1999 FORD RANGER Complaints

SMOKE FROM STEERING COLUMN, WHEN MAKING A TURN. DEALER STATES ITS COMING FROM THE HAZARD SWITCH, AND COULD CAUSE A FIRE IF NOT FIXED. *JB

I HAVE A 99 FORD RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB PICKUP TRUCK. IT HAS A 4.0L ENGINE WITH AC. I JUST WENT OVER 58,000 MILES AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES ON MY TRUCK 3 TIMES ALREADY. A COMMENT MADE BY MORE THAN ONE BRAKE TECHNICIAN WAS THAT THE BRAKES ON THIS TRUCK SEAM VERY UNDER CAPACITY FOR THIS SIZE VEHICLE. THEY ARE LIKE THOSE ON A SMALL COMPACT CAR. I AM A VERY CONSERVATIVE DRIVER. I DON'T RUN UP TO A STOP LIGHT AND SLAM ON THE BRAKES. WHEN I SEE A LIGHT THAT IS RED AHEAD OF ME I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND LET THE ENGINE SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN. I APPLY THE BRAKES ONLY WHEN I HAVE TO COME TO A FULL STOP. I HAD A PREVIOUS RANGER THAT THE 1ST TIME I HAD TO REPLACE THE BREAKS AT 70,000 MILES. I DON'T THINK BRAKES SHOULD BE WEARING OUT SO FAST. *JB

WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK, FUEL SPILLED OUT ONTO GROUND. AT THE TIME, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS SITE TO POST COMPLAINT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE METAL FRAME ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DETERIORATED. AS A RESULT, THE BUMPER HANGS DOWN FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WA SPARKED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF REAR BUMPER WAS HANGING DOWN BECAUSE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRAME WAS RUSTED. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRAME AND THE VEHICLE'S BODY WERE NOT RUSTED. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER COULD NOT FIND TIME TO VIEW THE VEHICLE, BUT OFFERED $1000 OF THE $3500 REPAIR COST IF REPAIRED AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP. CONTACT REJECTED IT CLAIMING IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. *AK

MY 1999 FORD RANGER 4X4 WITH 3.0 LITER FLEX FUEL ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING, RUNNING ROUGH AND OVERHEATING TWO DAYS AGO. I TOOK IT TO HALDEMAN FORD TO BE CHECKED. THEY TOLD ME TODAY THERE WAS WATER/COOLANT IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE CYLINDERS AND THE HEAD(S) MAY BE CRACKED, AND I NEED A NEW OR REBUILT ENGINE. THE TRUCK HAS JUST OVER 95,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD OIL CHANGES, COOLANT FLUSHES, ETC. AT REGULAR INTERVALS. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON YOUR WEBSITE, AND HEARD FROM OTHERS, THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SIX CYLINDER ENGINES FORD USED IN RANGERS AND EXPLORERS. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $6400 FOR A REBUILT ENGINE INSTALLED. IT SEEMS THIS IS MOST LIKELY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT THE FOLKS AT THE DEALER SAID NO. *JB

TRANSMISSION WENT "BANG" WHEN I PUT IT INTO REVERSE, AFTER THAT, REVERSE DIDN'T WORK. AMMCO STATES THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD. I'VE BEEN TOLD FOR YEARS NOW BY OTHER FORD TRUCK OWNERS THAT THEIR TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AROUND 40,000 MILES, MINE DIED AT 60,. EVEN FORD'S SALES PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A HISTORY HERE OF FORD TRANSMISSIONS SELF DESTROYING. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 22 MPH IN THE RAIN THE ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL BRAKING. THE SEATBELTS WERE IN USE AND NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE 3 TIMES SINCE NOV OF 2003. THE TOTAL MILEAGE DRIVEN SINCE THAT FIRST REPLACEMENT IS 9023. THE FIRST REPLACEMENTS WERE FOR ALL 4 SEAT BELTS, PRIOR TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION AT 49,499 MILES. NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE IS FAILING AGAIN AFTER ONLY 2605 MILES AND FORD DOES NOT WANT TO WARRANTY THE BELT BECAUSE IT WAS REPLACED 14 MONTHS AGO. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN MY VEHICLE OR THE SEAT BELT DESIGN. I DO NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A NEW SEAT BELT ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN. *JB

1. SEEMS LIKE ABS SYSTEM COMES ON WHEN BRAKING AND CAR ALMOST COMPLETELY STOPPED. 2. THUD COMES UP THROUGH BRAKE PEDAL AND BRAKES RELEASE CAR TO ROLL AN ADDITIONAL SEVERAL FEET BEFORE COMING TO COMPLETE STOP. 3. DEALER REPLACED LEFT FRONT WHEEL HUB AND SENSOR. *JB

INCIDENT #1:APPROACHING A STOP SIGN DOING APPROX 10-15 MPH. VEHICLE ENGINE STARTED SURGING 3-4 TIMES. RPM WENT UP TO APPROX 2100 THEN THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. FOOT "DID NOT" SLIP FROM BRAKE PEDAL TO GAS PEDAL. IF MY FOOT WAS NOT ON BRAKE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SHOT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. INCIDENT #2: 11/12/2005: VEHICLE WAS MOVING APPROX 5 MPH IN FRONT YARD WHEN THE ENGINE RPM SURGED UP TO APPROX 2100. HAD TO FIRMLY APPLY BRAKE OR VEHICLE WOULD HAVE JUMPED FORWARD. PROBLEM LASTED APRROX 3-4 SECONDS. *JB