1997 Ford Ranger complaints

AT INTERMITTENT TIMES FOR A VARRYING LENGTH OF TIME HEADLIGHTS WILL CUT OFF. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND PUTS THE TRUCK BACK ON THE ROAD. *AK

AT 35 MPH VEHICLE RAN INTO THE BACK OF A TRACTOR HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER PASSENGER'S SIDE OR DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

DOME LIGHT COMES ON BY ITSELF AND FAILS TO TURN OFF. *ET

DRY SPINDLES AND BALL JOINT BEARINGS, MECHANIC PUT PICKUP ON JACK SAID " WE WRE LUCKY WE DIDNT WRECK" TIRE LEANED OUTWARD , EVENTULAY WOULD HAVE FALLEN OFF. *AK--

BRAKES AND TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE.. THE CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT ALL TH E WAY TO THE FLOOR. ALSO, TWO FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK

BRAKES AND TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE. *AK

DOME LIGHT DOES NOT GO OUT WHEN KEY IS TURNED ON OR DOOR(S) SHUT. NO PARTICULAR INDICATION AS TO WHY. *AK

I ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND SAT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. AS I WAS ABOUT TO DRIVE, THE SEATBACK COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR, AND WOULD NOT RELATCHED I HAVE AN EXTENDED CAP SO THE SEAT FELL ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE REAR FLOOR AND WOULD NOT STAY UPRIGHT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THE FRAME OF THE SEAT BROKE AND THAT I NEED A NEW SEAT. I AM WAITING FOR AN ESTIMATED COST FROM THEM. THEY ALSO STATE THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTNDED WARRANTY. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. I ONLY WEIGHT 170 LBS SO I DONT GIVE THE SEAT ANY UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF STRESS. *AK

WIPER OPERATION ERRATIC. OPERATE BY THEMSELVES, OR WILL NOT OPERATED WHEN TURNED ON.

BRAKES GRAB AFTER TRUCK HAS SET DURING MOIST CONDIATIONS

WHEN AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER OR DEFROSTER IS ON, AND WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, IF DRIVER LETS UP THE ACCELERATOR, VEHICLE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. IT TAKES ABOUT 30-40 SECONDS BEFORE IT ACTUALLY SLOWS DOWN. DLR/ MANUFACTURER CANNOT FIX DEFECT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, FRONT LEFT BRAKE ROTOR CRACKED, CAUSING BRAKES TO PULSATE. *AK

THE ABS SENSOR IS COMING ON CONSTANTLY. CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THERE WAS DIRT GETTING ON THE SENSOR, CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON WHICH IS A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

WHILE IN AN HEAD-ON ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WITHOUT INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

DURING DRIVING, WHEN I SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD (MOST OF THE TIME), THE THROTTLE STICKS AT AROUND 2500-3000 RPM'S. IT DOES RELEASE ITSELF BUT AFTER I ENGAGE THE CLUTCH TO THE NEXT GEAR, I CAN TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND LEAVE IN NEUTRAL AND IT WILL STILL BE AROUND 2500 RPM FOR ABOUT 3-8 SECONDS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THEY THOUGHT I WAS NUTS. I TOOK IT TO BURTS FORD IN COLORADO AND THEY FIRST REPLACE A FUEL ASSEMBLY PART, THE 2ND TIME THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY 3RD WITH BURTS, I TOOK A MECHANIC OUT FOR A DRIVE AND SHOED HIM THE PROBLEM. THEY LOOKED THE CAR OVER WHILE IT WAS IN SHOP FOR A WEEK AND SAID THAT THEY CAN WILLINGLY REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID IT WAS THE WAY THE CAR WAS BEING SHIFTED. NO FIX. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING STICK CARS FOR OVER 26 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. AT ONE POINT, WHEN SHIFTING, THE RPM'S WOULD ACCERLATE. THIS IS A PROBLEM, IF I GET TO A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN AND THE CAR WILL NOT RELEASE THE RPM'S, THEN ENGINE COULD CONTINUE TO RACE AND POTENTIALLY BLOW UP OR EVEN RUIN THE ENGINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE BUT NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.

ENGINE OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE GASKETS TO BLOW . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON FOLLOWED BY SQUEELING SOUND (BELT). ENGINE POWER EFFECTED, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE CONTROLLED SAFELY AND DRIVER MUST PULL OVER. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS IN EVEN IN SMALL PUDDLES! I HAVE A TRCUK THAT CANNOT OPERATE SAFELY IN RAIN! I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES NOW WITH THE SAME RESULTS. IF THE BELT GETS WET THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO. WHAT GOOD IS A TRUCK THAT CAN'T BE OPERATED IN BAD WEATHER OR DRIVE THROUGH A PUDDLE THAT A MAZDA MIATA CAN EASILY HANDLE?

CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED,CLIMBING A SMALL RISE. ALSO, NEEDS TO SHIFT MANUALLY FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED ENGINE WILL RACE TO A WIDE OPEN THROTTLE FOR SECOND ,AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK TO IDLE.DEALER CLAIMED CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DEACTIVATE BY APPLYING CLUTCH PEDAL , ONLY BY APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL AND BUTTON. THIS IS IN CONFLICT WITH OWNER'S AND SERVICE MANUAL. *AK

LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE (MOST RECENT INCIDENT) WHEN I HIT A WASHBOARDED SECTION ON A DIRT ROAD (KOEHN RD. BETWEEN CAPAC RD. AT KNOLL RD., MUSSEY TWP., ST. CLAIR COUNTY). RANGER REPEATEDLY LOSES CONTROL WHEN IT HITS BUMPS OR WASHBOARDS, OFTEN CAUSING LANE CHANGES OR SEVERE SKIDS. DEALER DISMISSED COMPLAINTS, SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" FOR TRUCK SUSPENSION. OUR OTHER TRUCKS ('74 CHEVY C-10, '85 ASTRO, '85 S-10 BLAZER, '88 S-10 BLAZER, '94 CARAVAN, '95 SONOMA) HAVE NEVER DONE THIS. WE WERE ABLE TO ALLEVIATE A LITTLE OF THE PROBLEM BY REDUCING THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE TIRES TO 30 PSI, BUT WE STILL LOSE CONTROL FREQUENTLY, ON BUMPY PAVED ROADS AS WELL AS DIRT ROADS.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE STOPPING WHILE IN OPERATING MODE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY AND CAN LEAD TO A VEHICLE COLLISION.; MFR. NOTIFIED. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAS OPERATE ERRATICALLY. THEY COME ON AND G OFF WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SOMETIMES COME ON BY THEMSELVES. WHILE TAKING VEHICLE TO INSPECTION, WIPERS WOULD NOT SHUT OFF WHEN SWITCH WAS TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. BECAME MORE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AFTER SEEING A REPORT ON LOCAL NEWS STATION.

WITHIN 36,000 MILES THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CRACKED, LESS THAN 3,000 MILES LATER THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE ROTOR CRACKED. THE FIRST ROTOR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND ONE WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NO SUMMARY

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. DEALER HAS GIVEN SEVERAL EXCUSES FOR THE WARNING LIGHT, AND STILL THER EIS NO SOLUTION. HAS BEEN IN 5 TIMES. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED & LEFT IN SUN FOR A LENGTH OF TIME & THEN START UP, ABS LIGHT COMES ON & STAYS ON. ABS BRAKES WOULD SHUT DOWN. NEED TO TURN VEHICLE OFF & RESTARTED TO ACTIVATE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO CHECK. *AK

FRONT ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE.

DOME LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF. WHEN IT DOES SHUT OFF, THIER IS A CLICKING SOUND AND THE LIGHT WILL BLINK ON AND OFF. ALSO, ONCE IT GOES OFF IT COMES BACK ON ,AND HEATS THE LIGHT COVER UP. DEALE RHAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION AND WILL NOT TURN OFF CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH AND GOING OVER A BUMP VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT, AND ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER'S SHOP FOR REPAIRS, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS & WASHER COME ON WITHOUT TOUCHING SWITCH. HAVE TO TURN ON THEN OFF. SOMETIMES IT WASHES OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT.VEHICLE CAN BE STOPPED AT LIGHT OR GOING DOWN FREEWAY WHEN WIPERS COME ON.ALWAYS HAVE WORKED WHEN TURNED ON.

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE RIM TO KNOCK THE BRAKE LINE OFF OF THE CALIPER, SPILLING BRAKE FLUID. *AK

NO SUMMARY

INTERMITTENTLY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD BECOME INOPERABLE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF RUNNING LIGHTS. DEALER HAS REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *AK

WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP/RAILROAD TRACKS OR A RIGHT HAND TURN, VEHICLE PULLED OVER TO THE LEFT. ALSO HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISION. *AK

WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM REAR, CAUSING DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATS TO BREAK AND FALL BACK ON THE CHILDREN WHO WERE SITTING IN THE REAR. *AK

BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN VEHICLE "FROZE" AND RAN OVER CENTERLINE NEARLY MISSING ONCOMING VEHICLE

TRANSMISSION FAILED, ENGINE SURGED WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED OUT OF OVERDRIVE AND FOURTH GEAR, FOLLOWED BY LOSS OF POWER IN GEAR. NLM

FRONT, LEFT ROTORS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. NEVER BEEN TURNED BEFORE. STILL IN REALLY GOOD SHAPE PER FIRESTONE REPAIR. SENT LETTER TO FORD. NO RESPONSE. ALSO HAD TO PAYED FOR ANTI-LOCK BRAKE ROTORS EVER THOUGH NO ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT WAS BUILT. OUT OF WARRANTY BUT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT COULD HAS CAUSED ACCIDENT. FIRESTONE QUOTED THAT THEY NEVER SAW THIS HAPPEN. *AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE/CONTROL PULLED OUT AND WAS LOOSE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT DUE TO THE SCREWS PULLING OUT FROM WEAK METAL. MJS

WHEN IT RAINS BRAKING SYSTEM LOCKS UP WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. ALSO, DEALER CLEANED THE DRUMS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH FRONT WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING COMPLETE FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKES.. OWNER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TRUCK HOME SAFELY. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 55 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY ON IN THE OFF POSSITION, YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE SWITCH TO HIGH AND BACK TO OFF TO GET THE WIPPERS TO STOP. *AK

SELLING DEALER NOTIFIED EACH TIME, SOME REPAIRS MADE, PROBLEM NOT SOLVED. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE. YH

LOUD NOISE NEAR GLOVE BOX AREA AND DASHBOARD.

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4 TIMES, EACH FOR UNEVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES AND A CONSTANT VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ML

DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL WIRING IS CAUSING THE TURN SIGNALS TO TURN ON AND OFF, EVEN WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, DASHLIGHTS/HAZARD LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ACTING IN THIS FORM.DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS DEFECT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK