2005 Ford Ranger Engine Problems

Incident was reported to me by an employee. Driving in traffic on a highway with normal, dry road conditions the accelerator pedal started moving down on its own. The truck accelerated on its own from 50 mph to 70+ mph. Applying the brakes the truck did NOT slow down. Eventually, the accelerator pedal corrected itself and started working normally. There was no indication on the dashboard of the issue. This could have resulted in a serious accident or death. The truck is waiting to be towed to the Ford garage for repair. Thank you, Wendy McNeill

NHTSA ID

11443366

Incident

Dec 9, 2021

COUPLE DAYS AFTER BUYING VEHICLE TRUCK BROKE DOWN DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ALSO THE BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS DEALER REFUSES TO GIVE US LICENSE PLATES WE PURCHESD THE VEHICLE NOVEMBER 12, 2015 AND DEALER IS HOLDING PLATES HOSTAGE WE DO NOT OWE HIM ANY MONEY

NHTSA ID

10818749

Incident

Nov 25, 2015

AT STARTUP MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AS I WENT TO DRIVE AWAY THE ENTIRE TRUCK STARTED SHAKING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH.I TRIED TO FIX THE VEHICLE WITH A SCAN TOOL AND STARTED REPLACING THE LESS EXPENSIVE PARTS AND WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE DRIVER SIDE CYLINDER HEAD NUMBER FOUR AND SIX CYLINDER THEY BOTH HAD RECESSED VALVES.BEFORE THE TRUCK GOT REAL BAD I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING TO BE A SLIGHT INCLINE AND THE TRUCK WAS DOING 75 MILES AN HOUR AND THEN SUDDENLY DROPPED TO MAYBE 15 20 MILES AN HOUR ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 10 I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AVOID GETTING REAR ENDED.I JUST RECENTLY REPLACED THE THIRD SET OF HEADS ON THE SAME VEHICLE SAME SIDE SAME CYLINDERS AND I'M BEING TOLD NOW THAT THEY THINK ITS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS I REALLY DON'T KNOW I LIKE MY TRUCK BUT THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS.I'VE CALLED FORD DIRECTLY TOLD THEM WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AND THEY SAID MY TRUCK DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE CAMPAIGN BULLETINS AND THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE MY HEAD'S EVERY 42000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676844

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

ENGINE MISFIRES AT IDLE CEL FLASHING NEEDS HEADS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10671653

Incident

Nov 28, 2014

Mileage

100,701 mi

ENGINE BEGINS TO RUN VERY ROUGH. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD MY 3.0 V6 IS SUFFERING FROM WELL KNOW (2004 - 2006) CYLINDER HEAD FAILURE - VALVE RECESSION. NEW HEADS ARE NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. COST OF REPAIR IS APPROX, $2800. HEAD / VALVE FAILURE / POOR DESIGN OF HEAD IS APPARENTLY WELL KNOWN BY FORD. FUEL LEAKAGE INTO THE FAILED CYLINDER OR CYLINDERS COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD IF NOT REPAIRED AND DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10567490

Incident

Jun 9, 2011

Mileage

62,358 mi

LOUD SQUEAL FOR SEVERAL DAYS THOUGHT IT WAS TENSION PULLEY. THAT WAS REPLACED WITH NO CHANGE. A FEW DAYS LATER GOING DOWN THE ROAD. A VERY LOUD SQUEAL FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER. LATER WAS DETERMINED THE VIBRATION DAMPENER HAD COME APART. THE RUBBER HAD COME PART ALLOWING THE GROOVE SECTION THE BELT RIDES ON TO SLIP TOWARD THE BACK UP AGAINST THE FRONT COVER. IN LOOKING ONLINE FOR INFORMATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EXPLORER AND RANGERS WITH THE 4.0 ENGINE. A LOT OCCUR WITH LOW MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND SOME RESULT IT MAJOR REPAIRS AS THE PULLEY FLIES OFF TAKING OUT THE RADIATOR. I WAS ABLE TO REPLACE MINE BECAUSE I AM A MECHANIC AND HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO THE JOB. SO MY REPAIR BILL WAS NOT AS MUCH AS OTHERS HAD STATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556414

Incident

Dec 3, 2013

Mileage

85,600 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, THE HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED. THE PULLEY SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE BALANCER AND SLID BACK TO DESTROY THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. ONCE THE SENSOR FAILED, THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, BUT THIS SUDDEN FAILURE IS DANGEROUS AND IF I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. AFTER A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET THERE ARE SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME ISSUES ON THE FORD 4.0 ENGINE ON RANGER / EXPLORER. LOOKING AT THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS SITES THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME ISSUE (MORE THEN 1 YEAR, MORE THEN 1 MODEL): ODI ID NUMBER : 10356858, ODI ID NUMBER : 10356913. ODI ID NUMBER : 10450902, ODI ID NUMBER : 10383429, ODI ID NUMBER : 10243439, ODI ID NUMBER : 10168915, ODI ID NUMBER : 10351279, ODI ID NUMBER : 10390200, ODI ID NUMBER : 10302026, ODI ID NUMBER : 10279040. THERE MAY BE MORE, BUT I WAS TIRED OF LOOKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10460781

