1987 FORD RANGER

TRUCK WAS BOUGHT USED AND DEALER MAINTAINED, IT SAT PARKED FOR 3 DAYS WITHOUT BEING TOUCHED DUE TO SON BEING IN A PICA CAST FROM CHEST TO FEET, AT APPROXIMATELY 2 AM THE LOCKED TRUCK HONKED AND WOKE ME UP, WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE I COULD SEE FLAMES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT SO GOT KIDS OUT OF THE HOUSE AS THERE WAS GAS LINE CLOSE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS UNABLE TO SAVE THE VEHICLE, AS SOON AS THE DOOR OPENED IT EXPLODED INTO A BIG WHITE BALL NOT EVEN THE TIRES WERE ANY GOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS THE COMPUTER THAT SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT IT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE WITH THE COMPUTERS BUT THEY WOULD NOTATE IT. LOCATION OF OCCURANCE AND WAS RUPERT,IDAHO AND REPORTED TO FORD DEALER IN BURLEY,ID

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1987 FORD RANGER. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE TIRES, SIZE 30X9.5/R15LT. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE TREAD HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02T014000 (TIRES:MARKINGS) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES EXCEEDED THE WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. HE STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE TIRES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 109,117. UPDATED 09/24/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB

Mileage: 109,117

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 BETWEEN NAPLES AND MIAMI FLORIDA, THE TREAD ON MY FIRESTONE FR 440 TIRE SEPARATED WHICH CAUSE MY FORD RANGER TRUCK TO FISH TAIL ON HIGHWAY. I CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE TO A STOP ON SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. CALLED POLICE AND THEY DISPATCHED ROAD SERVICE. THE FIRESTONE P205/70R14 93S M+S TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. THE TIRED DID NOT GO FLAT. THE SEPARATED TREAD DESTROYED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL, TAIL PIPE AND PART OF THE VEHICLE BODY AROUND WHEEL WELL. *NM

I HAD JUST LEFT A RED LIGHT. I WAS THE 1ST VECHICLE INTHE NORTH LANE ON A TWO LANE STREET. THE SOUTH BOUND SIDE HAD ABOUT 8 CARS . THE LAST CAR HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF HIM, SHE HIT A JEEP IN FRONT OF HER, AND IMPACT CAUSED HER TO SWEARVE INTO THE NORTHBOUND SIDE WHERE I HIT HER IN IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD MY GRANDSON 9 IN THE FRONT WITH ME. MY GRANDDAUGHTER 16 AND HER FRIEND 15 WERE IN THE TRUCK BED. I JUST HAD A SMALL INDENTION IN THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK. THIS TRUCK WAS A 1987 LONG BED. RUNS GOOD. IT I THOUGHT WAS STEAMING MAYBE I BUSTED MY RADIATOR. MY CONCERN WAS THE CHILDREN. THEN IT STARTED SMOKING. A FIRE EXTINQUISHER WAS USED. A LITTLE WHILE LATER IT CAUGHT AND BURNED UP.

WHEN ACCELERATING ON A FLAT STRAIGHT HIGHWAY FROM 30 MPH, THE TRUCK JERKED TO THE RIGHT WENT INTO THE DITCH AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES, TOTALLING THE VEHICLE. INVESTIGATING OFFICER COMMENTED THAT THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE CAB ONTO THE FRAME ONE WAS MISSING AND ANOTHER WAS SHEARED OFF. TRUCK RECENTLY HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE INSTALLED AND HAD HAD REGULAR "SAFETY CHECKS" AT A LOCAL SHOP. NO NOTICABLE LEANING OR OTHER INDICATORS THAT THE PART WAS ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS KIND OF BOLT SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE! NLM

LUGS ON RIGHT REAR BROKE OFF WHEN TIGHTENING. *AK

I'V HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE 3 TIMES SINCE THE FIRST DATE OF THE FIRST TIME OF BREAKING DOWN.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED/ IDLING WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH FRONT FUEL TANK ON DUAL TANK ASSEMBLY, FELL OFF, AND WAS BEING DRAGGED BY VEHICLE. PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON HIGHWAY ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK

PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED REGARDLESS OF REPLACEMENTS, VERY DANGEROUS. OVERALL, HEAT UP OF ENGINE, ETC SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH WILL NOT STAY LATCHED... EITHER IT WILL NOT LATCH AT ALL, OR WILL LATCH AND THEN COME UN-LATCHED AS I AM DRIVING.. THIS OCCURS AT ANY SPEED, AND ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. *AK

WHEN THE FTI MODUAL WENT OUT I WAS IN THE FAST LANE AND ALMOST WAS HIT BY A SEMI TRUCK TRYING TO PULL THE TRUCK TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THERE WAS NO PWR STEERING OR BRAKES, THE EMERGENSY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE TRUCK.

ELECTRICAL COMPUTER SHORT OUT WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF VEHICLE FIRE. *MJS

GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED TO 6 MILES PER GALLON. NO FUEL LEAKS HAVE BEEN FOUND. BASIC PARTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SUCH AS FUEL FILTER, PLUGS AND WIRES, AIR FILTER. TIMING HAS BEEN CHECKED AND SET CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE REPAIRS HAVE IMPROVED THE GAS MILEAGE.

GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED TO 6 MILES PER GALLON. NO FUEL LEAKS HAVE BEEN FOUND. BASIC PARTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED SUCH AS FUEL FILTER, PLUGS AND WIRES, AIR FILTER. TIMING HAS BEEN CHECKED AND SET CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, NONE OF THESE REPAIRS HAVE IMPROVED THE GAS MILEAGE.

BALL JOINT DID NOT CONTAIN GREASE FITTINGS RESULTING IN RUSTING.

PITMAN ROD THAT CONTROLS THE STEERING FAILED, SHEARED END.