1997 Ford Ranger Steering Problems

REPORTING NUMEROUS SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASED USED ---ORIGINAL OCCURRENCE DATE NOT CERTAIN BUT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS MECHANICAL FAILURES OCCURRED THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITIES. THE FAILURES INCLUDE BUT NOT EXCLUSIVE TO ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE DUE TO BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND LEAKED ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID --REAR BODY SUPPORT SYSTEM GAVE OUT DURING DRIVING AND REAR WHEELS AND AXLES NOT ATTACHED TO BODY ---VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND WENT OFF INTO SHOULDER--RADIAL AXIAL ARM RUSTED AWAY AND STEERING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE DRIVING. GAS LEAKS FROM TOP OF TANK IF FILLED TO FULL --LEAKS ON TO GROUND AND COULD RESULT IN GAS FIRE AND EXPLOSION --DO NOT FILL TANK MORE THAN 3/4 ! ALL BRAKE LINES SHOULD BE REPLACED AND FREQUENT CHECKS OF STEERING AND SUSPENSION. I AM REPORTING THIS TO MAKE OWNERS AWARE AND TAKE PRECAUTION TO PREVENT INJURY OR DEATH.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614454

Incident

May 2, 2011

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD RANGER. WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH ATTEMPTING A LEFT HAND TURN THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NO LONGER RESPOND CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BE TURNED IN ANY DIRECTION BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE MOVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING BOX HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85000.

NHTSA ID

10349228

Incident

Aug 13, 2010

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE CONSUMER VEHICLE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED OVER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10119041

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND ROLLED OVER. AS A RESULT, THE ROOF CRUSHED IN AND BROKE THE DRIVER'S NECK. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117515

Incident

Jun 15, 2002

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE A 1997 FORD RANGER XLT SUPERCAB, 2.3L 4X2. I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AT WORK, AND 2 OF THE 3 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE STEERING COLUMN TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE, AND I COULD EVENTUALLY TURN TO THE RIGHT, WHEN THE GEAR BOX LODGED AGAINST THE FRAME. I'VE NOTICED 3 OTHER INCIDENTS IN SEARCHING THIS WEBSITE. I THINK THIS IS AN AGE ISSUE WITH RANGER. BOLTS SHOULDN'T JUST BREAK IN TWO. I DIDN'T TAKE THIS TO A DEALERSHIP, BUT MY FRIEND IS A MECHANIC AND DID THE WORK FOR ME. HOWEVER, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY, BECAUSE IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY, SERIOUS FATALITIES CAN OCCUR.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030841

Incident

Jul 30, 2003

Mileage

120,380 mi

BOLTS WHICH HOLD THE STEERING SECTOR TO THE FRAME ALL BROKE OR SNAPPED. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT AND STARTED TO TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WAS A SNAP AND I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEELS OF THE TRUCK A 97 FORD RANGER. I SENT AN EMAIL TO FOR ON JANUARY 28, 2003 ABOUT THIS ITEM AND THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED, THE TRACKING ID IS KMM2029449C0KM CASE ID 688902. I AM NORMALLY OUT ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT OVER 65 MPH ON WEEKEND AND HAD THE BOLTS SNAPPED WHILE MOVING AT THIS SPEED I WOULD PROBABLY BE DEAD. IS THERE ANY RECORDS OF THIS PROBLEM REPORTED BY ANYONE THAT IS STILL ALIVE? THANKS FOR YOU HELP. JUST WANTED T O INFORM YOU OF THIS HAPPENING. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING ON A VEHICLE. AS FAR AS I CAN DETERMINE THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. MOST OF THE 76,000 MILES HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAYS. THANKS AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10005671

Incident

Jan 27, 2003

Mileage

76,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING APPROX 70MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF CONSUMERS.*JB

