1998 FORD RANGER Complaints

WHILE PARKED THE CONSUMER'S 1998 FORD RANGER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS USED FOR 4 1/2 HOUR THE DAY BEFORE THE FIRE ERUPTED. *NM THE CONSUMER'S HOME SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE SMOKE AND FIRE DAMAGE. *NM

I HAVE HAD 3 DOOR SWITCHES REPLACED ON MY RANGER DUE TO THE "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT COMING ON. I HAVE ALSO TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE W/FORDS AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. MY DOME LIGHT WILL STAY ON, AS DOES THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT AND SOMETIMES THE HORN STARTS BLOWING. *JB

DOOR AJAR SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS; CAUSES DOME LIGHT TO STAY ILLUMINATED; HAD TO REPLACE SWITCH INSIDE DOOR ASSEMBLY. *NM

CONSUMER CAN REMOVE THE KEY AND STILL TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE PART THAT WAS DEFECTIVE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

I HAVE A STANDARD 1998 FORD RANGER XLT AND AM WONDERING IF THE RECALL FOR THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE PERTAINS TO IT? THE THROTTLE REVS UP TO ABOUT 2200 RPM WHEN I AM COMING TO A STOP.*AK

1998 FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCK. PULSATING BRAKE PEDAL,L SUSPECTED WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 1991 FORD EXPLORER. FIRST OCCURANCE IN MARCH 2001 FORD REPLACED ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY ON 2/12/2001, VEHICLE HAD 24,170 MILES AT TIME OF REPAIR.SECOND TIME WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM AT 42717 MILES ONLY 18547 MILES AFTER FIRST PROBLEM ON 5/27/2004. ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THEY WERE RUSTY AND PITTED. I PAID FOR THIS REPAIR THE DEALER WAS GOING TO TAKE IT UP WITH FORD REP BUT CLAIM WAS DENIED. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATION WITH DEALERSHIP SERVICE REP TO NO AVAIL. ONE SERVICE REP I TALKED TO INSINUATED THAT FORD RANGERS ARE PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED FORD AND OPENED A COMPLAINT FILE. I AM CONVINCED FORD HAS A QUALITY PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ROTORS ON THIS MODEL. EVERYONE AGREES ROTORS SHOULDN'T WEAR THIS FAST. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES. *AK

WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO OPERATE AGAIN. *AK THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO MOVE THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN BACK AND FORTH TO GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. *SC *JB

WHILE TURNING, THE CONSUMER WOULD HEAR A LOUD POPPING NOISE/HEAVY VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT HOME. THEN, TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT REAR DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM REAR. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT AXLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A BROKEN SEAL. ALSO, MACHINE DID NOT CALIBRATE THE FRONT AXLES PROPERLY. *AK