2004 Ford Ranger Engine Problems

TRUCK SURGED FORWARD WHILE BRAKING AT RED LIGHT IF SOME ONE WAS IN FRONT OF ME I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM.

NHTSA ID

11462835

Incident

Apr 28, 2022

WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY, MY VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. WAS VERY SCARY BECAUSE IT WAS AT NIGHT. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER WAS LOST. PULLED OFF FREEWAY INTO GAS STATION. CHECKED FLUIDS, ETC.. UPON TRYING TO LEAVE, VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING WITH NO COMPRESSION. I DID NOT THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT HOME. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I TRIED AGAIN, THIS TIME GIVING VEHICLE MORE GAS. IT SEEMED TO DO A LITTLE BETTER. BUT, EVERY TIME I HAD TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP FOR A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE WAS SPUTTERING AND ACTING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT. WAS VERY NERVE RACKING, AS I WAS AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED BY CARS THAT WERE BEHIND ME. NOW EVERY TIME I SLOW DOWN TO WHERE VEHICLE IS IN IDLE, IT ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL OUT ON ME, WHICH MAKES ME VERY NERVOUS. HAD A MECHANIC INSTALL NEW PLUGS, NEW INJECTOR, COIL PACKAGE AND VEHICLE IS STILL DOING BADLY AND RUNNING VERY ROUGH. ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON AFTER HAVING ALL THESE NEW PARTS INSTALLED. MECHANIC ALSO RECOMMENDED USING A GAS ADDITIVE AND FILLING TANK WITH PREMIUM GAS, WHICH I DID. STILL RUNNING ROUGH. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, HAVE FOUND OUT THAT FORD RANGERS, YEARS 2004 THROUGH 2006 ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 66,362 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE KEPT MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES. FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS BUT HAS NOT DONE A RECALL YET. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. EITHER I WILL HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE OR A NEW VEHICLE, WHICH I CAN NOT AFFORD. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL AND PAY FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, AS THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW ENGINE OR NEW VEHICLE, WHEN MY 2004 RANGER HAS LOW MILEAGE AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED THE WHOLE TIME THAT I HAVE HAD IT. IT IS THE 3.0 VULCAN ENGINE. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ID

11003936

Incident

Jul 2, 2017

Mileage

66,330 mi

IF I LEFT THE ENGINE IDLE MORE THAN TWO MINUTES IT WOULD NOT PASS THE STATE EMISSIONS TEST. NOW THE EMISSION LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WILL NOT GO OFF ANYMORE. ALMOST GOT AN ACCIDENT VEHICLE WILL NOT DRIVE OVER 20 MPH ANYMORE. I MUST HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE. I WAS TOLD I HAVE TO CHANGE THE HEADS ON THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF POOR QUALITY CAST IRON HEADS THAT WAS USED FOR LIKE THREE YEARS. MY FORD TRUCK IS ONE OF THESE YEARS THEY HAD THE ISSUES. NOW I HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FIXING IT THIS IS NONSENSE WITH THE LOW MILES I HAVE ON IT. THESE FORDS SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE TAKEN SUCH GOOD CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND IT STILL LOOKS LIKE BRAND-NEW I HAVE TO FIX IT! PLEASE HELP!!!

NHTSA ID

10862718

Incident

Apr 10, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

FORD SOLD THIS TRUCK WITH DEFECTIVE CYLINDER HEADS.

NHTSA ID

10854542

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

COME TO A STOP LIGHT ENGINE IDLES ROUGH AND HESITATES AT TAKE OFF WONT GO OVER 3MPH FOR 1/4 MILE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING.

NHTSA ID

10786547

Incident

Jun 11, 2013

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO IDLE INDEPENDENTLY. THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 12/13/2017*CN

NHTSA ID

10744678

Incident

Jul 17, 2014

Mileage

125,000 mi

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING THE VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3.0 V6 MOTORS THAT FORD PRODUCED KNOWN AS THE "VALVE RECESSION" FORD RELEASED OVER 200,000 VEHICLES WITH THESE FAULTY CYLINDER HEADS. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS THEY SENT OUT A TSB (SERVICE BULLETIN) REGARDING THIS ISSUE BUT YET THEY WONT RECALL THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556585