NHTSA ID

8014811

Incident

Jul 22, 2002

AT THE SPEED OF 25MPH SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE AND LOST TOTAL CONTROL OF STEERING WHEEL. MANAGED TO MERGE SUDDENLY TO RIGHT SIDE OF ROAD. BATTERY, ENGINE, AND POWER STEERING LIGHT WENT ON. WHILE LOOKING AT VEHICLE NOTICED THAT BELT BROKE AND DOLLEY FELL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

9005085

Incident

Oct 2, 2001

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH STEERING SUDDENLY JERKED VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STEER VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT RIGHT SPINDLE HAD BROKEN. PART WAS REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8002942

Incident

Dec 25, 2001

CONSUMER STATES GEAR AND SECTOR SHAFT ARE EXCESSIVELY WORN, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION, THE WHEELS DID NOT TURN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED, INSTEAD WHEN THE PLAY WAS OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL THE FRONT WHEELS WOULD THEN TURN.*JB

NHTSA ID

561868

POWER STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE PUMP WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. AIR CONDITIONER PUMP REPLACED. RIGHT WINDOW IS LOOSE WHILE GOING DOWN. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OCCASIONALLY WHILE TAKING OFF. THERE ARE LOOSE BOLTS UNDERNEATH SEATS. FOG LIGHT FAILED. CONSUMER STATES OIL FROM MASTER CYLINDER DAMAGED HOOD. DOOR LOCK INSIDE DRIVER'S DOOR NEVER WORKED AND WAS REPLACED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

882240

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

DRY SPINDLES AND BALL JOINT BEARINGS, MECHANIC PUT PICKUP ON JACK SAID " WE WRE LUCKY WE DIDNT WRECK" TIRE LEANED OUTWARD , EVENTULAY WOULD HAVE FALLEN OFF. *AK--

NHTSA ID

717808

Incident

Jan 22, 2000

ANTI THEFT ALARM GOES OFF AND WHEN TRANSMITTER IS USED IT FAILS TOO. YH

NHTSA ID

607344

Incident

Mar 28, 1997

PULLEY TO FAN BELT BROKE WHEN TURNING ONTO HIGHWAY. YH

NHTSA ID

607183

Incident

Apr 11, 1997

BROTHER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE LOST POWER STEERING.- THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD JUST TURN AROUND AND AROUND, CAUSING HIM TO HIT A BANK OF DIRT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

829711

Incident

Oct 20, 1998

VEHICLE ADVERTISED WITH POWER STEERING HOWEVER NEVER HAD POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ID

537228

WINDSHIELD WIPER COME ON ALL BY ITSELF. SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT TURN OFF, COMES ON A HIGH SPEED, SOMETIMES WASHER COMES ON ALSO, INCIDENTS OCCUR WHEN THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING. PROCESS DEVELOPED WHERE THE TILT STEERING CANNOT BE ADJUSTED OR MOVED EXCEPT WHEN THE ENGINE IS TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A N ELECTRICAL SHORT. DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN CONTACTED TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

823075

Incident

Apr 21, 1998

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 20MPH AROUND A CURVE; HAD LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER VEHICLE & TOOK IT TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED THAT STEERING GEAR BOX HAD COME LOOSE. MECHANIC SHOWED WHERE BOLTS HAD SEPARATED FROM FRAME. *AK

NHTSA ID

821128

Incident

Jun 10, 1997

WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM, THE POWER STEERING BELT GOT WET, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ID

820254

ENGINE FAILS TO START.

NHTSA ID

523619

Incident

Dec 17, 1996

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 65 MPH WHEN HEARD LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE, STEERING WENTOUT, COULD NOT CONTROL VEHICLE. DUE TO THE DEFECT, VEHICLE WENT OFF ROAD INTO A OPEN FIELD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP,CLAIMS NUT IN WASHER FELLOFF WHICH CAUSED THE PITMAN ARM TO DO THE SAME. DEALER HAD TO RESTALL A NEW ONE. *AK

NHTSA ID

816381

Incident

Sep 9, 1997

THE STEERING IS LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STAY IN CENTER WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.*AK

NHTSA ID

809900

Incident

Nov 12, 1996