2002 FORD RANGER Complaints

(1) GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT TRANSFER CASE ON 4X4 DRIVETRAIN, NOTICEABLE AT 30 TO 40 MPH..PRECENT AT ALL SPEEDS MORE APPARENT AT SPEEDS DESCRIBED, AT HIGH SPEEDS 40 TO 80MPH GRINDING NOISE MASKED BY WIND/ROAD NOISE. NOISE STARTED AT UNDER 20000 MILES ON VEHICLE, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 27K MILES AND GRINDING/NOISE IS MORE PRONOUNCED. (2) NO APPARENT COMPONENT FAILURE YET, SEVERAL RANGER 4X4 OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM.(MEMBER OF A RANGER FORUM OF 1000+ MEMBERS). WILL IT CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF FRONT DRIVE LINE COMPONENTS LEADING TO CRASH AND OR DEATH? (3) DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, ONLY WAY TO CORRECT IT IS TO USE HARDER TIRES; DEALER WILL NOT RECOMMEND GOODYEARS WHICH IS WHAT IS INSTALLED BY THE FACTORY. *AK

THE RADIATOR ON MY 2002 FORD RANGER HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MARCH 5, 2004. ON MARCH 17, 2004 A 30" X 7" X 6" PLASTIC DEFLECTOR LOCATED BEHIND THE RADIATOR DROPPED AND CAUGHT A RIDGE ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD SENDING THE TRUCK INTO A SNOW COVERED EMBANKMENT. WHEN I WENT TO WHALING CITY FORD AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND SAID THEY MUST NOT HAVE PUT THE DEFLECTOR BACK ON PROPERLY THEY SAID THE DEFLECTOR MUST HAVE COME OFF AS A RESULT OF STRIKING THE EMBANKMENT. THEY CLAIM THAT MARKS ON THE DEFLECTOR SHOW IT GOT DAMAGED AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, OTHER THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE END THAT DROPPED TO THE ROADWAY, THE MARKS ON THE DEFLECTOR ARE FROM HAVING TO TWIST AND TURN THE DEFLECTOR TO BREAK IT OFF FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TRUCK SINCE THE TRUCK COULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITH THE DEFLECTOR HANGING HALF WAY OFF AND SCRAPING ALONG THE ROAD SURFACE. THE RADIATOR DID NOT GET DAMAGED AND THE RADIATOR IS FORWARD OF THE DEFLECTOR. THE IMPACT WITH THE EMBANKMENT WAS SO SLIGHT THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THAT WOULD NOT HAVE KNOCKED A PROPERLY SECURED PART OFF THE TRUCK. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BUMPER FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE EMBANKMENT. FURTHERMORE, THE SIDE OF THE DEFLECTOR THAT DROPPED HAD A PLASTIC PIN (MEANT TO HOLD THE DEFLECTOR IN PLACE) STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE HOLES WHILE THE OTHER TWO HOLES APPEAR TO HAVE HAD NOTHING IN THEM. WE FILED A COMPLAINT ON FORD'S WEB SITE ON 12 APR 04 AND THEY HAVE, AT THIS WRITING, REFUSED TO HELP. THEY HAVE ALSO REFUSED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE SUBMITTED BY E-MAIL. WE HAVE THE FAILED PART AND ARE WILLING TO SHOW IT TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED. *AK

CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE. GEAR INDICATOR STUCK IN DRIVE, EVEN IF VEHICLE IS IN PARKED. PRELIMINARY FORD INSPECTION REVEALED 3D GEAR FAILURE.*AK

TRANSMISSION IN 2002 FORD RANGER IS A PIECE OF JUNK,MY TRANSMISSION HAS DONE IT ALL,FAILED COMPLETLY WITH ONLY 12,000 MILES,THEN THE DEALER GETS IT AND THE PARTS CHANGERS,NOT MECHANICS DON'T CHANGE ENOUGH PARTS(LEFT TORQUE CONVERTER FULL OF GARBAGE) I WAS A FORD MAN FOR YEARS NOW I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER PIECE OF FORD JUNK!!!!!*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS VIBRATION IN THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. TIRES WERE ROTATED 4 TIMES, BUT THE VIBRATION STILL OCCURRED. ALSO, AT 5,000 MILES, COOLING FAN BEARING/HUB SQUEAKED BECAUSE OF MOISTURE BUILD UP. THE FAN BELT WAS REPLACED. SQUEAKING NOISE RECURRED AT 10,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP LUBRICATED THE FAN BELTS. BUT, THE SQUEAKING NOISE RECURRED AT 35,0000. THE FAN BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK

AFTER COMPLAINTS TO THE FORD DEALERABOUT SHAKING IN THE FRONT BRAKES THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND, I TOOK MY 2002 FORD RANGER WITH 27,000 MILES ON IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO IS A NAPA SERVICE CENTER. THE SHAKING BECAME VERY BAD AND THE MECHANIC WOULD FIT ME IN THE NEXT DAY TO RESUFACE THE ROTORS. THEY FOUND THE SILVER METAL ON THE ROTORS WAS FLACKING OFF AND THEY WERE WARPED TO THE POINT THAT THEY COULD NOT BE TURNED AND WERE NOT USABLE ANY MORE. WHEN I GOT TO THE GARAGE AT 4:30 PM ALL I COULD DO WAS HAVE THEM PUT ON NEW ROTORS SO I COULD HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING AT 6:00 AM. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING, THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DONE AT THE FORD DEALER. I DID NOT ASK FOR PAYMENT FOR THE WORK, JUST FOR COVERGE OF THE DEFECTIVE ROTORS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH RIGHT WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

FRONT TIRES ON MY RANGER KEEP "CUPPING" CAUSING A NOISE AND VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT. DEALER SAYS I NEED TO KEEP ROTATING THE TIRES EVERY 5000 MILES WHICH I HAVE BEEN (WHICH I ALSO FEEL IS EXTREME). SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT IS BECAUSE FORD USES SOFT TIRES ON THIS MODEL. SOUNDS LIKE A DEFECT, MAYBE WHY THE EXPLORER'S KEPT ROLLING OVER.

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED.VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND KEPT FOR TWO DAYS, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *MR

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED SEAT BELTS WILL COME UNDONE. ALSO SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT RETRACT. VEHICLE HAD THIS PROBLEM 20 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. *AK *LA