1998 Ford Ranger

MY 1998 FORD RANGER XLT SO FAR HAD 2 COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURES DUE TO CORRODED BRAKE LINES. THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE SPIRAL PROTECTION OF THE BRAKE LINES WHICH KEEPS THE HUMIDITY TRAPPED AND THUS CORRODES THE LINES. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, BRAKE FLUID IS LEAKING OUT WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED DOWN YET NO BRAKE FUNCTION IS EXPERIENCED. AS THIS PROBLEM HAS A CLEAR TECHNICAL REASON IN THE FORM OF THE BRAKE LINES, IT IS SYSTEMIC IN ALL SUCH VEHICLES. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY MY CAR MECHANIC SHOP WHICH IS FREQUENTLY REPAIRING FORD VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NO EARLY WARNING INDICATION AND IS NOT DETECTED BY THE YEARLY INSPECTION. *TR

EVERYTIME I PRESS MY BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS A GRINDING/PULSATING AND THE VEHICLE SLOWLY "SKIDS" TO A STOP, USUALLY ONLY 10-15 FEET AFTER I INTENDED ON STOPPING. LESS THAN ONE (1) YEAR AGO, THE BRAKES WENT OUT ON MY 1998 FORD RANGER. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ABS ON THE VEHICLE IS WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING, YET HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. HE SAID THE UNNECESSARY PRESSURE BEING APPLIED BY THE ABS SYSTEM CAUSED MY MASTER CYLINDER'S SEALS TO CRACK. I PAID OVER $400 FOR ALL BRAKE REPAIRS. TEN (10) MONTHS LATER, I'M DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 60 M.P.H. AND MY EXIT IS APPROACHING. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, I WAS AGAIN LEFT WITH NO BRAKES. I NARROWLY AVOIDED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THANKFULLY I HAD THE SENSE OF MIND TO PUSH MY EMERGENCY BRAKE (WHICH IS AWKWARDLY LOCATED ON A PICK-UP TRUCK) AND AVOID A NUMEROUS CAR PILE-UP ON A BUSY LOS ANGELES FREEWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEW MECHANIC AS WELL AS A PEP BOYS AUTO CENTER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER'S SEALS WERE AGAIN CRACKED, AND CHARGED OVER $400 FOR THE SAME REPAIRS AS BEFORE. I'VE SEARCHED NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUMS, AND SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AND FORD RANGER OWNERS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND HAS FACED NEAR-DEATH SITUATIONS DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURING ERROR. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE A RECALL AS IT'S THE ONLY ONE TO ASSURE THE PROBLEM IS FIXED AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD (AS THE BRAKES WILL NO LONGER WORK WITHOUT ANY WARNING). *TR

WHILE BACKING MY 98 FORD RANGER 4.0 SUPERCAB WITH TOW PACKAGE (WHICH HAS THE BEEFIER BRAKES) THE ALUMINUM BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE BAR THAT THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH HINGE ON, BROKE AWAY FROM THE TRUCK. THIS LEFT ME HEADING IN REVERSE WITH NO BRAKE OR CLUTCH. I WAS IN SHOCK, IMAGINE THE STEERING WHEEL COMING OFF IN YOUR HANDS WHILE DRIVING; THAT'S HOW I FELT. I DIDN'T THINK TO HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT I WAS ALREADY HALFWAY INTO THE GARAGE AND HAD VERY LITTLE TIME TO REACT PROPERLY BEFORE I CRASHED INTO THE BACK WALL (CINDERBLOCK) PUNCHING A HOLE IN THE WALL WHICH KILLED THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED AT THE FIRE STATION WHERE I WORK! THE POLICE DID A REPORT. HE SAW AND REPORTED THE BRAKES WERE BROKE ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T LOOK VERY CLOSELY. MANY OF MY SUPERIORS AT THE JOB SAW THAT THE BRAKES HAD BROKE AWAY AND WERE NOW DANGLING, USELESS. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED ON THE BILL THE STATE OF THE BRAKES AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. I REQUESTED THE BROKEN PARTS AND THEY ARE NOW IN MY POSSESSION. I CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY STATED THE OBVIOUS, THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ALSO STATED THEIR WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE WHICH WAS NOT TRUE; I KNEW ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL AND HAS HAD THE FIRESTONES REPLACED. I GUESS THEY MEANT ON THE BRAKES. I SAID YES, BUT CERTAIN THINGS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON A VEHICLE ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MAY FALL OFF. JUST LIKE YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY MAY BRAKE AWAY UNDER YOUR FEET. TODAY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD SAYING THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I WONDER IF THERE HAS BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS LIKE MINE AND THEY ARE IN THE FORM OF "SERVICE BULLETINS" SECRET RECALLS THAT KEEP FORD AND OTHER COMPANIES FROM HAVING TO FIX MANY OF THEIR PROBLEMS. *JB THE CONSUNER HAD TO HAVE 2 BAD LUG NUTS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

1998 FORD RANGER PICKUP TRUCK. PULSATING BRAKE PEDAL,L SUSPECTED WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS. I HAD SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH 1991 FORD EXPLORER. FIRST OCCURANCE IN MARCH 2001 FORD REPLACED ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY ON 2/12/2001, VEHICLE HAD 24,170 MILES AT TIME OF REPAIR.SECOND TIME WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM AT 42717 MILES ONLY 18547 MILES AFTER FIRST PROBLEM ON 5/27/2004. ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN THEY WERE RUSTY AND PITTED. I PAID FOR THIS REPAIR THE DEALER WAS GOING TO TAKE IT UP WITH FORD REP BUT CLAIM WAS DENIED. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATION WITH DEALERSHIP SERVICE REP TO NO AVAIL. ONE SERVICE REP I TALKED TO INSINUATED THAT FORD RANGERS ARE PRONE TO THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED FORD AND OPENED A COMPLAINT FILE. I AM CONVINCED FORD HAS A QUALITY PROBLEM WITH BRAKE ROTORS ON THIS MODEL. EVERYONE AGREES ROTORS SHOULDN'T WEAR THIS FAST. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES. *AK