2000 Ford Ranger Fuel System Problems

WHILE HOME FROM COLLEGE FOR THE WEEKEND I INVESTIGATED THE SMELL OF GAS MY SON WHO DRIVES THIS EXTENDED CAB RANGER XLT NOTIFIED ME OF. UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH I NOTICED A SMALL SHINNY SPOT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK WITH NO DRIPS OR RUNS. AFTER RETURNING TO COLLEGE LATER THAT WEEK HE STATED IT WORSENED TO LEAKAGE ON THE GROUND OF DUEL 4" SPOTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE BELOW THE TANK. AFTER VIEWING A PHOTO OF THE BOTTOM OF THE WET TANK I NOTICED DROPS ON THE FORWARD STRAP. I DROVE THE TRUCK TO MY LOCATION THIS PAST WEEKEND AND PULLED THE BED OFF TO ACCESS THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP WHICH HAD STANDING FUEL. UPON TURNING THE KEY TO ACTIVATE THE FUEL PUMP I SAW A FINE PINHOLE SIZED STREAM PUMPING FROM THE PLASTIC 90 DEGREE FITTING ON TOP OF THE PUMP. UPON CLOSER INVESTIGATION I NOTICED THIS LEAKING FITTING HAD WHAT APPEARED TO BE ABRASION AT THE OUTSIDE TURN. I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A REPLACEMENT FITTING AND REPLACED IT FIXING THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR TO ME WAS THE 8 HOURS VACATION TIME AT $28 PER HOUR I WAS REQUIRED TO USE TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR AND THE COST OF THE NEW FUEL LINE FITTING. THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FITTING FAILURE AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN TO SOMEONE WITH LESS AWARENESS OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS WHILE DRIVING THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE. HAD THIS FAILURE GONE UNDETECTED, IGNORED OR EVEN SPRAYED FUEL ONTO THE ADJACENT HOT EXHAUST THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAGIC. FORD AND THE NHSTA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO FIRST WHAT CAUSES THE DAMAGE TO THESE FITTINGS AND IF REPLACING THIS PLASTIC FITTING WITH A STEEL ONE WOULD BE A WAY TO PREVENT THIS CRITICAL PART FROM BECOMING DAMAGED OR WORN TO THE POINT OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. THE REPAIR COST SHOULD BE REIMBURSED TO THE OWNERS OF THESE 2000 FORD RANGERS BY FORD SINCE THIS IS AN UNADVERTISED EXPENSE TO US WHO PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC NOTICED ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND THE OTHER WAS CRACKED. THE FUEL TANK WAS ALSO PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE FUEL FILLER NECK WAS CRACKED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAPS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT REPLACEMENT STRAPS FOR REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

HANGER FOR FUEL TANK RUSTED AWAY SAME AS THE FULL SIZE FORD TRUCK JUST ANNOUNCED IN THE RECALL. CURRENTLY HELD UP BY A NYLON STRAP WHILE SEARCHING FOR PARTS.

IN THE 2000 RANGER,THEY PUT A PLASTIC FITTING THE SLIDES ON TO THE FUEL PUMP HELD ON WITH A CLIP,THE OTHER END IS A HOSE CONNECTS ALSO WITH A CLIP,THIS IS A VERT SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM,ITS LEAKING SO BAD,I FEEL LIKE A BOMB,PRAYING NOBODY THROWS OUT A LIT CIGARETTE,THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STAINLESS STEEL OR BRASS,BUT TO CUT COST FORD PUTS A 50 CENT PLASTIC PIECE,THEY SHOULD BE FINE OR SOMETHING, I'M ON DISABILITY,WENT OVER A YEAR WITH NO MONEY COMING IN,THEY WANT 197.00 FOR THIS 50 CENT PIECE,THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CHECK INTO THIS,AGAIN I GET SCREWED,I CANT AFFORD TO FIX IT,SO WHEN IT BLOWS,BI HOPE MY WIFE IS NOT WITH ME AND NO OTHER CARS ARE CLOSE,TRUST ME ITS GOING TO HAPPEN.I WROTE FORD AND THEY SAY ITS OUT OF WARRANTY,WHAT DO I DOMITS HARD ENOUGH TO PAY THE MONTHLY PAYMENT. FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE,AS WELL AS YOUR SAFETY ASSOCIATION, HOW CAN YOU PASS SUCH A IMPORTANT AND DANGEROUS PART MADE OF PLASTIC???? HOW,DON'T YOU CARE ABOUT AMERICAN LIVES,OR ANY LIVES,OUR NATION IS DISGUSTING,THEY KEEP RAISING PRICES AND USING THE CHEAPEST PARTS. I'M GOING TO START BLOGGING TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM,AND TRY TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FORD AND YOUR ASSOCIATION. I NEED HELP,I DON'T WANT TO BE A FORD VICTIM FOR A 50 CENT PART THAT THEY COULD FIX NOW THAT I BROUGHT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM TO THEIR ATTENTION. REMEMBER,HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY,NO,NOT AS OFTEN AS I NEED TO,,I KNOW YOU WILL GET BACK TO ME WHEN YOU CAN,I HOPE IM STILL ALIVE TO RECEIVE YOUR RESPONSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLLY SHUT OFF FOLLOWED BY ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS APPEARING ON THE DASHBOARD.THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT HAD THE FUEL PUMP SWITCH REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68315.

