1996 FORD RANGER Vehicle Speed Control Problems

THE CONTROL CLUSTERS ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAVE BEEN AT A SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TEMPERATURE THAT THE PLASTIC COVERING OVER THE MICRO SWITCHES HAS DEFORMED AND ON OCCASION IT WILL STICK TO YOUR FINGERS. THE CENTER BUTTON ON THE LEFT SIDE HAS DISINTEGRATED TO THE POINT THAT THE ACTUAL MICRO BUTTON IS NOW OPERATED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MISSING PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL COVERING. ONE OF THE MICRO BUTTONS ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS IN THE SAME CONDITION AND BOTH CONTROL CLUSTERS HAVE BROKEN LOOSE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. WITH THE PROBLEMS FORD HAS HAD WITH FIRES I THOUGHT THEY WOULD OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRING THIS DEFECT BUT BOTH THE LOCAL DEALERS I HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE INDICATED NO ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE, I GUESS WE WILL WAIT FOR THE FIRE THAT SPREADS THROUGH THE GARAGE AND TAKES DOWN THE WHOLE HOUSE. DEALERS THAT TURNED ME DOWN ARE BLUE BONNET IN NEW BRAUNFELS, TX AND GRIFFITH IN THE KYLE, TX AREA. THE CONTROL STILL ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS IF YOU CAN HOLD IT ALL TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE MICRO SWITCHES AND YOU DON'T MIND GETTING STICKY BLACK GOOP ON YOUR FINGERS. *TR

Mileage: 146,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND AS THE HOOD WAS RAISED FLAMES STARTED TO RISE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND NOTICED THAT THE WIRES FROM THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL STARTED THE FIRE. AS A RESULT, THE WIRES FOR THE MASTER CYLINDER SWITCH MELTED AND ALL OF THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKED OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

Mileage: 127,000

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE AND HAS NOT OPERATED SINCE. THIS FORD RANGER HAS THE SAME WIRING HARNESS AS THE RECALLED FORD F-150 WIRING HARNESS. *TR

Mileage: 17,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. WHEN HE ENTERED HIS VEHICLE HE FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF AND ON SWITCH MELTED. THE DEALER STATED THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS OCCUR. RECALL 09V399000 REPAIR WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT REPAIR THE SWITCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

Mileage: 97,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. WHILE ACTIVATING THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ELECTRICAL CRACKLING SOUND IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING DAILY FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 164,000. UPDATED 04/08/08. *LJ THE RIGHT TURN SIGNALS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS A PROBLEM AS WELL. UPDATED

Mileage: 130,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD RANGER. AS THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, HE NOTICED THAT THE SWITCH WAS BURNED AND THE PLASTIC WAS MELTED. THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. A NEW CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WILL COST $50. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT INFORM HIM IF THE NEW SWITCH WOULD FAIL AND ADVISED HIM TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. THE CONTACT WILL REPLACE THE SWITCH HIMSELF, BUT WILL INVESTIGATE TO SEE IF IT WILL BURN AGAIN. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

Mileage: 209,000

DT: 1996 FORD RANGER. THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH LEAKED. CONSUMER SAW HYDRAULIC FLUID UNDER THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON JULY 25, 2005. IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. CONSUMER PURCHASED THE SWITCH AND REPLACED IT HIMSELF. *AK *NM

Mileage: 56,497

ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO (I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE) I HAD TAKEN MY 1996 FORD RANGER XLT INTO NORTH GATE FORD (PORT HURON/FT. GRATIOT, MI) FOR A TRACE ON ELECTRONICS?'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WAS ON. AFTER THEY HAD PLACED MY TRUCK ON THEIR COMPUTER THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TO 'DOWNLOAD UPDATES' TO MY TRUCK, WHICH WOULD TAKE SOME TIME (3 BILLED HOURS!). EVER SINCE THEN MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD 'ACT UP'. IT WILL INCREASE SPEED ABOVE THE SET SPEED BY 5-7 MPH, OCCASIONALLY UP TO 12 MPH, AND THEN THE THROTTLE WOULD RELEASE WITH A THUNK SOUND. USING THE BRAKE PEDAL, OR THE 'OFF' BUTTON WOULD WORK AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES HOWEVER. ALSO, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE?WOULD NOT TURN ON OR SET. I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD DEALER UNKNOWINGLY, OR MAYBE EVEN WILLINGLY, INSERTED A COMPUTER VIRUS OR CORRUPTED CODE INTO MY TRUCK'S ECM MODULE. I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER TO BE CHECKED, BUT IT WOULD HAVE COST ME MORE THAN I COULD AFFORD TO PUT IT BACK ON THE DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. I'M AFRAID THAT THIS WILL RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT?I HAVE MS AND RELY ON THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY. *JB

Mileage: 72,000

VBEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED, THEN IT ACCELCERATED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. *AK

