1996 FORD RANGER Complaints

FUEL LINE FAILURE 1996 FORD RANGER DRIVEN WEEKLY. TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE PAVED ROAD AT POSTED SPEED. "CHECK GAUGES" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. FUEL GAUGE BELOW EMPTY (HAD STARTED TRIP 40 MINUTES EARLIER WITH 2/3 TANK). PULLED OVER AT FIRST SAFE OPPORTUNITY AND STEPPED OUT OF TRUCK. STRONG SMELL OF FUEL AND GAS POURING ON THE GROUND. STOPPED ENGINE AND THE FUEL STOPPED POURING. HAD LOCAL TIRE STORE DROP THE TANK. THEY FOUND A CRACK AT A 90 DEGREE BEND IN THE PLASTIC HOSE LEADING TO THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. THE HOUSE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN RUBBING AGAINST SOME SURFACE BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TANK AND THE BODY. NEW ASSEMBLY ORDERED FROM FORD ($128) WITH AN INSTALLED PRICE OF $416. I RETAINED THE OLD FUEL LINE ASSEMBLY. FUEL WAS BEING PUMPED ONTO THE TOP OF THE TANK AND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK. I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO HAVE AVOIDED A FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING OR PLACED INTO NEUTRAL WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL NOT DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REAR ENDED FOUR TIMES IN FIVE YEARS. THE MOST RECENT CRASH OCCURRED IN MARCH OF 2008 AND THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/25/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A FEATURE TO KEEP THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL AND THE CLUTCH BRAKE IS NOT PRESSED.UPDATED 06/25/08

AFTER SMELLING A STRONG FUEL ODOR I FOUND THE FUEL FILLER HOSE HAS MANY SMALL CRACKS WHERE IT FITS ON TO THE FUEL TANK, AND LEAKS FUEL WHEN GAS TANK IS FILLED. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL FILLER HOSE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, I DO HAVE THE OLD HOSE AVAILABLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOES NOT LATCH. THE BUCKLE WILL NOT CONNECT TO THE LATCH OF THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT SERVICED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 118,000.

GAS FILL HOSE DEFECTED AND CRACKED, I TRIED TO GET ONE FROM SALVAGE YARD AND THE GUY TOLD ME EVERY HOSE THEY TRIED TO SAVE WAS ALSO CRACKED IN THE SAME PLACE AND THAT HE HAS PEOPLE COMING IN ALL THE TIME ASKING FOR THE SAME HOSE FOR A 95 THROUGH 97 THERE IS A STRONG GAS VAPOR AND POOR GAS MILEAGE RESULTING FROM HOSE A NEW HOSE CAN ONLY BE PURCHASED FOR A FORD DEALER AND THE COST IS AROUND 258.00 I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED THE HOSE BECAUSE OF THE COST AND I DON'T WONT TO SPED ALL THIS MONEY IF I WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM 3 YEARS LATER I DID TRY TO REPAIR HOSE BY PATCHING IT WITH A TUBE REPAIR KIT BECAUSE OF THE COST BUT IT DIDN'T CORRECT MY PROBLEM WITH THE GAS VAPORS. IT WORRIES ME THAT A FIRE COULD RESULT OR THE FUMES COULD BE HARMFUL TO MY HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. WHILE ACTIVATING THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ELECTRICAL CRACKLING SOUND IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING DAILY FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000. UPDATED 04/08/08. *LJ THE RIGHT TURN SIGNALS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS A PROBLEM AS WELL. UPDATED

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, HE NOTICED THAT THE SWITCH WAS BURNED AND THE PLASTIC WAS MELTED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. A NEW CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WILL COST $50. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT INFORM HIM IF THE NEW SWITCH WOULD FAIL AND ADVISED HIM TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE CONTACT WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH HIMSELF, BUT WILL INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF IT WILL BURN AGAIN. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK HOSE LEAKS. ON AUGUST 8, 2007, HE NOTICED THAT THE TANK WAS SWELLING FROM THE INSIDE AND WAS SPLIT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

THE FRAME MOUNTS ON THE REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLES RUSTED OFF ALLOWING THE SPRINGS TO RIDE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BED.

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIT A DEER ON 09/24/06, WITH THE 1996 FORD RANGER EXTENDED CAB WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND DRY. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE HIT THE DEER ON THE DRIVER' FRONT SIDE , AND THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS, AND BEFORE GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME BY AND HIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE BACK AT THE SPEED OF 55-60 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT'S IS WHEN THE AIR DID BAG DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WERE BOTH 97,000. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH.*AK