1998 FORD RANGER Complaints

DISPITE PROPER MAINTENCE, I OBSERVED BODY RUST AND DECAY ON THE UNDERSIDE OF MY TRUCK FRAME. ALSO THE BRAKE LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED DUE TO CORRUSION AND RUST INTO THE FRAME. SPARE TIRE BRACKETS HAVE RUSTED INTO AND THE TIRE FELL OFF. ALSO EVAP CANASTER BRACKET RUSTED INTO AND THE EVAP CANASTER FELL OFF.

I STARTED THE TRUCK, ALL GAUGES READ OK, BACKED IT OUT ONTO THE ROAD AND PROCEEDED T DRIVE TO MY DESTINATION. I SHIFTED INTO 3RD AND IT FELT SLUGGISH, (LIKE BRAKE DRAG) I LOOKED DOWN AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR INFORMATION, AND FOUND NO RESPONSE FROM THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE. I PROCEEDED TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH AND SHUT OFF THE MOTOR, BUT BY THE TIME I PUSHED IN THE CLUTCH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULDN'T PROCEED TO RUN. I CHECKED THE OIL DIP STICK TO FIND THE OIL LEVEL IS ACCEPTABLE, BUT THE MOTOR REFUSES TO TURN OVER. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS TO THIS DAY. *TR

1998 FORD RANGER, DRIVE SHAFT BROKE ON VEHICLE. *BF AFTER THE DRIVE SHAFT BROKE, IT WENT THROUGH THE GAS TANK CAN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT #10-0294-89 UPDATED 05/03/10 *BF UPDATED 05/24/10 *BF THE REAR AXLE PINION FROZE, THE DRIVE SHAFT TWISTED AND BROKE IN TWO. UPDATED 05/28/10

MY 1998 FORD RANGER XLT SO FAR HAD 2 COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE SPIRAL PROTECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES WHICH KEEPS THE HUMIDITY TRAPPED AND THUS CORRODES THE LINES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, BRAKE FLUID IS LEAKING OUT WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED DOWN YET NO BRAKE FUNCTION IS EXPERIENCED. AS THIS PROBLEM HAS A CLEAR TECHNICAL REASON IN THE FORM OF THE BRAKE LINES, IT IS SYSTEMIC IN ALL SUCH VEHICLES. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY MY CAR MECHANIC SHOP WHICH IS FREQUENTLY REPAIRING FORD VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NO EARLY WARNING INDICATION AND IS NOT DETECTED BY THE YEARLY INSPECTION. *TR

ENGINE SURGES WHEN FOOT IS OFF ACCELERATOR. ENGINE GOES TO HIGH RPM AND MUST BE TURNED OFF WITH IGNITION KEY TO KEEP IT FROM EXCEEDING RPM LIMITS. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH NO FIRM PARAMETERS FOR OCCURRENCE. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE NO MATS IN THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND DRIVERS FEET ARE FLAT ON THE FLOOR NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE ACCELERATOR, BRAKE, OR CLUTCH. DEALER HAS REPLACED THROTTLE BODY TWICE BUT THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR AT LEAST 18 MONTHS. *TR

THE REAR BUMPER IN MY 1998 FORD RANGER (80K MILES) IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF, AS THE REAR OF THE FRAME IS RUSTED & BROKEN. I HAVE CABLES HOLDING IT ON NOW. I FOUND THIS OUT AFTER THE REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLE & BRACKET RUSTED OFF THE FRAME AND BROKE IN TWO. THE SPARE TIRE ALSO LOOKS LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF FROM RUSTED BRACKETS. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF FORD RANGERS IN WHICH THE REAR BUMPER ACTUALLY DID FALL OFF, OR THE SPARE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE MUCH WORSE THAT THE TOYOTA TRUCKS. IN FACT SOMEONE SAID THAT THE FORD FRAMES WERE BOUGHT AT THE SAME FACTORY AS THE TOYOTA'S, BUT I DO NOT KNOW FORE SURE. EVERYTHING ELSE ON MY TRUCK IS IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION, NOT A SPECK OF RUST ON THE BODY, AND IT RUNS GREAT. I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. *TR

THIS IS A 98 FORD RANGER XLT WITH 73,000 MILES, MY PROBLEM IS THE TURNING SIGNALS FROM MY 98 FORD RANGER, EVERYTIME THAT I TURNED MY TRUCK ON IT MAKES A SQUEAKING SOUND AROUND MY STEERING WHEEL, THEN RIGHT AWAY MY LEFT TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT TURNS ON BY ITSELF, RIGHT AWAY WHEN THE LEFT TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT TURNS ON BY ITSELF THE SQUEAKING SOUND GOES AWAY, SO NOW TO QUIT MY LEFT TURNING SIGNAL LIGHT FROM KEEPING LIGHTING ON BY ITSELF I HAVE TO PUSH DOWN THE EMERGENCY BUTTON ON TOP OF MY STEERING WHEEL WHICH TURN BOTH TURNING SIGNAL LIGHTS ON, THEN RIGHT AWAY I HAVE TO PUSH IT DOWN AGAIN TO TURN THEM OFF, AT THAT TIME THERE IS NO SQUEAKING SOUND, BUT AFTER 5 OR 10 MORE MINUTES THE ANNOYING SOUND COMES BACK ON AND I HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN TO TURN OFF THE SQUEAKING SOUND, IT JUST STARTED TO HAPPENED 3 MONTHS AGO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD RANGER. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 13 HOURS, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT FILED A REPORT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) WAS RECEIVED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON OCTOBER 10, 2008 FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THAT TIME; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HOW HIS VEHICLE STILL CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK WITHIN 14 BUSINESS DAYS BY THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

I HAD DRIVEN MY 98 FORD RANGER FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 10 MILES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. 2 HOURS AFTER I GOT HOME MY TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. THE TRUCK IS TOTALED NOW. I DID NOTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION BECAUSE I WAS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

EVERYTIME I PRESS MY BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS A GRINDING/PULSATING AND THE VEHICLE SLOWLY "SKIDS" TO A STOP, USUALLY ONLY 10-15 FEET AFTER I INTENDED ON STOPPING. LESS THAN ONE (1) YEAR AGO, THE BRAKES WENT OUT ON MY 1998 FORD RANGER. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ABS ON THE VEHICLE IS WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING, YET HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. HE SAID THE UNNECESSARY PRESSURE BEING APPLIED BY THE ABS SYSTEM CAUSED MY MASTER CYLINDER'S SEALS TO CRACK. I PAID OVER $400 FOR ALL BRAKE REPAIRS. TEN (10) MONTHS LATER, I'M DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 60 M.P.H. AND MY EXIT IS APPROACHING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, I WAS AGAIN LEFT WITH NO BRAKES. I NARROWLY AVOIDED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THANKFULLY I HAD THE SENSE OF MIND TO PUSH MY EMERGENCY BRAKE (WHICH IS AWKWARDLY LOCATED ON A PICK-UP TRUCK) AND AVOID A NUMEROUS CAR PILE-UP ON A BUSY LOS ANGELES FREEWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEW MECHANIC AS WELL AS A PEP BOYS AUTO CENTER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER'S SEALS WERE AGAIN CRACKED, AND CHARGED OVER $400 FOR THE SAME REPAIRS AS BEFORE. I'VE SEARCHED NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUMS, AND SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AND FORD RANGER OWNERS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND HAS FACED NEAR-DEATH SITUATIONS DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURING ERROR. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE A RECALL AS IT'S THE ONLY ONE TO ASSURE THE PROBLEM IS FIXED AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD (AS THE BRAKES WILL NO LONGER WORK WITHOUT ANY WARNING). *TR