I HAVE A 2000 FORD RANGER,THE SENDING UNIT ON THE FUEL LINE IS MADE OF PLASTIC,THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE STAINLESS STEEL OR BRASS, I CANT DRIVE THE TRUCK BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS MY LIFE IN DANGER BUT ALSO CARS AROUND ME,THIS IS NOT A DRIP IT GUSHES OUT .THEY SAY TO CUT COST BUT THEY RAISE THE PRICE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR. PLEASE DON'T SAY ITS JUST MY VEHICLE, I CALLED JUNK YARDS IN MARYLAND,VIRGINIA,DELAWARE AND PENNSYLVANIA,THEY CANT BE FOUND. HOW IN GODS NAME CAN YOU APPROVE THIS 50 CENT FITTING .I CAN ONLY GUESS SOMEONE WAS PAID OFF BY FORD TO GET THIS PASSED. SHAME ON YOU,YOU ARE PAID TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY,INSTEAD YOU GET RICH AND WE DIE, I WON'T STOP, IM GOING TO THE PRESS,AND ANY ONE WHO WILL LISTEN. I HOPE YOU OR YOUR FAMILY DRIVE ONE OF THESE VEHICLES, AND I HOPE IT EXPLODES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU CAN WATCH YOUR FAMILY BURN ALIVE. SHAME ON YOU. YOUR SUPPOSED TO LOOK FOR THESE PROBLEMS,IF ITS NOT A PROBLEM WHY CAN'T ANY BE FOUND IN JUNK YARDS. I DID NOTHING,JUST STARTED TO SMELL GAS. IM ON DISABILITY,I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS RANGER EVERY MONTH WHILE IT SITS. AND FORD,THIS LITTLE PLASTIC PIECE WITH ABOUT A 12 INCH TUBE COMING OFF IT. FORD WANTS 200.00 FOR PLASTIC AND OUR GOVERNMENT BAILS THESE [XXX] OUT. I HOPE ALKIDA TARGETS FORD NEXT,I WILL ROOT FOR THEM,ALL MANAGEMENT AND PEOPLE WHO MAKE THESE DECISIONS INCLUDING YOU AND YOUR CORRUPT ORGANIZATION. I HOPE THEY GET YOU ALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CONSUMER STATES HAS PLASTIC FUEL TANK W/A PLASTIC "SCREW-ON" CAP THAT HOLDS THE FUEL GAUGE METERING SYSTEM. THE CAP BROKE. WHILE CONSUMER WAS FUELING VEHICLE, GAS PUMP OVERFLOWED. NLM CONSUMER STATES THEY WASN'T AWARE OF THE FAILURE UNTIL THEY WERE FUELING THE VEHICLE AND FUEL SPILLED ON THE GROUNG. PH 09-DEC-2002

THE FUEL LINE CAME LOOSE AT THE FUEL FILTER ALLOWING THE GAS TO BE PUMPED OUT UNDER THE TRUCK. ALTHOUGH THEIR WAS NO FIRE IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE FUEL TANK WAS EMPITIED, WITH THE FUEL BEING SPRAYED ALL OVER THE UNDERNEATH OF THE TRUCK, INCLUDING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. I FELL THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE A RECALL SITUATION BEFOR SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIES FROM THIS DEFECT.*AK

TRUCK WAS PARKED IN AIRPORT PARKING LOT. WHEN PICKED UP AND ENGINE TURNED ON, FUEL SPEWED OUT FROM AN APPARENT FAILURE IN THE CONNECTION OF FUEL LINE. NO INJURIES RESULTED; CLAMP ON LINE HAS EITHER BEEN BROKEN/DISCONNECTED/FAILED. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. INCIDENT HAD NO IMMEDIATE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES, BUT SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL DISASTER. DEALER OFFERED NO EXPLANATION FOR FAILURE EXCEPT "THESE THINGS HAPPEN."*AK

