2002 FORD RANGER Complaints

I HAVE A 2002 FORD RANGER, SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT THE AIR BAG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN THE O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING REALLY HARD INTO SECOND GEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED AND THE AIRBAG SWITCH WAS BAD.. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION SINCE IT CAME OUT. IT IS A SEALED TRANSMISSION, IN THAT,THE FLUID CANT BE CHECKED. IT'S VERY POORLY DESIGNED AND FORD DOESN'T WANT TO DO A RECALL EVEN THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.... *TR

THE RIGHT REAR AXLE FLANGE SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, STARTING A GREASE FIRE IN THE AXLE HOUSING, AND DAMAGED THE REAR BODY PANEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR

AT APPROX. 26,500 MILES VEHICLE MADE POPPING/CLUNK SOUND ACCOMPANIED BY A JERKING MOVEMENT WHEN TURNING. ESPECIALLY SLOW TURNS AFTER MAKING A STOP. SOUND CAME FROM REAR END. 1 OR BOTH REAR TIRES WOULD BIND IN SLOW CORNERS AND SKID. FORD DEALER CONFIRMED BROKEN GEARS IN DIFFERENTIAL. 2002 RANGER EXT. CAB WITH MANUAL TRANS, 4 CYL, 2WD. $1,650 TO REPAIR. FORD WILL NOT ASSIST IN PAYING FOR ANY PART OF THIS. EVIDENTLY FORD IS SATISFIED WITH THEIR BREAD AND BUTTER TRUCKS FAILING SO QUICKLY. THIS IS HOW THEY LOSE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE, BY NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES. TOO MANY REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE FOR IT NOT TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY FORD. VERY ANGRY, FORD, YOUR HUGE LOSSES ARE WELL DESERVED. *TR

VEHICLES CRUISE/SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS DISENGAGES AND ENGAGE ON IT'S OWN. STOPS WORKING WITH OUT NOTICE CAUSES VEHICLE TO DECELERATE RAPIDLY WITHOUT NOTICE. WILL NOT ENGAGE AGAIN AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SOMETIMES VEHICLE IN SPEED CONTROL MODE WILL START SURGING AND THEN CONTROL STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER. VEHICLE HAS 49,499 MILES. *TR

A RATTLE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2002 FORD RANGER (64,000 MILES) ATTRIBUTED TO THE TIMING CHAIN. NO DAMAGE YET, BUT I HAVE ASKED AROUND AND FOUND THIS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND IN SOME CASES, LEADING TO ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RUMBLING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. HE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS VERY LOOSE. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE BEFOREHAND AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY THE CONTACT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000. UPDATED 08/04/08 *BF THE SEALED FRONT WHEEL BEARING ABS FAILED. UPDATED 08/07/08.

MY SON WAS TRAVELING ON A 4 LANE STATE HWY AT ABOUT 65 MPH IN THE OUTSIDE LANE WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK TIRE FLEW OFF. HE SAID ALL HE REMEMBERS WAS THAT THE TRUCKS REAR DROPPED ON THAT SIDE, SPINNING THE TRUCK TO FACE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND CAUSING IT TO ROLLOVER NUMEROUS TIMES UNTIL IT LANDED IN THE DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HWY. NOT TO MENTION IT HAD TO GO UP AND EMBANKMENT TO GET THERE. HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED. DPS , WRECKER DRIVER, MY HUSBAND AND MY SON COULD NOT FIND THE TIRE, WHICH STILL HAS THE BRAKE DRUM ON IT. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT LEFT REAR AXLE BROKE BEHIND THE FLANGE WHERE THE LUG NUTS GO. I AM TOLD THIS MUST BE A DEFECT BECAUSE YOU RARELY HEAR THIS HAPPENING. DPS AND WRECKER DRIVER STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD GOOD TIRES AND LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. IT IS A 2002 FORD RANGER EDGE. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE, I HEARD THE TREAD COME OFF OF MY REAR PASSENGER TIRE. THIS SENT ME INTO THE GUARD RAIL AND PRECEDED TO FLIP MY TRUCK OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TIRES SHOULD NO SIGNS OF UNUSUAL WEAR, TEAR OR DEFECT AT THIS POINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT UNIT HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LEAK COOLANT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC FOUND A SMALL HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. IN ADDITION, HE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK RUSTED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 62,000.

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SINCE I BOUGHT THE RANGER EDGE PICKUP SINCE 2002. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CHANGED HANDS SINCE IS NOW LANDERS BUT WAS CALLED CRAIN FORD LINCOLN MERCURY. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE SPEED CONTROL IS DISENGAGING WHEN ACTIVATED AND NOT ACTIVATING WHEN TURNED ON AND THEN WORKING SOME TIME AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN A WHILE. I HAVE 105,000 MILES ESTIMATED BUT WHEN ENGAGED I HAVE HAD IT DISENGAGE NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THIS WAS CHECKED BY FORD DEALERSHIP OVER 7 TIMES SINCE 2002 AND THEY STATED COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL AND STATED EVERYTHING IS OK BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST AND IT SEEMS ONCE THE TRUCK GETS WARM IT STARTS WORKING BUT STOPS WORKING AS WELL. EVEN SOMETIMES WHEN THE TRUCK HASN'T BEEN RUNNING VERY LONG THE SPEED SYSTEM WANT ENGAGE AT ALL WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT IS VERY SCARY THOUGH WHEN IT DISENGAGES AND YOU ARE AWARE THAT IT IS NOT WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND COULD CAUSE SOMEONE TO RUN INTO ME IF I DON'T NOTICE IT DUE TO THE CHANGE OF LOSS OF SPEED. ALSO THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OCCASIONS WHEN TRYING TO ACTIVATE THE SPEED CONTROL AND IT WILL NOT ENGAGE WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE FOR LONG DRIVE TIMES. WHAT CAN BE DONE???? *TR