1997 Ford Ranger equipment problems

EQUIPMENT

I OWN A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT 4X4 4.0LTR.MANY SHOPS HAVE WORK ON THE FRONT AXEL WHEEL BEARINGS AND SEALS AND RETAINER NUT THIS NUT TAKES A SOCKET 2.3/8 R-6 MOST SHOPS DON'T HAVE IT SO THEY USE WHAT EVER THEY HAVE,CHISELL,LOCKING PLYERS ECT...CREATING FRONT END DAMAGE TO WHEEL BEARINGS,SEALS, BRAKES,CALIPERS,BRAKE DRUMS, MOST OF AL THE TIRES..I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT USE THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB ALSO DID NOT REMOVE LCKING PIN FROM SPINDEL.

NHTSA complaint #10326662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

I HAD AIR CONDITIONING INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE IN LATE 1997, THE AIR CONDITIONING WENT OUT LAST YEAR. SHOULDN'T IT LAST LONGER THAT 6 YEARS?

NHTSA complaint #10082750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

A FEW THINGS HERE, ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF AT RANDOM. HAD IT CHECKED A FEW TIMES. NO PROBLEMS FOUND. DOME LIGHT/DOOR CHIME WILL NOT GO OFF WHEN DOOR IS SHUT AND/OR CAR IS TURNED ON. LEFT HAND BLINKER WENT NUTS A FEW TIME, BASICLY IT WAS BLINKING AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. A FEW SECOND 'POWER LOSS' HAPPEND A FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING, LOST POWER TO RAIDO, AND LIGHTS. THE REAR END BOUNCES WAY TOO MUCH WHEN I HIT A BUMP, CAN CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #10051112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES

THE LOCATION AND CONNECTION OF THE FACTORY ALARM SYSTEM CAUSED THE RELAY SWITCH UNDER THE DASH TO OVERHEAT AND THE BATTERY DRAINED EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF.*JB ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON 1997 FORD RANGER IS MALFUNCTIONING. ABS SYSTEM LIGHTS ILLUMINATES WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ENGAGED. THE FUEL GAUGE IS INOPERATIVE, RELAYS UNDER THE DASHBOARD STARTED HEATING UP. CONSUMER CONCERED THAT AIR BAGS MAY FAIL IF VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10051581 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

FILED COMPLAINT BEFORE, YOU ALL SAID IT WASN'T SAFTY RELATED.IT SURE IS WHEN FORD MAKES PARTS OUT OF THIN PLASTIC/OR PUT IN WRONG PLEUM CHAMBER.THE BLEND DOOR WON'T OPERATE AND BREAKS ON SO MANY EXPLORER/RANGER.YOU CAN'T EVEN DEFROST YOUR WINDOWS IN THE RAIN OR IN THE MORNING.DO THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GET HURT/KILLED FOR SOMEONE TO CARE.

NHTSA complaint #10000188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TRAILER HITCHES:FIFTH WHEEL ASSEMBLY

AT THE SPEED OF 25MPH SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE AND LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. MANAGED TO MERGE SUDDENLY TO RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD. BATTERY, ENGINE, AND POWER STEERING LIGHT WENT ON. WHILE LOOKING AT VEHICLE NOTICED THAT BELT BROKE AND DOLLEY FELL OFF.

NHTSA complaint #9005085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

HAD A RIGHT FRONT TIRE GO FLAT. WITH THE TIRE FLAT, THE VEHICLE JACK WOULD NOT FIT UNDER THE SHOCK ABSORBER AS THE OWNERS MANUAL DESCRIBES PROPER JACKING OF THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID TO JUST MOVE THE JACK TO A NEARBY LOCATION. I DID THIS BUT WAS VERY UNEASY DOING SO AS IT DIDN'T SEEM ESPECIALLY SECURE AND I WAS WORRIED THE CAR COULD SLIP OFF THE JACK. ODD THAT WITH A FLAT TIRE, THE JACK IS TOO TALL TO PLACE IT WHERE THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS.

NHTSA complaint #742476 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK

CARRIER THAT HOLDS SPARE TIRE RUBS AGANIST TIRE WHENEVER VEHICLE MOVES UP AND DOWN WHICH LEADS TO TIRE WEARING OUT. TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED BEFORE. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.

NHTSA complaint #883936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT

THE TIRE-JACK (BOTTLE-JACK) PROVIDED WITH THIS VEHICLE, WHEN PURCHASED NEW, WILL NOT FIT UNDER THE APPROVED FRONT-END JACKING POINT OF MY FORD RANGER PICK-UP TRUCK UNDER FULL FLAT CONDITIONS! THERE APPEARS TO BE NO SAFE ALTERNATIVE JACKING POSITION TO BE USED WITH THE SUPPLIED BOTTLE-JACK! THIS RECENTLY CAUSED ME TO BE IN DANGER FAR LONGER THAN WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHERWISE NECESSARY HAD MY VEHICLE BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN ADEQUATE JACK! I DISCOVERED THIS FACT ON THE NARROW PAVED SHOULDER OF A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY DURING CONTINUOUS HEAVY RAIN AND LOWERED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AT CHANGING MY TIRE (EMBARASSING TO A COMMERCIAL SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK DRIVER) AND HAD TO CALL AND WAIT FOR ASSISTANCE, THIS AFTER ALREADY GETTING SOAKED ON A COLD DAY IN A FUTILE ATTEMPT TO CHANGE MY TIRE WITH INADEQUATE NEW-VEHICLE EQUIPMENT! FROM TALKING TO OTHERS, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT INADEQUATE JACKS ARE QUITE OFTEN PROVIDED WITH OTHER PICK-UP TRUCKS, AND THAT THIS TYPE JACK PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE FORD RANGE PICK-UP!

NHTSA complaint #741883 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE PUMP WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AIR CONDITIONER PUMP REPLACED. RIGHT WINDOW IS LOOSE WHILE GOING DOWN. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OCCASIONALLY WHILE TAKING OFF. THERE ARE LOOSE BOLTS UNDERNEATH SEATS. FOG LIGHT FAILED. CONSUMER STATES OIL FROM MASTER CYLINDER DAMAGED HOOD. DOOR LOCK INSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR NEVER WORKED AND WAS REPLACED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA complaint #882240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

BLEND DOOR FAILED AND CAUSED HOT AIR TO COME OUT OF AIR CONDITIONER WHEN TURNED ON. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED THAT WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FUTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #881288 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

A STRONG MILDEW SMELL DEVELOPED OVER AN APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEK PERIOD. FLUSHING NOR OZONE TREATMENT HAD ANY POSITIVE AFFECT. THE A/C WAS TORN DOWN. A DEPOSIT OF LEAF AND OTHER DEBRIS WAS FOUND AT OR NEAR THE A/C CONDENSATION DRAIN AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT OF THE FRAME, BLOCKING PROPER DRAINAGE. THERE WAS NO LIQUID LEAKAGE INTO THE CAB. THE EVAPORATOR WAS BADLY CONTAMINATED AND WAS REPLACED. THE INTERIOR WAS DETAILED TO INCLUDE SHAMPOO AND DEODORIZE (A FAINT BUT DETECTABLE MILDEW LIKE ODOR REMAINS AFTTER USING THE A/C. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE ADVISOR WAS VERY HELPFUL.

NHTSA complaint #723503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

SOMETIMES AIR CONDITIONING WOULD MALFUNCTION. INSTEAD OF SENDING COOL AIR, IT WOULD SEND HOT AIR. DEALER COULD NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #863901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA complaint #711819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.