1994 FORD RANGER Complaints

ON 6/6/00, WHILE DRIVING HOME WITH 2 CARPOOL PASSENGERS THE LEFT REAR TIRE DISINTEGRATED AT 70 MPH IN 105 DEGREE HEAT. THE FIRST INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WAS AN EXTREMELY VIOLENT THUMPING FROM THE REAR. I THOUGHT AT FIRST THAT THE DRIVELINE BROKE AND WAS SMASHING THE PAVEMENT, BUT THEN, AFTER NO MORE THAN A SECOND, THE NOISE STOPPED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ALMOST WRENCHED FROM MY HANDS AS THE TRUCK LURCHED SEVERELY TO THE LEFT, HURTLING US TOWARDS THE BUSHES THAT ARE THE ONLY SEPARATION FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON THAT STRETCH OF HWY 99 NEAR SELMA CA. THE WHEEL HAD ACTUALLY LOCKED UP FOR AN INSTANT AS THE FAILED TREAD WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE BEFORE RIPPING FREE. IN THE FRACTION OF A SECOND IT TOOK TO REALIZE I WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS PROBABLY GOING TO CRASH INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THE TREAD PEELED OFF ALL THE WAY. INSTANTLY, THE NOISE AND VIOLENT MOTION STOPPED AND I WATCHED THE TIRE'S TREAD TUMBLE INTO THE MEDIAN THROUGH THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR. I NOTICED I HAD INSTINCTIVLY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE, AND I WAS NOW CRUISING AT 60MPH WITH NO TROUBLE. I EASED INTO THE RIGHT LANE, SLOWING FURTHER, THING TO PULL OVER BUT THE TRUCK WAS HANDLING FINE. SEEING AN EXIT 1/4 MI. AHEAD, I HEADED FOR IT WITH FLASHERS AT ABOUT 50MPH. UPON STOPPING WE WERE AMAZED TO FIND THE LEFT REAR TIRE STRIPPED OF TREAD, BUT STILL FULLY INFLATED, (30 PSI ACCORDING TO MY GUAGE). THE SHREDDED TIRE IMPLODED MY REAR FENDER, LEFT BLACK GOUGES ABOVE AND AROUND THE FENDER, AND STRIPED AWAY THE MUDGUARD AND INTERIOR OF THE WHEEL WELL. AFTER CHANGING THE TIRE AND DEPOSITING MY SHAKEN PASSENGERS AT OUR CARPOOL SITE,I WENT TO THE NEAREST TIRE DEALER AND BOUGHT A SET OF UNIROYAL TIGER PAWS. THEY THREW AWAY THE FIRESTONES AND I HAVE NO RECORD OF THEM, BUT I DO HAVE A RECORD FROM MY LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALEAR WHEN I TOOK THE TRUCK SOON AFTER I BOUGHT IT WITH A COMPLAINT OF A STRONG PULL TO THE RIGHT. THEY DID AN ALIGNMENT TEST AND TOLD ME A BE

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AND BLEW OUT. THEN HE HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER, AND VEERED OVER TO THE RIGHT, HITTING A GUARDRAIL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. TIRES WERE FIRESTONE, SIZE P215 70R14 M/S, AND DOT W2HY1NK142. *AK

TIRE HAD BECOME FLAT AND NOTICED SIGNIFICANT WEAR BUT ASSUMED THAT IT HAD BEEN PUNCTURED BY A SHARP OBJECT BUT NEVER CONSIDERED PRODUCT FAILURE. A NEW ATX TIRE WAS BOUGHT TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE AT A FIRESTONE DEALERSHIP.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

WHILE DRIVING 75MPH TREAD SEPARATED FROM LEFT REAR TIRE. LEFT SIDE OF TRUCK WAS TOREN UP DUE TO TIRE HITTING IT. TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. CHANGED TIRE & CONTACTED FIRESTONE. MAILED TIRE TO FIRESTONE. BROUGHT NEW TIRES. HAD BROUGHT VEHICLE WITH USED TIRES ALREADY ON IT. *AK

THE LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS THE RESULT OF FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC PLUGS LOCATED ON TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE AASTRO TRANSMISSION AND AUTOMOBLIE REPAIRS HAD REPORTED TO ME OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ALSO HAD ENCOUNTERED OTHER VEHICLES LIKE MINE AND WITH THE SAME SITUATIONS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R14 )

A FUSE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ABS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE/ TAIL LIGHTS TO BE INOPERABLE, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO FUNCTION ERRATICALLY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AT 55 MPH ,WENT DOWN A HILL AND OFF A 3 FOOT ENBANKMENT, LANDING AGAINST A CLIFF OF ROCKS. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, EVEN WITH FRONTAL AND REAREND DAMAGE . CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MANUFACTURER THAT WITH THAT MODEL OF TRUCK DUAL AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN A FRONTAL AND REAREND IMPACT. THIS RESULTED IN INJURIES, SUCH AS TORN LIGAMENTS IN NECK AND BRUISES ON CHEST/ABDOMEN, AND A BRUISED BLADDER. *AK

EMERGENCY BRAKES WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. ONCE THEY FAILED, AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD AND CRASHED INTO A POST. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. IT RAN INTO A TREE HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK

THERE ARE THREE PLUGS ON TOP OF THE TRANSMISSION MADE OF RUBBER THAT CRACKED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING. *AK