WE WERE ON THE KANSAS TURNPIKE HEADING HOME TO DALLAS, THE TRUCK WHEN WE ENTERED THE TURNPIKE HAD 2/3 OF A TANK OF GAS BY THE TIME I GLANCED DOWN AGAIN IT WAS AT EMPTY THIS OCCURRED WITHIN A FEW MILES, WE WHERE ABLE TO PULL INTO A SERVICE STATION WHERE THE LEAK WAS SEEN, THE TRUCK WAS TOWED INTO THE NEXT TOWN WHERE IN THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE "WHITE CLIP" HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE FUEL FILTER TO THE LINE. WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE ONLY LOST GASOLINE, AND THAT NO FIRE OR EXPLOSION OCCURRED. WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO THIS AS THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE AS LUCKY.*AK

AT 30 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE STOPPED AND CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHEN WE LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK WE SAW GASOLINE POURING FROM THE AREA AROUND THE GAS TANK AND ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK, BUT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN LIKE A U TURN THE SIGNAL COMES ON, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. NLM BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIGNALS FAIL WHEN MAKING A SLIGHT TURN TO LEFT OR RIGHT. THE DRIVER WINDOW CHATTERS WHEN LOWERING WINDOWS. THE DEALER CLEANED THE WINDOW GUIDE. RIGHT FRONT SEAT WOULD NOT LATCH. THE DEALER TIGHTENED BOLTS ON SEAT. THERE WAS A SQUEAK IN SUSPENSION WHEN STOPPING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT LUBED SUSPENSION. THERE WAS A SQUEAK SOUND FROM REAR WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD. ALSO THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. *YH

VEHICLE IS BURNING FUEL TOO FAST. VEHICLE ONLY GETS 12 GALLONS IN CITY WHEN IT SHOULD BE 15 MILES PER GALLON. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE POOR FUEL MILEAGE. THIS VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES WHICH WERE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. THE SPARE TIRE HOWEVER WAS NOT. THE SPARE IS A 15 INCH TIRE. IT WASN'T REPLACED BECAUSE IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. *JG

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND SAW SMOKE IN REARVIEW MIRROR. HE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDERS ,AND HE JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIIED, AND STATED THAT FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. *AK

WHILE COMING TO STOP, DOWNSHIFTING OR MAKING A TURN, VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. FUEL LINE BROKE, CAUSING A FUEL LEAKAGE WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IF THERE WAS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH, DRIVER NOTICED A RAPID DECREASE IN THE FUEL GAUGE. OWNER PULLED TRUCK OVER AND A LARGE PUDDLE OF FUEL FORMED ON THE GROUND IMMEDIATELY. AFTER CRAWLING UNDER THE TRUCK, OWNER AND FIREMAN WERE ABLE TO SEE THE THAT FUEL LINE FITTING CAME APART BECAUSE THE RETAINING RING WAS DEFECTIVE. TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS AT A GAS STATION FILLING UP GAS TANK. AND GAS CAP WAS OPEN. HE WENT TO CLOSE THE CAP, AND HE RECEIVED AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK. *AK

MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS FORD RANGER P.U. ON THE FREEWAY IN SAN DIEGO AND NOTICED HIS FUEL GAUGE DROPPED VERY FAST. HE RE-FUELED AT SERVICE STATION AND UPON RETURNING TO FREEWAY, TWO PASSING CARS FLAGGED HIM OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND TOLD HIM GAS WAS SPRAYING OUT FROM UNDER HIS TRUCK. APPARENTLY THE FUEL FILTER HAD COME LOOSE FROM THE FUEL LINE AND COULD HAVE HAD CATASTOPHIC RESULTS IF IT HAD IGNITED. I HAVE READ SIMILARCOMPLAINTS ON THIS WEB SITE AND CAN'T IMAGINE WHY SOMETHING HAS NOT BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAD TO PAY THE COST TO REPAIR HIS TRUCK ALONG WITH A RENTAL CAR,TOW TRUCK AND LOSS OF NEARLY TWO TANKS OF GAS, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FORD SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE RESTITUTION IN SUCH CASES, AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL EVENT TO HAVE HAPPEN ON A MOTOR VEHICAL AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.

PROBLEMS WITH GAUGE READING ON 2000 FORD RANGER.*MR WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING THE GAUGE WOULD READ 20% ABOVE FULL. AFTER DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MILES THE GAUGE DROPPED TO THE TRUE READING 1/4 OF A TANK. THE FLOAT IN THE TANK SEEM TO STICK CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *NM

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS STALLING, THE DEALER REPLACED A FUEL REGULATOR, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL.*YD