1996 FORD RANGER Complaints

ORIGINAL TIRES CAME APART, RETURNED TO LOCAL FIRESTONE STORE, REFUSED TO REPLACE NOR WARRANTY VALUE, CLAIMED WE HAD "DRIVEN ON THEM" AFTER GOING FLAT--TIRES CAME APART AT 65 MPH ON I-83 NORTH OF BALTIMORE( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225 70R14 )

THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE WAS MELTED BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I HAVE THE PART WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS HEAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND MY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A "FREAK" OCCURANCE AND NOT TO WORRY ABLUT IT.

FILLER PIPE HAS A CRACK AND LEAKS GAS ONTO GROUND WHEN TANK IS FILLED. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO OCCURRED WITH OTHER 1996/1997 FORD RANGERS IN THIS AREA AS A PERSONAL FRIEND HAD SAME PROBLEM LAST WEEK WITH HIS 1997 RANGER.

ACCIDENT OCCURED FOR WHAT WAS THEN, NO APPARENT CAUSE. TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL, ROLLED,SEVERAL TIMES. THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK WAS EJECTED OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. UNSTABLE CRITICAL CONDITION FOR SEVERAL WEEK. DRIVER IS NOW PARALIZED FROM THE CHEST DOWN FOR LIFE. HE WAS ONLY 20 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS OCCURED.....THERE WAS EXTREME TIRE DAMAGE.( DOT NUMBER: )

WHILE GOING UP A STEEP PASS VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT COMPUTER SHOWED THAT ENGINE REVVED, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHY. CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM NEXT DAY. THEN, DEALER FOUND THAT THROTTLE CABLE WAS STUCK. *AK

HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHEN USING TURN SIGNAL SWITCH TO SIGNAL LANE CHANGE WHILE OVERTAKING SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHTS CAME BACK ON AFTER TOUCHING TURN SIGNAL SWITCH STALK. SWITCH STALK HAS EXCESSIVE UP-AND-DOWN PLAY; ABLE TO REPRODUCE INCIDENT AT WILL BY SLIGHTLY MOVING SWITCH STALK UP (TOWARD STEERING WHEEL). VEHICLE NOW AT DEALER FOR REPAIR.

WHILE DRIVING 75MPH IN A 1996 FORD RANGER WHEN THE 1ST TIME ON 02/28/1999 FELT LIKE TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE & BUMPY. PULLED OVER & CHECKED TIRES. LEFT REAR HAD COMPLETELY LOST TREAD, BUT STILL INFLATED. THE 2ND TIME ON 07/20/00) RIGHT FRONT FELT THE SAME WAY. COULD ONLY DRIVE ABOUT 45MPH OR ELSE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. EACH TIME THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. ORIGINAL FIRESTONE ATX II TIRES, SIZE P235/75R15 WITH 17,000 MILES ON THEM. 1ST TIME AND THE 2ND TIME WITH 29,000 MILES. DO NOT HAVE EITHER TIRE.*AK DOT# VDHLIPM216. *SLC

MY DAUGHTER (AGE 19) WAS DRIVING TO A SKATING LESSON WHEN THE PICKUP TRUCK "VEERED TO LEFT" AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. IT CLIMBED A GUARDRAIL, WENT UP OVER THE GUARDRAIL, AND ROLLED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. PIECES OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TIRE WAS SHREDDED. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I SUSPECTED A BLOW OUT BUT HAD NO WAY OF PROVING IT.( DOT NUMBER: )

ABNORMALLY HIGH COLD IDLE MADE WORSE BY ATTEMPTING TO 'KICK IT DOWN' WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL; PEDAL STICKS TO KICKED POSITION CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE EVEN HIGHER. MUST SHUT OFF ENGINE TO AVOID DAMAGE. WITH ENGINE OFF, MUST REPEATEDLY STOMP PEDAL TO ATTEMPT RELEASE. PARTIAL RELEASE STILL LEAVES VERY HIGH ENGINE SPEED, UNDRIVEABLE. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM; FOUND CORROSION AT END OF THROTTLE CABLE, CLEANED AND LUBRICATED. NOT SURE IF PROBLEM IS FIXED, SINCE ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAD SAT FOR ONE WEEK OF NONUSE BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRED.

VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT A STOP LIGHT AND SEATBACK AUTOMATICALLY RECLINED, FALLING BACK UPON IMPACT. DEFECT CAUSED CONSUMER TO GO THROUGH BACK OF WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER SUSTANED HEAD INJURIES. *AK