1999 FORD RANGER Complaints

WHEN UNLATCHING SHOULDER BELT IT WILL NOT RETRACT INTO RETRACTOR. THIS RETRACTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES BY DEALER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING, RIGHT REAR CYLINDER BURSTED. DEALER REPLACED THE CYLINDERS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

I JUST DISCOVERED THAT MY 1999 FORD RANGER 4X4 OFF-ROAD PICKUP, WHICH WAS FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH 16" TIRES, HAS A 15" SPARE. THE ENGINEERS AT FORD HAVE DECIDED THAT MISMATCHING TIRE SIZES POSES NO ADVERSE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR CONSUMERS. I FEEL THAT EMERGENCY HANDLING WITH A 15" SPARE MOUNTED ON THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE WOULD BE A CHALLENGE AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. I DOUBT THAT ANY TIRE MANUFACTURERS WOULD RECOMMEND OR SUPPORT THIS PRACTICE. WHAT DID THE DEALERSHIP OR FORD MOTOR COMPANY DO WHEN I BROUGHT THIS MATTER TO THEIR ATTENTION, YOU ASK? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE RESULTS FROM SOME INDEPENDENT TEST CONDUCTED BY A CONSUMER GROUP OR FROM ANY TESTS THAT FORD MAY HAVE PERFORMED. COULD THIS BE ANOTHER RECALL IN THE MAKING? I HOPE SO, AS I THINK THAT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, DRIVING A VEHICLE IN THIS CONFIGURATION COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS! THIS IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 1999 MODEL YEAR. FORD HAS DONE THIS ON THE 2000, 2001 AND IS STILL DOING IT ON THEIR 2002 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 16 TIRES. APPARENTLY FORD HAS NO PROBLEM AGGRESSIVELY MARKETING AND UPGRADING THE STANDARD 15 TIRES TO OPTIONAL 16 TIRES. THEY JUST DONT SEE ANY NEED TO UPGRADE THE SPARE. I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH FORDS ATTITUDE, AS I SEE A REAL PROBLEM WITH DRIVING MISMATCHED TIRES EVEN TEMPORARILY, AND ESPECIALLY ON THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A ROLL OVER AND HEADED INTO A DITCH. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AND ENDED UP ON ITS SIDE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE THAT MADE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TO THUMP AND LOCK UP, DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT HUBS AND THE SEALS. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD ITS HEATING SYSTEM FIXED TWICE. THE REAR BRAKE PARTS ALSO FELL APART AND WERE REPLACED. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT MENTIONED. *YH

BOTH TIMES THE TIRES JUST BLEW OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE 1ST TIME IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASH THRU A CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE SECOND TIME I SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY BUT NO DAMAGE HAPPENED. I HAVE CALLED FIRESTONE AND THEY WILL NOT HELP. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK AND FORD SAYS IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES. THE TIRES BEFORE THEY BLOW WILL START THUMPING AND WITHIN SECONDS THEY FALL APART. *AK (TIRESIZE: P225/70/R1)

CLUTCH WILL STICK AND RELEASE UNEXPECTEDLY, CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL DURING NORMAL OPERATION. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

SPEED 25 MPH TRAVELING DOWN ICY, DIRT ROAD, LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK TREE ON PASSENGER SIDE IN FRONT OF DOOR. APPROX. 10 MIN. LATER CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND IS NOW TOTAL DAMAGE, ALTHOUGH ORIGINAL DAMAGE WAS ONLY DENT TO FRONT QUARTER PANEL. *AK

FORD HAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT DESCRIBES THE "HIGH IDLE" CONDITION WHEN DEPRESSING CLUTCH OR SHIFTING GEARS FOR THE RANGER. THIS SHOULD BE REEVALUATED FOR "RECALL" ACTION AS THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WILL REMAIN AT HIGH RPM WHILE IN NUETRAL UNLESS YOU PLACE THE VEHICLE BACK IN GEAR. YOU CAN PULL UP ON THE ACCELERATOR OR PUSH IT FURTHER DOWN IN ATTEMPT TO GET IT TO RETURN TO IDLE BUT ALL THAT DOES IT MAKE THE CONDITION WORSE (HIGH IDLE IS ONE THING BUT AN ENGINE RACING WITH THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR THINKING ACCELARATOR IS PUSHED WAY DOWN IS ANOTHER). THIS CONDITION IS CAUSED BY A POOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT THE WIRE HARNESS TO THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. IT IS A SAFETY RECALL ISSUE VICE A TECHNICAL SERVICE ISSUE.*AK

REQUESTED TO HAVE GOVERNOR (SPEED LIMITER) REMOVED FROM VEHICLE, FORD DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REMOVE. *AK CONSUMER WANTS GOVERNOR (SPEED LIMITER) REMOVED BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE SPEEDOMETER TO EXCEED AT A SPEED OF ONLY 90 MPH, DEALER DECLINED REMOVAL STATING THAT THE SPEED LIMITER IS A SAFETY FEATURE. *TT