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

142,000 mi

I WAS APPROACHING A INTERSECTION WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I ATTEMPTED TO STOP. AS I WAS BRAKING THE TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, WHILE MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL.THE RPMS INCREASED,AND THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE AND TO KEEP MY HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE TRUCK PUSHED ANOTHER VEHICLE INTO THE INTERSECTION,AS I WAS BRAKING. I DID NOT RECEIVE A TICKET,AND A POLICE OFFICER CONFIRMED WHAT I DESCRIBED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447982

Incident

Feb 12, 2012

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A NOISE. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST ALL POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT; THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC REBUILT CYLINDER ONE. 36,000 MILES LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT CYLINDER ONE FAILED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

NHTSA ID

10368127

Incident

Jun 15, 2009

Mileage

90,000 mi

RECENTLY I ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 FORD RANGER. THE HARMONIC BALANCE PULLEY CAME APART. THE WEBSITE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM HAS AT LEAST 14 INCIDENCE OF HARMONIC BALANCE FAILURE ON OTHER FORD MODELS. CAN YOU INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND VERIFY MY FINDINGS? IN MY OPINION, THE PROBLEM HAS SERIOUS SAFETY RAMIFICATIONS BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEMS INVOLVED. THE HARMONIC BALANCE PULLEY DRIVING THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT POWER THE STEERING AND BRAKE PUMPS. THE LOSS OF BOTH PUMPS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE LOSS OF THE SERPENTINE BELT WILL ALSO CAUSE OVER HEATING. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD INSPECT AND MAKE REPAIRS TO THIS COMPONENT ON ITS VEHICLES WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356913

Incident

Sep 14, 2010

Mileage

81,000 mi

COMPLAINT RELATED TO 2004 FORD RANGER 4.0L V6 SOHC ENGINE WITH 81,000 MILES. ON SEPTEMBER 15TH 2010, I STARTED EXPERIENCING A SQUEAK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON MY 2004 FORD RANGER. I CHANGED THE PULLEYS THAT HAD BEARINGS THAT COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE NOISE BUT THE NOISE PERSISTED. I THEN CHANGED THE BELT AND THE SQUEAK WENT AWAY FOR A WHILE. AFTER ANOTHER 1500 MILES THE SQUEAK WAS BACK AND MORE PRONOUNCED. I INVESTIGATED THIS INCIDENCE AND FOUND THAT THE PULLEY SEPARATED FROM THE HARMONIC BALANCE AND SLID TOWARDS THE TIMING CHAIN CASE. THE BELT WAS NOW RIDING ON THE RUBBER HUB OF THE CRANKSHAFT PART OF THE HARMONIC BALANCE. THE SQUEAK WAS COMING FROM THE BELT RUBBING ON THE SIDE OF THE PULLEY REPLACED HARMONIC BALANCE WITH AFTER MARKET MODEL. OLD PART AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356858

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

Mileage

81,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SCRAPING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT A VALVE SPRING HAD FRACTURED AND AS A RESULT, A PISTON FRACTURED INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 39,304.

NHTSA ID

10345331

Incident

Jul 8, 2010

Mileage

39,304 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON...CALLED THE FORD HOTLINE NO HELP THERE THEY SAID WE WHERE A FEW MILES OVER THE WARRANTY TO COVER THAT PART. SO WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC AND HE NEW IN FIVE MINUTES WHAT WAS WRONG WE HAD PAPERWORK SHOWING THE PROBLEMS FORD WAS HAVING WITH THESES TRUCKS. SO I CALLED THE NEAREST FOR DEALER AND ASKED THEM ABOUT IT AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE US SO MUCH TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM WE TOLD THEM WE KNOW THE PROBLEM. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE US OVER 2000 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE TRUCK.SO WE HAD TO HOLD OFF DUE TO THE ECONOMY SO BAD. SO WE TOOK IT 1 WEEK AGO TO OUR MECHANIC FIXED THE PROBLEM COST US 1900 FOR EVERYTHING THEY WHERE DEFECTIVE HEADS VALUES WHERE SINKING INTO THE HEADS CYLINDERS HAD NO COMPRESSION ,SO KNOW WE ARE OUT 1900 TO HAVE THIS TRUCK REPAIRED WHERE ALL OF THIS IS DUE TO FORDS BAD PARTS THEY PUT IN THE TRUCK. FORD SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP US DO TO WE HAD A FEW MILES OVER 70,000 THAT IS BULL IF THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD US ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT IN WE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING FROM THEM TELLING US ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10319183

