2003 FORD RANGER Electrical System Problems

Airbag warning light always on.

BODY, FRAME AND SUSPENSION HAVE ALL BEEN RUSTED OUT. BUMPER RECENTLY JUST FELL OFF DUE TO RUST (WHILE PARKED). DOORS WON'T SHUT COMPLETELY DUE TO RUST, WHICH HAS LED TO THE INTERIOR LIGHT REMAINING ON OR PERIODICALLY TURNING ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY/NIGHT AND KILLING THE BATTERY. ENTIRE TRUCK IS ONE BIG PILE OF RUST ON WHEELS.

Mileage: 128,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND TURNING ON THE HEATER, SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE VENTS. A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AUTONATION FORD MOBILE (901 EAST 1-65, SERVICE RD SOUTH, MOBILE, AL) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

Mileage: 150,000

ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN A MILE, UNDER 35 MPH.STARTED BACK UP .GAUGES WERE NORMAL WITH PLENTY OF FUEL. 1ST TIME ENGINE QUIT, I HAD JUST STARTED MOVING , NEXT 2 TIMES I WAS MOVING UNDER 35 MPH AALL TOOK PLACE IN LESS THAN 1/4 MILE IN TRAFFIC

Mileage: 135,000

I PURCHASE THIS TRUCK BRAND NEW FROM GENE EVANS FORD IN AUGUST 2003. I STARTED COMPLAINING TO THEM A WEEK LATER THAT THE TRUCK RIDES AS THOUGH MY BUTT IS HITTING THE PAVEMENT ON A TRIP I TOOK. EVERYONE IGNORED MY CONCERN IN THE SERVICE AND SALES DEPARTMENT. WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY NOTICE. I WAS SOLD A BRAND NEW TRUCK WITH A SEVERE BENT AXLE AND THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR THE TRUCK NOR GIVE ME ANOTHER ONE. THEY ALL PLAYED DUMB AND STUPID AS TO NEVER SEEING THE PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING. FORD STILL OWES ME RESTITUTION. DEALERSHIP SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DEFRAUD THE PUBLIC ON DAMAGE VEHICLES PAYING A FORTUNE FOR JUST TO KILL YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE. GENE EVANS KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM FROM THE ONSET. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS TRUCK IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND MOST LIKELY IN THE FUTURE CONSIDERING THE REPAIRS THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT INTO THE TRUCK OUT OF MY POCKET. MY VEHICLE DOES EVERTHING IN ALL MOTION AND NO MOTION AT ALL. DANGEROUS THINGS HAPPENS INCLUDING, CUTTING OFF CONSTANTLY, LIGHTS ARE DIM ON THE OUTSIDE SO IT IS VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT,RAIN COMING IN THE REAR WINDOW, TRUCK STARTED SMOKING, FILLED THE RESERVOIR AND OVER FLOWED SPEWING THE ANTIFREEZE ALL OVER THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDED LIKE FOOD WAS FRYING IN VERY HOT GREASE. THERE IS A STINKING ODOR, SMELLS LIKE VERY STRONG URINE . SICKENING FEELING COMES OVER ME AND ANYONE IN THE TRUCK.ABS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF. THE PASSENGER WINDOW IS MOVING SLOW AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STOP. TRUCKS JUMPS WHICH CAUSING ME TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN WHILE IDLING OR AT A STOP.

Mileage: 7,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE SURROUNDING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FIRE WENT OUT BY ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OCCUPIED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,300. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 137,300

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS SUDDENLY BEGAN TO FLICKER FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE STALLING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND RETURNED THE NEXT DAY TO DISCOVER THE VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A WRECKING YARD AND WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. *TR

Mileage: 185,000

THE TRUCK STALLED IN TRAFFIC. ACTED AS IF IT WAS OUT OF GAS, BUT HAD HALF A TANK OF FUEL. CALLED TOW TRUCK. LUCKILY THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SHOW ME THE INERTIA SWITCH, AND HOW TO RESET IT. WAS CHARGED 50 DOLLARS FOR THIS, DID NOT HAVE TO TOW VEHICLE. SINCE THEN IT HAS TRIPPED MANY TIMES WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER, IT'S PLACEMENT IS SUCH THAT A PASSENGER'S FEET WILL TRIP IT VERY EASILY. IT NOW ALSO TRIPS FOR NO REASON, NO PASSENGER, NO BUMPING IT ETC. IT HAS TRIPPED WHILE DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE OF FREEWAY, NO PASSENGER IN VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. I HAD TO PULL TO LEFT SIDE OF FREEWAY, WITH NO POWER BRAKES, NO POWER STEERING ETC. EXIT VEHICLE, GO TO PASSENGER SIDE OPEN DOOR AND RESET SWITCH. VERY DANGEROUS. THIS "SAFETY FEATURE" CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, NOT TO MENTION THE MULTITUDE OF REPORTS I HAVE READ OF PEOPLE HAVING VEHICLES TOWED AND REPLACING FUEL PUMPS WHEN THE ISSUE WAS ACTUALLY THIS SWITCH. I WAS LUCKY TO GET A TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT WAS AWARE OF THE BAD DESIGN, AND IT ONLY COST ME THE 50 DOLLAR MINIMUM FEE FOR HIM SHOWING UP. I CALLED FORD, AND THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL. THEY DENIED EVEN KNOWING THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS WITH THIS PART. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN FORD. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE HORN ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. WHEN THE CONTACT PROCEED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE SHE NOTICED THE VEHICLE ON FIRE AND SPREADED TO THE VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED NEXT TO IT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

I HAVE A 2003 FORD RANGER, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE SURGES. FORWARD; I PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK & SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I RESTART. IT RETURNS TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENS ON ONCE IN A WHILE. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

INERTIA SWITCH BELOW PASSENGER SIDE DASH BOARD DEFECTIVE. HAD TO BE RESET FREQUENTLY (NO LESS THAN ONCE WEEKLY FOR 3 YEARS), UNTIL IT CAUSED SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE BENEATH PASSENGER'S FEET. ENGINE STOPPED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH ON I-17 IN CENTRAL PHOENIX. HEAVY TRAFFIC CAUSED DIFFICULTY MANEUVERING ACROSS 3 LANES TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AN ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER WAS NEAR BY, AND ASSISTED TO PREVENT A COLLISION. PASSENGER PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH ONBOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. AFTER REPLACING THE INERTIA SWITCH (WHICH WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY FIRE), THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

ON AUGUST 4TH,2007 MY FORD TRUCK WOULD NOT START. I HAD STOPPED AT WALGREENS TO PICK UP ASPIRIN AND UPON RETURNING TO MY TRUCK, IT WOULD NOT START. AS BEFORE I PUSHED THE FUEL PUMP RESET SWITCH. THE TRUCK DID NOT START. SO I REMOVED THE RESET SWITCH FROM UNDER THE DASH TO FIND IT HAD MELTED AND HAD MELTED THE PLUG. *JB

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON I-17 HEADED TO FLAGSTAFF, AZ, AT 60+ MPH, THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 FORD RANGER SUDDENLY CUT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO NAVIGATE MY VEHICLE FROM THE LEFT LANE OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF POWER STEERING OR ANY ENGINE POWER. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY. IF THE HIGHWAY HAD BEEN MORE CROWED THIS COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. AFTER BEING TOWED TO A FORD DEALER, I FOUND OUT THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS ROUTED UNDER THE PASSENGER FLOOR BOARD, HAD BECOME FRAYED AND DISCONNECTED, THEREBY SHUTTING DOWN THE FUEL PUMP. AS THE MECHANIC WHO SERVICED MY RANGER SEEMED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM, I WONDER WHY THERE INS'T A RECALL FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.

Mileage: 45,891

DT:CONSUMER REPORTS: HIS 2003 FORD RANGER CAUGHT ON FIRE ONE NIGHT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THERE WERE ELECTRICAL SPARKS COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WELL. HE FOUGHT THE FIRE WITH BARE HANDS AND SNOW. HE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL AND IT SLID INTO A SNOW DRIFT. HE TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR OUT AND HE STARTED TO DIG THE CAR OUT OF THE SNOW WHEN HE NOTICED THE SPARKS AGAIN AND A GLOW COMING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE. HE TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AGAIN WITH A SNOW SHOVEL. BY THE TIME THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP, IT WAS ON FIRE AGAIN. AFTER THE FIRE DEPT. HOSED THE FIRE DOWN WITH A STANDARD 2'' HOSE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AGAIN. THE FIRE DEPT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, PUT THE FIRE OUT AGAIN AND THE FIRE DIDN'T START BACK AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE FIRE WAS DUE TO DRIVER ABUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH SYSTEM. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF THE FOLLOWING: THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE ASBESTOS LINING ON THE CLUTCH PLATE, INCLUDING THE SHEARING OF THE RETAINING PINS, THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAD A GIANT HOLE, ' OF THE MAIN SEAL WAS MISSING WITH NO HYDRAULIC FLUID REMAINING INSIDE THE CYLINDER AND THE INTERNAL PARTS SCORCHED FROM FIRE. THEY SAID THE FIRE WAS INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. SCORCHED MARKS WERE ALL OVER THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AS WELL AS THE FIRE WELL ITSELF, INCLUDING THE INSULATION THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD IN THE SAME AREA. THE DEALERSHIP DID DRIVE THE TRUCK AFTER THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE THE FLY WHEEL. *JB

Mileage: 23,400

2003 FORD RANGER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LOCKS.*MR DOOR LOCKED SPONTANEOUSLY, WAS INFORMED THAT FORD COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE A SPARE KEY TO KEEP OUTSIDE THE TRUCK. *BF *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE LOST POWER. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SIX TIMES. ELECTRICAL INERTIA SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH ONCE, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK

Mileage: 12,000

THERE WAS A SHORTAGE IN THE LEONARD CAP WIRES WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BRAKE LIGHTS. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THERE WAS NO FUSE USED TO INSTALL THE CAP. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HAD A FUSE BEEN USED IT WOULD NOT HAVE DISABLES THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER PAID TO HAVE THE CAP REPLACED AND WAS LATER REIMBURSED. *CB *NLM