAKE DISCONNECT. *NM

PURCHASED TRUCK USED IN MAY 1999 WITH 15,000 MILES ON IT. PROBLEM STARTED AFTER HAVING 25,000 ODOMETER MILES ON TRUCK. VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UPON STOPPING OR SLOWING. HAD IDLE ADJUSTED NEXT SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE (30K). AS OF THIS DATE, AUGUST 19, 2005, VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATES ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS. AFTER A FEW MONTHS FROM THE 45K MAINTENANCE CHECK THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED TO STALL AT RANDOM WHEN STOPPING OR SLOWING. AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS I WOULD TELL TECH ABOUT STALLING PROBLEMS. MOST OFTEN TECH COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM ON ROAD TEST. VEHICLE WOULD BE SERVICED, STALLING PROBLEM WOULD STOP FOR A VERY SHORT TIME, AND THEN PROBLEM WOULD COME BACK. JULY 12, 2005- I WENT ON ROAD WITH TECH ON ROAD TEST AND FOUND TECH WAS DOWN-SHIFTING AT STOPS. TOLD HIM NOT TO AND THEN VEHICLE DID STALL WHEN COMING TO STOP. DEALER: INSPECTED AND VERIFIED COMPLAINT, CHECKED AND FOUND IDLE AIR CONTROL FAULTY, REMOVED AND REPLACED IAC MOTOR AND CONCERN. TECH NOTES: STILL ACTING UP. FOUND IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED TOO HIGH. READJUSTED IDLE SCREW, ROAD TESTED AND RECHECKED OK. PROBLEM WAS SOLVED FOR A BRIEF THREE WEEKS AND RESURFACED. AS OF AUGUST 19, 2005- THE STALLING PROBLEM STILLS EXISTS. IS A VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUE, AS I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE ACCIDENT CALLS. EXAMPLES: 1) TURNING OFF A VERY BUSY STREET (45MPH) INTO PARKING LOT, HAVING VEHICLE STALL AND LOSING ALL POWER STEERING INTO TURN, HAVING TO AVOID HITTING TREES, BUILDINGS, PEOPLE, AND OTHERS CARS IN PROCESS. 2) COMING TO A RED STOPLIGHT, MY VEHICLE STALLS, STOPLIGHTS CHANGING TO GREEN AS APPROACHING, CARS BEHIND ME HAVING TO AVOID HITTING MY TRUCK AS I RESTART. 3) VEHICLE STALLING AT YIELD SIGN. NO CROSS TRAFFIC AND CARS BEHIND ME EXPECTING ME TO PASS THROUGH.

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED ON JULY 10, 2003 THERE WAS A FATAL ROLL OVER. THE TIRES SEPARATED AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND BLEW OUT. ACCORDING TO CONSUMER'S INVESTIGATION THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THIS VEHICLE WAS A 1998, FORD, RANGER. THE HIGHWAY PATROL CAME TO THE SCENE AND ISSUED A REPORT. IT WAS CONSUMER'S COUSIN VEHICLE. THE TREAD CAME OFF FROM REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. CONSUMER THOUGHT THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THERE WAS TWO OCCUPANTS, AND BOTH WERE KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE EXACT MILEAGE WAS NOT KNOWN.*AK

AT APPROXIMATELY 150,000 VEHICLE MILES, THE MIDDLE LEAF ON BOTH REAR SPRINGS HAS FRACTURED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR AXLE. DISCOVERED 5/27/2005 WHEN THE BROKEN PIECE FELL OUT OF THE LEFT SPRING. SUBSEQUENTLY DISCOVERED THE IDENTICAL PIECE WAS MISSING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. RECOVERED PIECE SHOWS FATIGUE FAILURE.