1998 FORD RANGER Complaints

WE WERE IN A RAINSTORM ON I-95 TRAVELING 70 MPH, WE SLOWED TO 55 IN THE RIGHT LANE AND THE TIRE STARTED TO WOBBLE, THEN IT BLEW. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE. IF THE PAVEMENT HAD BEEN DRY. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING 75MPH. IT COULD HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE. THE TIRE COMPLETELY BLEW OUT THE SIDEWALL ALL THE WAY AROUND. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THAT WHEN THE TIRES ARE ROTATED EVERY 6,000 AS ORDERED.WE FEEL THIS IS A TIRE DEFECT. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/70R16 )

I ASKED THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND FIXED IT WHAT THE POSSIBLE CAUSE COULD BE, AND THE ANSWER GIVEN WAS "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR." THIS DOES NOT SEEM REASONABLE SINCE THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED BY THIS DEALERSHIP SINCE NEW, AND HAS NO SEVERE USE, OR UNUSUAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. MOST MILEAGE HAS BEEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WITH NO APPRECIABLE LOAD. THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE HAS APPROXIMATELY 150 OF THESE MACHINES ON A LONG TERM LEASE WHICH WILL EXPIRE AT APPROXIMATELLY FEB 2001. *AK

FRONT 2 TIRES ALREADY HAD TO BE REPLACED (~$190) AND BACK 2 NEED TO BE REPLACED NOW. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 22570R15 )

TIRE DISINTEGRATED AT 80 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND REAR LEFT TIRE ON DRIVER'S SIDE STARTED SMOKING AND COMPLETLY CAME APART. OTHER THREE SOUNDED FUNNY ON THE HIGHWAY. HE REPLACED THE OTHER THREE TIRES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON THE HIGHWAY ANDTAILGATE DOOR JUST OPENED ON ITS ON. THIS INCIDENT HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES.*AK

THE TRANSMISION TORQUE CONVERTER SEEMS TO WHINE FROM APROX. 2,500 RPM UNTIL GEAR SHIFT WHEN ACCELERATING. WHEN OVERDRIVE IS DISENGAGED ABOVE 50MPH THE TRANSMISION SLAMS. THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE NOT TORQUED CORRECTLY UPON DELIVERY OF VEHICLE RESULTING IN 1 ELONGATED RIM. AIR CONDITIONING HAS BEEN RETURNED TO DEALER 3 TIMES. TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE SYSTEM THAT IT WAS WITHIN "FORD" SPECS, YET MIRACULOUSLY IT IS COLD AGAIN FOR APPROX 1-2 MONTHS.

A 1998 FORD RANGER ORGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES WERE CHIPPING, DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES. ALSO, THE NEW FIRESTONE TIRES WERE BUBBLING ON THE SIDE. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING REAR BRAKES TO LOCK UP, RESULTING IN A CRASH. DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

MY COMPLAINT IS AGAINST NHTSA COUNSEL. I WROTE BY EMAIL THE NHTSA COUNSEL ON 2 MAY 1999 DETAILING MY PROBLEM. I RECEIVED NO ANSWER. I WROTE AGAIN ON 7 JUL 1999, AND RECEIVED NO ANSWER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF NHTSA REALLY DOES ANSWER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO FAX YOU COPIES OF MY ORIGINAL EMAILS TO NHTSA COUNSEL IF YOU SO DESIRE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK