2003 Ford Ranger Complaint Log

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB

I WAS BLINDED BY ONCOMING HEAD LIGHTS NOT SET TO HIGH BEAM AND DISTRACTION FROM VERY BRIGHT HEAD LIGHTS IN REAR VIEW MIRROR (ALSO NOT ON HIGH BEAM). THE SOURCE IS FORD RANGER PICKUPS BUILT IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. OTHER MAKES OF TRUCKS AND SUV'S CAN BE BAD, BUT THE RANGER IS THE WORST OF THE BUNCH. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND HIT A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

CONSUMER STATED DEALERSHIP DIDN'T INFORM HIM ABOUT THE TRUCKS' INEFFICIENCY TO EXCEED THE SPEED OF 80 MPH. IF THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN AT THAT SPEED IT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE VIBRATION AND WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD REGISTER 120 MPH. *AK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT 4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON DRY ROADS. *JB *NLM

DRIVE LINE BINDING, HAS BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS THREE TIMES. FIRST TIME THEY WHERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. 2ND TIME THE DRIVE LINE WAS REPLACED. 3RD TIME SPINDLE WAS GREASED, STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

CONTINENTAL CONTITRAC TIRES CONSTANTLY VIBRATE. NOT POSSIBLE TO HAVE BALANCE LAST MORE THAN 100 MILES BEFORE VIBRATION STARTS AGAIN. *JB

OCCASIONALLY WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE TO STOP, THE ENGINE ACCELERATES AS I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL. SOME TIMES ONLY MOMENTARILY, BUT ON OCCASION IT ACCELERATES TO ABOVE 200 RPM FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN RETURNS TO IDLE. THERE IS NO PATTERN . IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD, BUT NOT ALWAYS. MY DEALER TOLD ME THAT UNLESS THEY COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING TO RECTIFY IT. IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE NEW. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 5000 MILES ON IT. HOPEFULLY THE FACTORY SENDS A RECALL BEFORE IT KILLS ME ON THE ICE. *LA

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING. HAS HAPPENED CONSISTENTLY SINCE PURCHASE OF T HE VEHICLE IN MAY 2003. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE TWICE AND EACH TIME THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE DEFECT SO NO REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE TO DATE. THE TRUCK IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER TO DRIVE UNTIL DEFECT IS NOTED.

AFTER DRIVING 52 MILES (10 MILES CITY & 42 MILES HIGHWAY) WITH A FULL TANK OF FUEL, THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS THAT THE VEHICLE USED 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. VEHICLE GETS BETWEEN 17 & 20 MILES TO THE GALLON. APPROXIMATE RANGE PER 1/4 TANK SHOULD BE BETWEEN 83 & 98 MILES. VEHICLE HAS A 19.5 GALLON FUEL TANK. THE FUEL GAUGE COMES OFF OF FULL VERY QUICKLY AND WHEN FILLING THE TANK WITH THE FUEL GAUGE IN THE RED (JUST OFF OF EMPTY) IT WILL ONLY TAKE 13.7 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE TANK HAS BEEN DRAINED AND FILLED TO VERIFY THAT THE TANK IS A 19.5 TANK. THE FUEL GAUGE AND FUEL METER HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED WITHOUT ANY CHANGE IN THE CONDITION. WAS ADVISED BY FORD THAT THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN (NHTSA # 0179/FORD #01-11-2) TO ADDRESS THIS EXACT CONCERN FOR 2001 MODEL YEAR FORD RANGERS. THE SUMMARY DESCRIPTION STATES: SOME VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 3/26/2001 MAY EXHIBIT A FUEL GAUGE THAT DROPS FROM FULL TOO FAST OR INDICATES LESS THAN THE ACTUAL FUEL LEFT IN HE TANK (EXCESSIVE TANK RESERVE). WAS ADVISED THAT THIS APPROXIMATE 6 GALLON RESERVE WAS THERE TO ALLOW THE CUSTOMER TO MAKE IT TO A FILLING STATION SAFELY WITH THE TANK ON E. THIS IS TELLING ME THAT WHEN THE TANK READS ALMOST EMPTY THERE IS STILL OVER A QUARTER TANK OF FUEL IN THE TANK. WITH THE GAUGE READING THIS WAY YOU ARE NOT SURE HOW MUCH FUEL YOU HAVE. FOR THE PRICE OF VEHICLES, CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RELY ON CALCULATING THEIR MILEAGE AND USING THE ODOMETER TO GUESS THERE FUEL RANGE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE FUEL GAUGE. *LA

DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER. VEHICLE HAD ONLY 400 MILES. *AK

THE SILVER COATING ON THE DASH BOARD AROUND THE RADIO AND AC UNIT IS RUBBING OFF. *LA

I PURCHASE THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW FROM GENE EVANS FORD IN AUGUST 2003. I STARTED COMPLAINING TO THEM A WEEK LATER THAT THE TRUCK RIDES AS THOUGH MY BUTT IS HITTING THE PAVEMENT ON A TRIP I TOOK. EVERYONE IGNORED MY CONCERN IN THE SERVICE AND SALES DEPARTMENT. WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY NOTICE. I WAS SOLD A BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH A SEVERE BENT AXLE AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR THE TRUCK NOR GIVE ME ANOTHER ONE. THEY ALL PLAYED DUMB AND STUPID AS TO NEVER SEEING THE PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING. FORD STILL OWES ME RESTITUTION. DEALERSHIP SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEFRAUD THE PUBLIC ON DAMAGE VEHICLES PAYING A FORTUNE FOR JUST TO KILL YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE. GENE EVANS KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM FROM THE ONSET. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND MOST LIKELY IN THE FUTURE CONSIDERING THE REPAIRS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO THE TRUCK OUT OF MY POCKET. MY VEHICLE DOES EVERTHING IN ALL MOTION AND NO MOTION AT ALL. DANGEROUS THINGS HAPPENS INCLUDING, CUTTING OFF CONSTANTLY, LIGHTS ARE DIM ON THE OUTSIDE SO IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT,RAIN COMING IN THE REAR WINDOW, TRUCK STARTED SMOKING, FILLED THE RESERVOIR AND OVER FLOWED SPEWING THE ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDED LIKE FOOD WAS FRYING IN VERY HOT GREASE. THERE IS A STINKING ODOR, SMELLS LIKE VERY STRONG URINE . SICKENING FEELING COMES OVER ME AND ANYONE IN THE TRUCK.ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF. THE PASSENGER WINDOW IS MOVING SLOW AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STOP. TRUCKS JUMPS WHICH CAUSING ME TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN WHILE IDLING OR AT A STOP.

WHILE PROCEEDING TO LEAVE THE DRIVEWAY THE OWNER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD BEFORE STOPPING. *AK IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. *NLM

ROUGH IDLE AT NORMAL OR COLD TEMPERATURES EITHER IN GEAR OR OUT AND ALSO IF AIR CONDITIONER IS ON OR OFF. THIS IS OCCURING ON A 2003 FORD RANGER V6 3.0L .. FORD DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A COPY OF A SERVICE MESSAGE UNDER 618400 ROLLING IDLE SPECIAL SERVICE MESSAGES 16180.. IT STATES IF THE CONDITION IS STILL PRESENT, MAKE SURE YOUR WDS IS UPDATED WITH THE LASTEST CALIBRATUON FILES, WDS RELEASE B20.10 OR LATER AND REPROGRAM THE PCM. THEY DID THAT AND I AM STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEACH AND IT SEEMS THEY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE NOV02. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC I TALKED TO STATED IF IT DIDNT FIX THE PROBLEM DONT WORRY FORD IS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN 8 MONTHS NOW. DO WE KNOW IF THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM?*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE'S SPARE TIRE DOES NOT MATCH THE REST OF THE TIRES, THE SPARE IS A SIZE 16 WHEN THE REST OF THE TIRES ARE 15. DEALER STATES ALL SPARES ON THAT YEAR AN MODEL ARE SIZE 16. *AK

SILVER COATING AROUND A/C AND HEATER UNIT IS COMING OFF AND THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES RATTLE AND ARE LOOSE. *CB

THE SPARE WAS SMALLER THAN THE ORIGINAL. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERN BECAUSE THE SPARE ISN'T A FULL SIZE. *TT

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND JUMP FORWARD. *AK

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP PROPERLY AND ACTED AS IF THE BRAKES WERE MANUAL, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE PUMPED BEFORE THE TRUCK STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP PREVIOUSLY BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE. *JB *TS

SUDDEN ACCELERATION WITH WARNING. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO REGISTER THIS PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS NOT CONCERNED. *TR

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES WHILE DRIVING STOPPING DISTANCE WAS GREATLY INCREASED AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD TO DEPRESS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DIAGNOSE ANY PROBLEM. ONE DAY, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES, BUT PEDAL WAS VERY HARD, VEHICLE THEN COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

THE THROTTLE CABLE DIDN'T SAY IN PLACE. AS A RESULT THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. *NLM

BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL TOOOO CLOSE TOGETHER! DISTANCE OF 2 & 1/4 " CAUSES CONTACT WITH ACCELERATOR WHEN BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED NUMEROUS INCIDENTS SINCE PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 03.. I WEAR A SIZE 9 &1/2 TO A 10 & 1/2 SIZE SHOE. EVEN THOUGH I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, I FIND THAT IT KEEPS HAPPENING REPEATEDLY; BUT I ONLY BUMPED A CURB ONCE WITH MY TIRES. *TR

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE ENGINE REVS. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER OF THE ENGINE. NOT LONG AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND SURGED FORWARD, NEARLY CAUSING A COLLISION.*AK *MR

VEHICLE HAS DIED ON INTERSTATE FOUR TIMES AND HAD TO BE TOWED IN. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-392-FORD STATES THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE. I AM TOLD I SHOULD CONTINUE TO GET IT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY WHEN WE ARE WAITING HOURS IN A SNOWSTORM FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. I HAVE OWNED 8 FORDS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE BECAUSE FORD MOTOR STATES THAT THEY HAVE FOLLOWED THE LETTER OF THE LAW CONCERNING REPAIRS UNDER THE WARRANTY. WE HAVE NOW REPLACED ONE FORD WITH A LEXUS AND ARE TOTALLY AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENCE OF ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE CUSTOMER. AT OUR FIRST FREE LEXUS OIL CHANGE MY WIFE WAS GIVEN A DOZEN LONG STEM ROSES. WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE IS SAYING ABOUT FORD THESE DAYS? NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE ARE BUYING MORE FOREIGN CARS AND TRUCKS.

WHEN PLACING VEHICLE IN REVERSE, MOTOR RACED WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES. IT WAS LATER DETERMINED BY DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS A COMPUTER PROBLEM AND WAS REPROGRAMMED. *LA THIS REMEDIED THE PROBLEM TEMPORALLY. FAILURE HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE PART REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER FELT IF FORD COULDN'T REPAIR THE VEHICLE WITHOUT IT FAILING AGAIN, THEN HIS MONEY SHOULD BE RETURNED. *PH

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE FAILED. *NM THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL ON THE 3.0 ENGINE, BUT THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THAT MAYBE THIS PROBLEM PERTAINED TO THE 4.0 ENGINE AS WELL. *SC *JB

