2003 Ford Ranger Engine Problems

WHEN AT STOP LIGHT ENGINE RPMS GO UP HIGH WHERE IT IS HARD TO HOLD VEHICLE STILL WITH BRAKES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE SPARK PLUG SHOT OUT OF THE ENGINE AND LEFT A LARGE HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS LATER TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED A SPARK PLUG BLOWOUT AND STATED THAT A REPAIR KIT WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 244,000.

ENGINE STALLS AND WON'T RE-START DUE TO IMPROPER ACTIVATION OF THE PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (PATS) WHICH IS FAULTY. ENGINE SHUTS OFF, NO POWER ASSIST, LIGHTS REMAIN FUNCTIONAL, ANTI-THEFT DASHBOARD LIGHT STARTS TO BLINK. VEHICLE WILL RE-START ONLY AFTER REMOVING AND RE-INSTALLING THE #19 FUSE TO RE-SET THE SYSTEM. IT MAY REQUIRE SEVERAL RE-SETS OF THIRTY OR MORE SECONDS EACH, AFTER WHICH THE VEHICLE MAY RUN NORMALLY FOR A SHORT DISTANCE OR UP TO SEVERAL MONTHS OF NORMAL DRIVING. THERE ARE FOLKS WHO SHARED THEIR SIMILAR EXPERIENCES ON-LINE ALERTING ME TO THE RE-SET PROCEDURE. I AM TOLD THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER CONTROL MODULE, WHICH THE PATS IS PART OF, AND THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO OTHERWISE DISABLE THE PATS ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LEAK ANTI-FREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.

2003 FORD RANGER 4.0L 4WD AT. TWO OF THE SIX VALVE SEATS IN THE ENGINE DROPPED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOSE COMPRESSION AFTER LESS THAN 70K MILES. NOTICED LOSS OF POWER, TOOK IT IN AND HAD TO PAY OVER $2K IN REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE VALVE SEATS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BUT A FEW MONTHS LATER WHILE MERGING TO FREEWAY SPEEDS THE CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. TOWED IT IN TO FIND THAT THE ENGINE HAD JUMPED TIMING AND BENT ALL SIX CRANK ARMS. AGAIN, REPAIRS WERE MADE. TOP END OF THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED INCLUDING THE CRANKS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A TRUCK WITH LESS THAN $70K MILES ON. I FEEL THE ORIGINAL REPAIR COSTS UPWARDS OF $2,000.00 SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY AS IT WAS AN INTERNAL ENGINE ISSUE AND BEEN REIMBURSED. ALSO A NEW ENGINE SHOULD BE INSTALLED OR VEHICLE TRADED AS THIS ENGINE IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. ALL THE MEANWHILE THE MAIN REASON FOR TAKING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS THREE TIMES PRIOR WAS TO FIX THE HUGE THUMP AND DELAY ON ACCELERATION THAT ALMOST CAUSED ME TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT! THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL FOR 4WD TRUCKS AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. YET EVERY 4WD I'VE DRIVEN, EVEN ONES WITH OVER 100K MILES ON THEM, ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY WITH NO THUMPING OR DELAY IN ACCELERATION. NEARING THE EXPIRATION ON MY WARRANTY DUE TO MILEAGE, I FEEL THE DEALERSHIP WAS TRYING TO PUSH THE ACTUAL REPAIRS OFF UNTIL THEN. THEY EVEN SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF THE THUMP WAS THAT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS WERE LOOSE. SO THEY "REPAIRED" THAT BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT AND THE ISSUE STILL REMAINS. THIS IS WHERE I STAND CURRENTLY AND AM TRYING TO GET THE TRUCK BACK IN THE SHOP, ONCE AGAIN, TO HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED SO THAT I DO NOT ACTUALLY GET IN AN ACCIDENT. AND TO ADD TO THAT, THERE IS ONCE AGAIN A LOSS IN POWER, SO WE'LL FIND OUT IF THE VALVE SEATS HAVE ONCE AGAIN DROPPED... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DECELERATING AT 10 MPH, ALL OF THE FLUID SPILLED OUT FROM THE CLUTCH CYLINDER OR EITHER A FAILED HOSE. THE CONTACT IS UNCERTAIN AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. HE IS CERTAIN, HOWEVER, THAT OIL WAS LEAKING BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE OWNER'S RESIDENCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 49,710.

TRUCK BUCKS/JERKS DURING DRIVE CYCLE WHEN IN 3RD OR 4TH GEAR, RPM ~2500. *JB

A FAILED ROLLER ROCKER DESTROYED A CAM AND LIFTER AFTER ONLY 66,000 MILES. 3,000 MILES PREVIOUS I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULDN'T HEAR THE NOISE. BY THE TIME THEY COULD HEAR IT, THE DAMAGE HAD MORE THAN TRIPLED. THE FAILURE WAS DEFINITELY CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE ROLLER ROCKER(THE PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION). *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 2003 FORD RANGER CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 9-30-05. THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING WHILE IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER. THE FIRE WAS VIEWED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE TRUCK WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD IN ILLINOIS. PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE ITSELF. THE CONSUMER PLANNED TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE FIRE. *AK (11/22/05) A POPPING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND IT BEGUN TO LOSE POWER. THE CONSUMER POPPED THE HOOD AND SAW FIRE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *SC

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE 6 TIMES, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING THEN IT DIED, AND AFTER WAITING APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR THE VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP. THE DEALERSHIP WANTED TO TRADE THE VEHICLE WITH THE CONTACT. BUT THE MANUFACTURER WANTED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY WOULD AUTHORIZE THE TRANSACTION. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ENGINE PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING AT 40 MPH OR GREATER THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. *AK

WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS ENGAGED, AUTOMATIC, ON ACCELERATION, THERE IS A CHATTERING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. HAPPENS WHETHER A/C IS ON OR NOT. *NM

ENGINE IDLE DROPS LOW AND FEELS LIKE TRUCK SHAKES....HAVE HAD INTO FORD FOR IDLE CONTROL REPLACEMENT

ENGINE STUMBLES ON ACCELERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY, AND THE DEALER IN NY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. OWNER/DRIVER USES NAME-BRAND GASOLINE FROM A REPUTABLE DEALER AND IS PROMPT ABOUT SERVICING VEHICLE. IN A PREVIOUS FORD, OWNER EXPERICENCED THE SAME PROBLEM---SOLVED BY REPLACING SENSOR. THIS PROBLEM HAS NEARLY CAUSED A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT AND HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BOTH NY, CT AND MT ATTORNEY GENERALS. I WISH THIS PROBLEM FIXED.*AK

A BURNING ODOR SMELL WAS COMING IN THROUGH THE VENTS. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

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