Mileage: 109,128

I WAS DRIVING A FORD RANGER VIN [XXX] AT AROUND 40 MILES/HOUR IN A REGULAR STREET, THE TRUCK SUDDENLY START TO SPEED UP. IT DID NOT STOP EVEN WHEN I BRAKED VERY HARD. FINALLY I PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL TO BE ABLE TO STOP. I WAS ALMOST KILLED OR VERY BAD INJURED. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY DO NOT WHAT TO TAKE ACTIONS WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED. TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS.*AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Mileage: 92,000

AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GAIN SPEED, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED THE VEHICLE STAYED AT THE SAME SPEED OR ACCELERATED AT A HIGHER SPEED WITHOUT ANY FORCE. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC *JB

Mileage: 130,000

WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON FOR NO REASON, WON'T COME ON SOMETIMES, DOME LIGHT AND DOOR BEEP STAYS ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, ACCELERATOR STICKS OFTEN.*AK

WHILE GOING UP A STEEP PASS VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT COMPUTER SHOWED THAT ENGINE REVVED, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHY. CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM NEXT DAY. THEN, DEALER FOUND THAT THROTTLE CABLE WAS STUCK. *AK

ABNORMALLY HIGH COLD IDLE MADE WORSE BY ATTEMPTING TO 'KICK IT DOWN' WITH ACCELERATOR PEDAL; PEDAL STICKS TO KICKED POSITION CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE EVEN HIGHER. MUST SHUT OFF ENGINE TO AVOID DAMAGE. WITH ENGINE OFF, MUST REPEATEDLY STOMP PEDAL TO ATTEMPT RELEASE. PARTIAL RELEASE STILL LEAVES VERY HIGH ENGINE SPEED, UNDRIVEABLE. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM; FOUND CORROSION AT END OF THROTTLE CABLE, CLEANED AND LUBRICATED. NOT SURE IF PROBLEM IS FIXED, SINCE ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAD SAT FOR ONE WEEK OF NONUSE BEFORE PROBLEM OCCURRED.

WHILE DRIVING ON A NARROW TWO-LANE ROAD, I PROCEEDED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. I ACCELERATED AND KICKED THE TRUCK INTO PASSING GEAR. THE THROTTLE WENT TO THE WIDE OPEN POSITION AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I USED THE BRAKES TO FIGHT THE OUT OF CONTROL ENGINE AND VEHICLE. I PROCEEDED DOWN THE CURVY FOR 3 TO FOUR MILES UNTIL I GOT TO A PULLOUT PLACE WHERE I APPLIED THE BRAKES SO HARD THAT IT KILLED THE ENGINE. THE BRAKES WERE DOWN TO NO PADS, WERE VERY HOT, AND COOKED OUT GREASE THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AT WHICH TIME THE THROTTLE WAS NO LONGER STUCK IN THE WIDE OPEN POSITION. *AK

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH SUDDEN / UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION; WHENEVER GAS PEDAL IS APPLIED IN A SPEEDY WAY, IT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OPEN UP AND TAKE OFF. THIS OCCURRED ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND EACH TIME DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUNED. *AK

ACCELERATOR STICKS DUE TO FAILURE. *YC

WHEN ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR HARD AND THE ACCELERATOR CABLE STUCK,CAUSING VEHICLE TO RACE UP TO 55 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP . THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE DOES NOT IDLE AS IT SHOULD UPON STARTING UP DUE TO A BAD IDLE AIR VAVLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED, RELEASED THE GAS PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, HOWEVER THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NEAR FATALITY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE BRACKET THE HOLDS THE GAS PEDAL IN PLACE BROKE AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL, LEAVING NO ACCELERATION. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DANGLING BEHIND THE BRAKE PEDAL. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST SAFELY TO A STOP. THE PROLBEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.

IDLE CONTROL SPEED UNIT FAILED, SPEED VARIES WIDELY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD UNWANTED ACCELERATION WHICH CAUSED THE GAS PEDAL TO HIT THE FLOOR, COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. OWNER STATED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE IDLES FAST.

THROTTLE STUCK IN OPEN POSITION.

ENGINE IDLES, RPMS RUN AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 AT ALL TIMES. ALSO, WITHOUT HITTING ACCELERATOR VEHICLE CAN ACCELERATE UP TO 40 MPH. HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 3 MONTHS AND THEY CANNOT FIX IT. *AK

IN WET AND COLD WEATHER THE ABS BRAKES STICK AND DRAG (LOCK UP), VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCES INTERMITTENT HIGH IDLE AFTER COMING TO A STOP. *AK

ENGINE IDLES TO HIGH.

FAILURE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL, WHILE DRIVING THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AND APPLIED THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE AND WOULD NOT RELEASE, OFF BUTTON WOULD NOT FUNCTION, TO STOP VEHICLE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. *AK

ENGINE IDLES HIGH.

SPEED DECREASES WHEN CLIMBING HILLS, EVEN W/ACCELERATOR PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED.

PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.

SUDDEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS.

VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.

FAST IDLE. *SD

WHE RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK