2001 Ford Ranger Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT PARTS OF BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL WERE MELTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-424-9393 AND ASKED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. A CASE NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

THE GEAR SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK. CONSUMER HAD TO GIGGLE THE SHIFTER TO REMOVE IT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER HEARD SOMETHING BREAK LOOSE IN THE COLUMN, FOLLOWED BY A RATTLING NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED AFTER BREAKING LOOSE, AND A RATTLING NOISE OCCURRED. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO TAKE THE STEERING COLUMN APART TO INSPECT IT UNTIL THEY COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THEY WERE ONLY WILLING TO REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP, BUT THE FAILURE WAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK

NUT CAME OFF TIE ROD AND TIE ROD DISENGAGED FROM PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL WHILE PULLING UP TO MY HOUSE, ONE MILE AFTER GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY.*AK

WHENEVER VEHICLE RUNS OVER A BUMP OR A POTHOLE IT CAUSES REAR END TO KICK TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT AND REAR SHOCK, SOME IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE OVERSTEERS WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED LIKE DURING A TURN, THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO ONLY OCCUR WHEN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP. ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS SMALL POTHOLE OR BUMP THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE WANDER BADLY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. *YH