PURCHASED A NEW RANGER XLT EXTENDED CAB DEC. 20 2002. WHILE TRYING DIAGNOSE WHY THE DOOR AJAR SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING, I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS NOT STRAIGHT. IT HAS SINCE BECOME A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND TAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS, WHERE AIR CAN BE HEARD THROUGH THE DOOR OPENING. THE SERVICE MANAGER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE STATED THAT IT WAS JUST THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENT SOUND WHEN TURNING BECAUSE THE AIR TRAVELS A DIFFERENT PATH ACROSS THE TRUCK BODY. HE HAS NOT TESTED THE ISSUE ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE WE WERE PRESSED FOR TIME. THE SERVICE MANAGER AND AUTO BODY MANAGER DID AGREE THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT STRAIGHT ALONG THE FRONT AND TOP EDGES AND AGREED TO PERFORM A REPAIR AND INSTALL A NEW DOOR FROM THE FACTORY. THE PROBLEM THERE WAS THAT I WAS TOLD THAT A DOOR INSTALLED AS A "REPAIR" WOULD BE PAINTED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WOULD NOT HAVE THE QUALITY OF A FACTORY INSTALLED DOOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER ALSO STATED THAT HE COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT A "NEW" DOOR WOULD FIT ANY BETTER. I ADMIRE HIM FOR HIS HONESTY TO THE END. I PAID FOR A NEW VEHICLE, NOT A SUB-STANDARD REPAIRED VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PROBLEM EXISTED OFF THE FACTORY FLOOR. THIS ISN'T A WARRANTY REPAIR, BUT A DEFECT. I AM OUTRAGED.

CONSUMER STATES THAT SEATBELTS ARE INOPRATIVE IN AN EVENT OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, BECAUSE SEATBELTS ARE ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE DOORS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

TREAD IS SEPARATING ON THREE OF THE TIRES. DT

2003 FORD RANGER XLT DOES NOT EXCEED 80 MPH.*MR (TRANSFERRED TO RULE MAKING). *CB

CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING 2003 RANGER SUDDENLY GOING AT FULL SPEED AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TS THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE NOTHING WAS FIXED. COMPLAINANT WRITING ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER. *NM

THE SEAT BELT(S) WHICH ARE IN THE REAR, (IF IN AN ACCIDENT/ROLL OVER), THE REAR DOOR(S) MAY OPEN AND THROW A PERSON OUT. SCC

CONSUMER CALLLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DASHBOARD, CANNOT BE VISIBLE IF THERE IS A SHADW HITTING THE DASHBOARD. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*AK

THERE WAS A SHORTAGE IN THE LEONARD CAP WIRES WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THERE WAS NO FUSE USED TO INSTALL THE CAP. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HAD A FUSE BEEN USED IT WOULD NOT HAVE DISABLES THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER PAID TO HAVE THE CAP REPLACED AND WAS LATER REIMBURSED. *CB *NLM

CONSUMER FEELS THAT BRACKET ON VEHICLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD.*MR WHEN THE REAR DOOR WAS OPENED, AT THE TOP OF THE DOOR OPENING A BRACKET EXTENDED FROM THE FRAME WHICH WAS USED AS A CLOSING DEVICE. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY THE EXTENDED BRACKET WHILE TRYING TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE TRUCK.*TS *JB

VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS ALSO FUNCTION AS THE TURN SIGNALS INDICATORS. CONSUMER FEELS THIS DESIGN IS VERY UNSAFE BECAUSE IF YOUR ARE BRAKING AND SIGNALING FOR A TURN, YOU LOSE 1/2 OF BRAKING "VISIBILITY" TO ALERT OTHER TRAVELING VEHICLES. THIS DESIGN DEFECT INCREASED THE RISK OF REAR-END COLLISIONS.

BRAKE AND ENGINE PROBLEMS. *MR THE ROTORS WERE TURNED ON THE FRONT BRAKES AND A IDLER WAS INSTALLED BECAUSE THE ENGINE STALLED OUT. (TWICE AFTER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM) *SCC *JB

THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH 16 INCH TIRES, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE SPAR TIRE IS ONLY 15 INCHES. *NM

VEHICLE IDLES BELOW 500 RPMS. THE ENGINE SOUNDS ROUGH, AND ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. THEN, IT RETURNS TO NORMAL. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IDLED, ENGINE SLOWED DOWN TO BELOW 500 RPM, AND THEN CHARGED BACK UP TO 3000 RPM. DEALER SAID THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS VEHICLE. *AK FORD ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING ENGINE IDLING. *LA

MANUAL TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. DEALERSHIP REPLACED A CHIP IN THE ENGINE MOTOR. BUT, PROBLEM RECURRED. THEN, DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CLUTCH PEDAL BECAUSE IT WAS LOOSE, AND PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME THAT VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED. THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO REPAIR VEHICLE TWICE, BUT SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK