1995 FORD RANGER Power Train Problems

I HAVE HAD A VERY BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE SUSPENSION ON MY 1995 RANGER. I WAS DRIVING AND HAD A PASSENGER WITH ME WHEN THE REAR SPRING BRACKETS GAVE OUT ON ME, DROPPING MY REAR END DOWN AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE TRUCK, I SAW THAT BOTH FRONT AND REAR LEAF SPRING BRACKETS HAD SHEARED AND WAS NOW IN TWO PIECES. THE ONLY BRACKET NOT DESTROYED WAS THE PASSENGER FRONT. ALL THE BRACKETS WERE RUSTED OUT AND GAVE WAY. I HAVE OWNED OTHER RANGERS AND THIS WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT HAS DONE THIS TO ME. I HAD TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE BRACKETS AND REAR SHACKLES. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEM. THE METAL WAS THIN AND OF VERY LOW QUALITY. I HAVE BEEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE FIELD FOR OVER 40 YEARS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THE DEFECTIVE UNITS REPLACED, BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED DUE TO THE FAILURE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT HIGH FREEWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I FEEL THAT IT FALLS WITHIN THE SAME AREA AS THE STICKING ACCELERATOR CABLE ON THE IMPORTS. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ANY FOLLOWUPS ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 197,625

!) DRIVING 1995 FORD RANGER ON DESERTED STRETCH OF ROAD. ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS. ) THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER CAME LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNTING BRACKET, DISABLING GEAR SHIFTING. NO WRECK OR OTHER DAMAGE DUE TO BEING ALONE ON ROAD. TRUCK DISABLED IN ROAD. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER SHOP. ) DEALER NOT OPEN NEXT DAY ( SATURDAY). I EXAMINED REPAIR MANUAL AND FOUND THAT CYLINDER TWISTS INTO PLACE AND SHOULD BE HELD IN PLACE BY RECESSES IN MOUNTING BRACKET. I RE-INSERTED CYLINDER INTO MOUNT AND CLUTCH WAS RESTORED. BUT CYLINDER WOULD NOT STAY IN MOUNTING RECESSES AND APPEARED LIKELY TO COME LOOSE AGAIN. RETURNED TO DEALER 5 DAYS LATER. THEY TIGHTENED MOUNT BRACKET (DIDN'T SEEM LOOSE TO ME), BUT CANNOT UNDERSTAND INCIDENT, SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, AND THAT IT SHOULD NOT RECUR. CYLINDER STILL APPEARS SLIGHTLY UNSEATED FROM MOUNT. DESIGN APPEARS MARGINAL TO ME. 45 DEGREE ROTATION OF CYLINDER DETACHES IT FROM MOUNT. THE RECESSES TO RETAIN CYLINDER IN POSITION ARE VERY SHALLOW. IT IS ALREADY PARTLY ROTATED DUE TO CONNECTORS' STRAIN. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO FIND THIS SITUATION IN OTHER TRUCKS. ENTIRE CLUTCH SYSTEM, INCLUDING MASTER CYLINDER, WAS REPLACED LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AGO. *AK

Mileage: 165,000

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, THE ENGINE REVS UP TO VERY HIGH RPMS...HOLDS FOR A FEW (5) SECONDS AND THEN DROPS DOWN TO IDLE AT APPROX. 1600 RPMS. SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOST FREQUENTLY AFTER TRUCK HAS BEEN DRIVEN A WHILE. HAVE TAKEN TO TWO MECHANICS BUT TO NO AVAIL. *LA

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CHIME STAYS ON, INTERIOR LIGHTS AS WELL AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS START. WHEN TAKING FUSE OUT TO STOP, SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT WORK.*AK

TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT 70MPH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY AND THE VEHICLE TO SKID DANGEROULSY. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING HUB ASSEMBLY ON THE 95 MODEL YEAR RANGER IS DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN. I HAVE NOW REPLACE THIS PART 3 TIMES AT A TOTAL COST TO ME OF $1000. THE EXACT PART IN QUESTION IS A PLASTIC BUSHING IN TH HUB THAT GOES BAD. FORD WILL NOT SELL THIS BUSHING ALONE, THEY REQUIRE YOU TO BUY THE ENTIRE HUB ASSEMEBLY. THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WILL NOT FUNCTION IF THIS BUSHING IS NOT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I AM CONCERNED FOR THOSE OF US IN NORTHERN STATES THAT INJURIES AND FATALITIES WILL OCCUR BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY PART. *AK

THE ENTIRE REAR DRIVESHAFT IS LOOSE. NLM

THE CLUTCH GRABS. NLM

THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED. NLM

SPEEDOMETER STICKS. NLM

WHEN I SHIFT FROM 2ND-3RD-4TH, NO MATTER WHAT GEAR I PUT IT IN, THE MOTOR REVES REALLY HIGH. ALMOST LIKE IT HAS TO BE SHIFTED AGAIN. WE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE. THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT STARTED ACTING UP AGAIN 2 MONTHS LATER. WHEN WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IT WASN'T DOING IT AT THE TIME. IT SEEMS LIKE IT ONLY DOES IT AFTER YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE AWHILE. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, CAN YOU PLEASE LET US KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AND HOW DO WE GO ABOUT HAVING THEM FIX THE VEHICLE AND PIN POINT THE PROBLEM I'AM HAVING WITH IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

CABLE THAT GOES FROM THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION JAMMED BETWEEN THE FRAME, CAUSING THE MUFFLER TO BURN THOUGH THE CABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CABLE THAT GOES FROM THE SHIFTER TO THE TRANSMISSION JAMMED BETWEEN THE FRAME AND MUFFLER, CAUSING THE MUFFLER TO BURN THOUGH THE CABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WENT BAD. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION/OVERDRIVE ACTS LIKE IT'S NOT SHIFTING. WOULD STALL. OVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHES. BEEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES. TORQUE CONVERTOR PUT ON. WORKED FOR A WHILE. CYLINDER SWITCH & WIRING HARNESS WERE ALSO REPLACED. STILL HAS SAME PROBLEM. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING; ACCELERATOR CABLE STICKS, AND PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR AND WILL NOT RELEASE. CAUSE OF THIS IS UNKNOWN. *AK

THROTTLE CONTROLS ARE FAULTY. WHEN TRYING TO DECELLERATE, THE ENGINE SOMETIMES DEFAULTS TO AN IDLE IN THE 1200 TO 1600 RPM RANGE, AND WON'T DECELLERATE TO LESS THAN 40 MPH UNLESS PRESSING THE BRAKES OR SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. WHEN TAKING FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND THE CONTROLS DEFAULT TO AN IDLE IN THE 1400-1500 RPM RANGE AND VEHICLE ACCELERATES. HAD SEVERAL NEAR-MISSES. *AK

TRANSMISSION NOISE 4 TIMES.

TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS VIOLENTLY.

MAN-TRAN:PARKED TRUCK, LEFT IN 1ST GEAR, PARKING BRAKE NOT ON, GOT OUT, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD, HIT TREE/FENCE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF 1ST GEAR. *AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT UPSHIFT/DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY. *SD

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT UPSHIFT/DOWNSHIFT PROPERLY. *SD

THROW OUT BEARING FAILURE. *AW

CLUTCH CYLINDER /SLAVE ASSEMBLY FAILURE. *AK