Incident

Oct 1, 2009

Mileage

68 mi

2004 FORD RANGER, WHILE DRIVING ENGINE SHUTS-OFF. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL DEALERS AND AUTO SHOPS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10314312

Incident

Feb 24, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT HAS A 2004 FORD RANGER. THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE WAS LOCATED AT THE FRONT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT UNDER THE DASH BOARD. THE PASSENGERS CAN CONTACT THE COMPONENT WITH THEIR FEET BECAUSE OF ITS POSITION. THIS MAKES THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHEN DRIVING. HE HAD TO PAY TO REMOVE THE VALVE AND PUT IT BEHIND THE KICK PANEL ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY OR RECALLS ON THIS VALVE. HE SENT A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ID

10290260

Incident

Jan 8, 2009

Mileage

24,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING WITH PASSENGER, THE INERTIA SWITCH CAN BE EASILY UNATTACHED OR LOOSENED. THIS CAUSES THE TRUCK TO RANDOMLY DIE. IF THE MANUAL VEHICLE DIES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED, IN BAD TRAFFIC, OR TURNS REQUIRING POWER STEERING, THE VEHICLE CAN BE DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274442

Incident

Oct 27, 2008

Mileage

30,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 40 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE WATER IN THE FUEL TANK. HE HEARD A RATTLING NOISE AND THE ENGINE FAILED. THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 62,000. UPDATED 12/11/08 *BF THE VALVE SPRING CAME OUT OF THE PLASTIC VALVE COVER. UPDATED 12/11/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10249002

Incident

Nov 10, 2008

Mileage

62,000 mi

MY 2004 FORD RANGER STARTED IDLING ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THEY RESET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND A FEW MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION IN THREE CYLINDERS DO TO THE VALVES NOT SEATING PROPERLY. THE CORRECTION IS TO HAVE BOTH HEADS REPLACED, A COST THAT NEITHER FORD OR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY IS WILLING TO PICK UP. I AM A 3RD GENERATION FORD OWNER AND EXTREMELY IRATE THAT FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE ON THEIR PART, AND THAT THEY ARE MAKING THE CONSUMER PAY FOR THIS. FORD IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207661

Incident

Oct 29, 2007

Mileage

77,000 mi

ROUGH RUNNING, MISFIRE AND A LACK OF POWER DUE TO A LOSS OF COMPRESSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206683

Incident

Oct 21, 2007

Mileage

155,000 mi

2004 FORD RANGER, 3L V6, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DEALER SAID WAS AN INJECTOR PRPOBLEM. TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP, WHO FOUND ZERO COMPRESSION ON 5 AND 6 CYLINDERS, AND THE VALVE SEATS WERE DAMAGED. INJECTORS WERE OKAY. BOTH CYLINDER HEADS NEED REPLACING WITH THE NEW . CYLINDER HEADS WHICH WOULD REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE, ORIGINAL CYLINDER HEADS ,PER THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN FORD RELEASED ON 05-26-2003, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS OR RECALL THE VEHICLES. THIS WAS VERY EXPENSIVE, AND FORD COULD BE IDENTIFIED AS A CRAP COMPANY FOR DEFRAUDING THE PUBLIC AND ROBBING ME. LIGHT CAME ON AT 55, 000 MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10185643

Incident

Mar 19, 2007

2004 FORD RANGER WITH 3.0 LITER FUEL INJECTION. BOTH CYLINDER HEADS CRACKED AROUND EXHAUST VALVE SEATS. BOTH HEADS HAD TO BE REPLACED. MILEAGE ON VEHICLE IS 46,000 MILES AND NOT ABUSED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10170785

Incident

Oct 10, 2006

Mileage

46,000 mi

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON MY 2004 FORD RANGER KEPT COMING ON, I WAS TOLD BY ONE DEALER THAT IT WAS AN EMISSION SIGNAL AND THAT IT WOULD RESET. IT DID BUT KEPT COMING BACK. THE TRUCK THEN STARTED RUNNING BAD, SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE BOTH OF MY ENGINES HEADS. AND OF COURSE BECAUSE OF THE MILES ON MY TRUCK, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. I SAID THAT IF FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECT THEN WHY HAVEN'T THEY RECALLED THESE ENGINES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147027

Incident

Dec 22, 2005

Mileage

45,000 mi

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A STARTING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10102007

Incident

Oct 1, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE VEHICLE MADE NOISE AND LOST POWER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091834

Incident

Jul 7, 2004

Mileage

1,500 mi