2004 FORD RANGER Complaints

WITH LESS THAN 70K MILES, THE 5 SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION IN MY 2004 FORD RANGER (3.0 2WD) FREQUENTLY REFUSES TO ENGAGE GEARS WHEN COLD. WHEN IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, INCREASING ENGINE SPEED PRODUCES ENGAGEMENT WITH A HARSH THUNK. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW, FORD ISSUED A RECALL FOR WHICH THE DEALER PLACED AN ADDITIVE TO PREVENT HARSH SHIFTS AND PREVENT TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. I ASSUME THIS IS A STOPGAP MEASURE TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO EXCEED ITS WARRANTY PERIOD. INTERESTINGLY, AN AUTOPARTS STORE CASHIER ASKED ME IF I HAD A FORD RANGER BASED ON MY DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

FRAME HAS ISSUES WITH SEVERE SURFACE RUST PROBLEMS AND POSSIBLE MORE DEEPER RUSTING UNDERNEATH. WORRIED BRACKETS, HANGERS AND OTHER PARTS IN TIME WILL CORRODE TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. *TR

AT 45,000 MILES MY 2004 FORD RANGER 4X4 HAD A FAILURE OF THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HUB CAUSING TIRE TO LOCK UP. NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR SHOP THERE WAS VERY LITTLE GREASE IN THE UNIT. *TR

THE PROBLEM THE WINDSHIELD IS LOWER THAN NORMAL ON THE 2004 FORD RANGER CAUSING THE DRIVER VIEW HARD TO SEE THE STREET LIGHT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A NOISE. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST ALL POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT; THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC REBUILT CYLINDER ONE. 36,000 MILES LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT CYLINDER ONE FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FREQUENTLY EITHER DO NOT WORK AT ALL OR WILL STOP WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF OPERATION. CONDITION COMES AND GOES WITH NO APPARENT WARNING OR TRIGGER. CONDITION OCCURS IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER OR OPERATING CONDITIONS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE. I LOOKED DOWN AND MY O/D ( OVERDRIVE ) LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE TRUCK WAS RIDING FINE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES INTO GEAR REAL HARD. I AM NOW DRIVING WITH THE O/D OFF WHICH SEEMS TO CONTROL THIS BUT IT IS USING A LOT OF FUEL. *TR

RECENTLY I ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 FORD RANGER. THE HARMONIC BALANCE PULLEY CAME APART. THE WEBSITE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM HAS AT LEAST 14 INCIDENCE OF HARMONIC BALANCE FAILURE ON OTHER FORD MODELS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND VERIFY MY FINDINGS? IN MY OPINION, THE PROBLEM HAS SERIOUS SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMS INVOLVED. THE HARMONIC BALANCE PULLEY DRIVING THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT POWER THE STEERING AND BRAKE PUMPS. THE LOSS OF BOTH PUMPS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE LOSS OF THE SERPENTINE BELT WILL ALSO CAUSE OVER HEATING. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD INSPECT AND MAKE REPAIRS TO THIS COMPONENT ON ITS VEHICLES WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. *TR

COMPLAINT RELATED TO 2004 FORD RANGER 4.0L V6 SOHC ENGINE WITH 81,000 MILES. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH 2010, I STARTED EXPERIENCING A SQUEAK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON MY 2004 FORD RANGER. I CHANGED THE PULLEYS THAT HAD BEARINGS THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE NOISE BUT THE NOISE PERSISTED. I THEN CHANGED THE BELT AND THE SQUEAK WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE. AFTER ANOTHER 1500 MILES THE SQUEAK WAS BACK AND MORE PRONOUNCED. I INVESTIGATED THIS INCIDENCE AND FOUND THAT THE PULLEY SEPARATED FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCE AND SLID TOWARDS THE TIMING CHAIN CASE. THE BELT WAS NOW RIDING ON THE RUBBER HUB OF THE CRANKSHAFT PART OF THE HARMONIC BALANCE. THE SQUEAK WAS COMING FROM THE BELT RUBBING ON THE SIDE OF THE PULLEY REPLACED HARMONIC BALANCE WITH AFTER MARKET MODEL. OLD PART AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER WITH 35000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED HE HAD BLIND SPOTS WHILE CHANGING LANES. HE WOULD LOOK IN HIS MIRRORS AND WOULD NOT SEE ANYTHING BUT THERE WOULD BE A VEHICLE RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. THE CONTACT HAS ADJUSTED THE MIRRORS BUT THAT STILL HAS NOT SOLVED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE.