20 of the 744 complaints about the 1998 Ford Ranger are about the fuel system — 3% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 143,500 miles.
20
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
GAS TANK STRAPS RUSTED THROUGH AND GAS TANK FELL OUT. I FIXED IT BY INSTALLING MY OWN STRAPS BOUGHT AT A HARDWARE STORE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10417159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
NHTSA complaint #10380366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
HAZARD OF FIRE OR EXPLOSION FROM INFERIOR PARTS. HOSES AND PIPES FROM FILLER NECK TO GAS TANK ARE BEING REPLACED BY BENEFICIAL AUTOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE IN MOORE OKLAHOMA. TANK HAS TO BE FLUSHED AND FILTER REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO GAS FUMES AND LEAKING FUEL FROM THE DECOMPOSING FILLER NECK HOSES. I JUST HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE FOR THE SAME REASON ON MY '98 FORD E250. FORD DEALER PARTS SALESPERSON SAYS THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM(EVEN HE STATED HE ANTICIPATES THIS WITH HIS FORD TRUCK) AND THE REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE BEEN RE-ENGINEERED TO CORRECT THE RUBBER DECOMPOSITION WHICH ALSO CLOGGED THE FILTERS AND FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CAUSING CHRONIC STALLING AND ROUGH RUNNING ON BOTH VEHICLES. HAD TO HAVE FILTERS REPLACED AND INJECTION SYSTEM SYSTEM CLEANED NUMEROUS TIMES. FORD HAS REFUSED TO EVEN SUPPLY THE REPLACEMENT PARTS OR ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. LEAKING GAS AND FUMES COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH IF THIS IS NOT HANDLED. THE RECENT REPAIR TO THE E250 WAS IN EXCESS OF $200 (PARTS WERE $100+ FROM DEALER. THE REENGINEERED PARTS FOR THE FORD RANGER ARE $250+ AND LABOR WILL MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT AS THEY HAVE TO REMOVE THE TRUCK BED AND TANK TO REPLACE THE PARTS AND FLUSH THE TANK. ADDITIONALLY MY DRIVEWAY IS DAMAGED FROM THE LEAKING FUEL. REFERRED TO YOU BY CONSUMER REPORTS MAGAZINE. LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE. SINCERELY, VINCE DENNIS.
NHTSA complaint #10177268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
PURCHASED TRUCK USED IN MAY 1999 WITH 15,000 MILES ON IT. PROBLEM STARTED AFTER HAVING 25,000 ODOMETER MILES ON TRUCK. VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UPON STOPPING OR SLOWING. HAD IDLE ADJUSTED NEXT SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE (30K). AS OF THIS DATE, AUGUST 19, 2005, VEHICLE STILL ACCELERATES ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS. AFTER A FEW MONTHS FROM THE 45K MAINTENANCE CHECK THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED TO STALL AT RANDOM WHEN STOPPING OR SLOWING. AT REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS I WOULD TELL TECH ABOUT STALLING PROBLEMS. MOST OFTEN TECH COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM ON ROAD TEST. VEHICLE WOULD BE SERVICED, STALLING PROBLEM WOULD STOP FOR A VERY SHORT TIME, AND THEN PROBLEM WOULD COME BACK. JULY 12, 2005- I WENT ON ROAD WITH TECH ON ROAD TEST AND FOUND TECH WAS DOWN-SHIFTING AT STOPS. TOLD HIM NOT TO AND THEN VEHICLE DID STALL WHEN COMING TO STOP. DEALER: INSPECTED AND VERIFIED COMPLAINT, CHECKED AND FOUND IDLE AIR CONTROL FAULTY, REMOVED AND REPLACED IAC MOTOR AND CONCERN. TECH NOTES: STILL ACTING UP. FOUND IDLE SPEED ADJUSTED TOO HIGH. READJUSTED IDLE SCREW, ROAD TESTED AND RECHECKED OK. PROBLEM WAS SOLVED FOR A BRIEF THREE WEEKS AND RESURFACED. AS OF AUGUST 19, 2005- THE STALLING PROBLEM STILLS EXISTS. IS A VERY REAL SAFETY ISSUE, AS I HAVE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE ACCIDENT CALLS. EXAMPLES: 1) TURNING OFF A VERY BUSY STREET (45MPH) INTO PARKING LOT, HAVING VEHICLE STALL AND LOSING ALL POWER STEERING INTO TURN, HAVING TO AVOID HITTING TREES, BUILDINGS, PEOPLE, AND OTHERS CARS IN PROCESS. 2) COMING TO A RED STOPLIGHT, MY VEHICLE STALLS, STOPLIGHTS CHANGING TO GREEN AS APPROACHING, CARS BEHIND ME HAVING TO AVOID HITTING MY TRUCK AS I RESTART. 3) VEHICLE STALLING AT YIELD SIGN. NO CROSS TRAFFIC AND CARS BEHIND ME EXPECTING ME TO PASS THROUGH.
NHTSA complaint #10133597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
CONSUMER STATES THE GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN ONE HALF AND THREE FOURTHS FULL, CONSUMER NEVER KNOWS HOW MUCH GAS THE VEHICLE HAS.
NHTSA complaint #565698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
THE HOLDING CAP THAT KEEPS THE GAS IN THE GAS TANK HAD BEEN BORKEN FOR A LONG TIME. I USED TO SMELL GAS FOR A LONG TIME ALMOST FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. ONE DAY WHEN I PUSHED ON THE BRAKE LOTS OF GAS RUSHED OUT OF MY CAR AND A FRIEND NEAR BY NOTICED THIS. TALKING TO MY TENNANT, SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER FORS TAURAS.
NHTSA complaint #761834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ACCUMULATOR FAILED PREMATURELY BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING FLAW. THE ACCUMULATOR WAS FABRICATED WITH AN INSULATION ATTACHED TO IT WHICH IN TURN TRAPPED MOISTURE BETWEEN THE ACCUMULATOR AND THE INSULATION CAUSING THE ACCUMULATOR TO CORRODE PREMATURELY AND CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO LEAK AND BECOME DISABLED.
NHTSA complaint #761882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD CLICKING NOISE COMING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THEN SUDDENLY VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER . CONSUMER IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE, AND WIITHIN SECONDS CAB BEGAN TO FILL WITH SMOKE. CONSUMER GOT OUT, AND WITHIN 15 SECONDS FLAMES WENT THROUGH THE HOOD, AND MELTED ALL ENGINE COM PARTMENT FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT, AND STATED AND CAUSE WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO FUEL PUMP OR FUEL LINES.
NHTSA complaint #871068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
PLASTIC LOCKING STRAPS FOR FUEL TANK KEPT BREAKING. THIS OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS, ON 04-07-00 & 05-17-00, AND CAUSED FUEL SPILLAGES. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE NOT COVERED UNDER MANFACTURER'S. RECALLS, AND IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #862067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER PASSED OUT AND VEHICLE RAN OFF ROAD. ALSO, NOTICED FUMES INSIDE CAB. DRIVER BELIEVES THAT CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES WERE COMING INTO THE VEHICLE, CAUSING HIM TO PASS OUT. *AK
NHTSA complaint #857317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND A PIECE OF STONE GRAVEL HIT GAS TANK AND WENT STRAIGHT THOUGH THE TANK. GAS TANK STARTED LEAKING GASOLINE.
NHTSA complaint #856540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
FAULTY GAS GAUGE. YH
NHTSA complaint #608803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER AND SENSOR, SENSOR REPLACED A SECOND TIME DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER AND SENSOR, SENSOR REPLACED A SECOND TIME DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLING/CHARGING
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP/SENDER AND SENSOR, SENSOR REPLACED A SECOND TIME DUE TO FAILURE. MJS
NHTSA complaint #547420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY AT 60 MPH, WITH A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AS THE FUEL PUMP RELAY FAILED (ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPT. OF THE FORD DEALER). THE SECOND FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY, AGAIN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE SAME SERVICE DEPT. REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP. THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED TONIGHT, AGAIN ON THE ROAD WITH NO WARNING. THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE -- TWICE I HAVE BEEN ABRUPTLY LEFT POWERLESS IN A FREEWAY WITH NO WAY TO MOVE THE TRUCK.
NHTSA complaint #709144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS GAUGE FAILED THREE TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #544375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #827306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
COMPLAINT#1: GAS TANK LEAKED AFTER VEHICLE WAS ONLY ONE WEEK OLD. DEALER REPLACED IT WITH A NEW TANK. COMPLAINT#2: POWER WINDOWS ARE 'JERKY' AND THEY CHATTER WHEN GOING DOWN. DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED IT YET. COMPLAINT#3: PASSENGER SEAT VIBRATES ANY TIME TRUCK DRIVES OVER ANY BUMPS, LARGE OR SMALL. DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED IT AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #700768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SURGE/HESITATE DURING CRUISE.
NHTSA complaint #534619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.