1991 FORD RANGER Complaints

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1991 RANGER PICKUP USED. SINCE THE PURCHASE I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT 1500 MILES. I NOTICED WHILE INSTALLING NEW SHOCK ABSORBERS THAT THE SPRING MOUNT (TOP BRACKET) WAS RUSTED. WITHIN 500 MILES OF THE INSTALLATION THE BRACKET HAS STARTED TO SEPERATE FROM THE FRAME AND THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE TRUCK WAS NOTICABLLY LOWER. I WENT TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRUCK WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND THAT THE SPRING COULD BE EJECTED FROM ITS POSITION CAUSING A ACCIDENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD OF ANOTHER RANGER 1993 WITH THE SAME CONDITION. I WANTED TO INFORM THE NTSA, ONLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS CONDITION IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT MOST LIKELY WON'T SHOW UP UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS SOME AGE AND MILES ON IT. IT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IF IT IS COMMON TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES. THANK YOU

THE TIRE FAILED AS MY WIFE APPROACHED THE OFF RAMP TO OUR HOUSE OFF THE FREEWAY. THE TIRE WAS QUITE DESTROYED AND THE ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS ALSO UNSAFE(ALTHOUGH THE TREAD LOOKED GOOD), BOTH WERE REPLACED AND I NO LONGER HAVE THE GOOD TIRE I DO HAVE THE DESTROYED TIRE. I ENTERED THE TIRE SIZE BY THE SIZE OF THE REPLACMENTS MY GARAGE INSTALLED, ASSUMING THEY WERE THE SAME SIZE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: DESTROYED TIRE SIZE: P215 75R15 )

TREAD SEPARATED. REPLACED WITH LIKE TIRE. CONSIDERED IT AN UNUSUAL FAILURE, BUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ON OCCASSION, UNTIL LEARNED OF LIKE FAILURES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75 15 )

REAR TIRE HAD MAJOR TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVE AT ABOUT THIRTY MILES PER HOUR. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE WHOLE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND. RIGHT FRONT UPPER COIL SPRING FAILED, AND THE PAINT THAT WAS ON THE PART HAD CORRODED. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK TOWER CORRODED AND RUSTED OUT , EVENTUALLY CAUSING IT TO BREAK, AND CAUSING FRONT END TO FALL DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN MARCH 1997, AND DEALER REPLACED SENSORS. IN MAY 2000, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND WON'T STALL AFTER FIRST INCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BOTH SIDE-VIEW MIRRORS ARE USELESS, THEY FLOP AGAINST THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS OF 55MPH AND SOMETIMES EVEN LESS, THEY WILL NOT STAY ADJUSTED AND THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE FROM THE DEALER.

THE SIDE MIRRORS ON THE TRUCK WILL FOLD IN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM STARTED AFTER I HAD THE TRUCK A YEAR OR SO AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF RANGERS WITH THIS STYLE OF MIRROR, AND THEY ALL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD FOR A REPLACEMENT MIRROR AND THEY COULD ONLY OFFER THE SAME TYPE MIRROR. I SEE THIS AS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE MIRRORS WILL NOT STAY IN ADJUSTMENT. I THINK THE MIRROR STYLE CHANGED IN 1992, BUT WAS USED FOR SEVERAL YEARS PRIOR. *AK

CLUTCH WAS BAD DUE TO CRACK IN FIREWALL NOT ALLOWING FULL TRAVEL OF MASTER CYLINDER AND PROBLEMS SHIFTING. TRANSMISSION BEARINGS AND GEARS WORN OUT BEYOND REASONABLE REPAIR.