2002 FORD RANGER Complaints

I GET 14 MILES TO THE GAL ON THE FREEWAY THE STICKER SAID 19. THE ENGINE SHAKES AT IDLE. IT HAS A LEAN IDLE MISS. THE SHAKING IS VERY BAD AT TIMES. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT, CAUSING BAD GAS MILEAGE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS THEY ALL SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM. BUT 14 MILES TO THE GAL IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.*AK

VEHICLE FAILED TO START DUE TO ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM LOCKING MODE KICKING IN. VEHICLE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF HAVING POWER, AND WOULDN'TSTART UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY. DEALER STATED THAT FORD ENGINEERS WERE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 40-50 MPH, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, RESULTING IN INJURIES.*AK *TT

VEHICLE WAS GOING 40-45MPH AND UPON IMPACT, PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE FELL DUE TO CARTER PIN POSSIBLY NOT BEING ATTACHED. BRACKET WHERE THE CARTER PIN WAS HELD DIDN'T SHOW ANY INDENTATIONS OR FRAGMENT PIECES OF PIN BEING IN TACK. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND STATED IT WAS VERY UNUSAL FOR THIS TYPE OF IMPACT. *AK *JG

A DOME LIGHT COMES ON AFTER DOOR IS OPENED AND STAYS ON FOR 25 SECONDS. THIS LIGHT IS SO BRIGHT THAT DRIVER IS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD. ALSO, UNABLE TO CUT LIGHT OFF OR DIM IT. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK

I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TRUCK NOW BECAUSE IF THE AIRBAG GOES OFF, IT WILL HURT ME. *AK

FORD IS KNOWINGLY SELLING A DEFECTIVE ENGINE IN THEIR FORD RANGER. MY FACTORY ORDERED TRUCK HAS WHAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A SEVERE, CONSTANT "ROUGH IDLE". I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER A NUMBER OF TIMES (THE FIRST TIME WAS 2 DAYS AFTER I PURCHASED IT). FORD HAS SENT THEIR DISTRICT ENGINEER TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE. HE PERFORMED A "G-FORCE" TEST WHICH REGISTERED 0.6. FORD SERVICE AGREES THAT IT HAS THIS ISSUE. FORD'S STANCE IS THAT ALL 2002 RANGERS HAVE THIS ISSUE (NUISANCE IS THE WORD THEY USED) AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING TO "FIX" IT. THE ENGINEER TOLD ME THAT FORD IMPLEMENTED "SOFTER" MOTOR MOUNTS TO TRY AND ALLIEVIATE THIS ISSUE WHICH MY TRUCK ALREADY HAD. SO FORD IS VERY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THE MODEL I TEST DROVE DID NOT EXHIBIT THIS ISSUE. FORD'S STANCE IS THAT IT IS MY FAULT FOR BUYING THIS VEHICLE. IN OTHER WORDS, IF I WANTED A SMOOTHER IDLING ENGINE, I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED A DIFFERENT MANUFACTUER'S VEHICLE. THIS MAY NOT BE THE PROPER FORUM FOR THIS TYPE OF ISSUE, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THE GOVERNMENT AWARE OF WHAT FORD IS TRYING TO PUT OVER ON THE CONSUMER. AS FAR AS FORD'S CONTENTION THAT "THEY ALL DO THIS" I WOULD HAVE TO DISAGREE. I HAVE BEEN TO ALL THE "RANGER" FORUMS AND USER SITES AND NO ONE IS REPORTING THIS ISSUE ON THEIR 2002 RANGERS. PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN.*AK

A GRINDING NOISE WOULD COME FROM TRANSMISSION WHEN GEAR CHANGES FROM 1ST TO 2ND, AND SEVERE VIBRATION WOULD OCCUR WHEN DRIVING 65 -70 MPH. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND NO CORRECTION COULD BE FOUND AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE AND WARMING UP, ENGINE MISFIRED, HAD TO REFILL FUEL CONSTANTLY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED HOWEVER DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR PROBLEM.*AK *YH

AS I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, I ATTEMPTED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE SPED UP; I SLOWED; HE SLOWED; OBVIOUSLY A GAME OF SOME KIND WAS BEING PLAYED THAT I WANTED NO PART OF, SO I TRIED TO GET AWAY AND WHEN I HIT 85MPH, MY VEHICLE CEASED TO ACCELERATE AND BEGAN ACTING LIKE IT WAS STARVED FOR GAS. I SPOKE TO MY DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND LEARNED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A "REV LIMITER" WHICH IS APPARENTLY A GOVERNOR THAT STOPS ALL ACCELERATION AT 85MPH. AS FAR AS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE, FORD IS THE ONLY VEHICLE MADE THAT HAS SUCH A LIMITER AND IT CANNOT BE REMOVED OR ALTERED. WHEN I ASKED FORD WHY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS FOR MY OWN GOOD SINCE SPEED LIMITS ARE MAXIMUM OF 70-75 MPH ACROSS AMERICA . I THEN ASKED WHY THE SPEEDOMETER WENT TO 120 MPH AND THEY SAID THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED FOR IT BUT FORD CHOSE TO NOT LET DRIVERS EXCEED 85. I ASKED WHY FORD FELT COMPELLED TO HOLD A DRIVER TO 85 WHEN EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER DID NOT AND HOW SAFE WAS IT TO ALLOW ME TO GO ONLY 10MPH OVER THE MAXIMUM SPEED WHEN THAT ALSO MEANT I COULD GO 55MPH OVER IN AN AREA POSTED FOR 30MPH. SAME ANSWER--FOR MY OWN GOOD. ONE OF THE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS IS THAT IN RARE EMERGENCY OCCASIONS (SUCH AS PASSING AN 18 WHEELER AND SOMEONE AHEAD PULLING OUT FROM A SIDE ROAD COMING IN MY DIRECTION--THERE ARE PROBABLY BETTER EXAMPLES), I MAY BE PAST THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO SLOW DOWN OR ANOTHER CAR MAY BE BEHIND ME, AND WE ALL GET KILLED BECAUSE FORD DECIDED THEIR CARS SHOULD GO SLOWER THAN EVERY COMPARABLE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. I COULD UNDERSTAND ALL CARS TOPPING OFF AT 85, BUT NOT ONLY ONE--AND NOT ONE THAT HAS EVERY INDICATION IT WOULD GO FASTER IN AN EMERGENCY AND FORD NEVER TELLING YOU ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY UNTIL THE EMERGENCY OCCURS. THIS MAY BE THE FIRST, OR ONLY, COMPLAINT YOU EVER RECEIVE ABOUT A CAR GOING TOO SLOW, BUT IT WAS A REAL PROBLEM AND I FOUND IT EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND DANGEROUS.*AK