Incident

Jun 3, 2012

Mileage

68,000 mi

2005 FORD RANGER EDGE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH HARMONIC BALANCER IN ENGINE. *TGW

NHTSA ID

10450902

Incident

Mar 1, 2012

I WAS COMING DOWN OFF 57 IN RUSH TRAFFIC WHEN THE CAR DIED UNEXPECTEDLY. COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, NO WARNING, AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. SEVERAL TRIES, MORE GAS, MORE SHUT OFFS,SCREAMING HORNS AND I GOT IT TO THE GAS STATION OFF THE HIGHWAY. IT WENT TO GARAGE. ITS EXHAUST VALVE, WIRES AND PLUGS WERE CHANGED. DIED ON DRIVE OFF THE GARAGE. WENT IN, HAD MORE REPAIRS. DIED IN PARKING LOT. HAD COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. 172 AND 174 WERE DIAGNOSED-FAILURE OF COMPUTER IN EXHAUST SYSTEM AND MASS AIR VALVE CONTROL. BASICALLY, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. ONE OF THE HEADS IS ALSO SUSPICIOUS.EXHAUST LEAKS ARE BAD FOR THE ENGINE. ALL THIS, OVER $1,000 REPAIRS, ON TOP OF TRANSMISSION LEAK, TWO SETS OF BRAKE PADS AND TWO SETS OF TIRES, IN A TRUCK BETWEEN 39,000 - THAT IS WHEN IT STARTED- AND 50,000 MILES. IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, RIGHT AFTER THE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE TRUCK FELL APART. I FOUND OUT THAT ONE PERSON DIED OF SUCH FAILURE IN WASHINGTON STATE AND 2 WERE INJURED IN OREGON. ALL IN RANGER TRUCK. TRUCK IS WELL SERVICED, TIRES ARE NOT WORN AT ALL, HAVE LESS THAN 12,000 AND IT IS A KILLER TRUCK. FORD IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO THE FACT THAT THEIR TRUCK IS A LEMON. THEIR SERVICE CENTER: I BROUGHT IT TO YORBA LINDA FORD DEALER AT 39,000 BECAUSE THE IDLE WAS ROUGH, WAS TOLD IT WAS IN MY HEAD AND 12,000 LATER THE IDLE IS STILL DYING, KILLING THE ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443973

Incident

Dec 25, 2011

Mileage

50,000 mi

2005 FORD RANGER WITH A 2.3 L ENGINE. CHANGED OIL AT 33K AND RETRIEVED A VALVE KEEPER. SUBSEQUENT REMOVAL OF OVERHEAD CAMS AND TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY (5.8 HOURS OF LABOR) AND 500+ DOLLARS OUT OF MY POCKET REVEALED NO VALVE KEEPERS WERE MISSING. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A 1-800 NUMBER TO ASK QUESTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10381740

Incident

Feb 6, 2011

Mileage

33,409 mi

THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN AND YOU LOSE TOTAL CONTROL. POWER STEERING GONE. ENGINE GONE. IT WILL HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. THE REASON IT IS SO DANGEROUS IS BECAUSE I HAVE HAD IT SHUT DOWN ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65MPH. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH NEVER TO HAVE GOTTEN HIT BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL. 1. THE VEHICLE WOULD JUST STALL LIKE IT WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS. 2. WHEN THE PART WAS GOING BAD IT WOULD OCCUR EVERY DAY. WHEN THE PART WAS TOTALLY MALFUNCTIONING IT WOULD NOT EVEN START. 3. THE FIRST TIME I HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE PART VIA THE WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED. THE THIRD TIME I REPLACED IT MYSELF. IT LASTS ABOUT A YEAR THEN IT GOES BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356230

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

5,000 mi

MY FORD RANGER (2005) LOST POWER GOING DOWN THE FREEWAY. AFTER MUCH INVESTIGATION, TIME, SAFETY ISSUES (QUITTING AT 55 + MPH) AND MONEY IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE INERTIA SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10341382

Incident

May 1, 2010

Mileage

62,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM THE OIL CHANGE, THE ENGINE BLEW. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CAM-SHAFT PULLEY SEPARATED AND CAUSE THE TIMING TO JUMP AND LOCK THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE ENGINE WAS UNABLE TO BE REBUILT. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,000. UPDATED 9/13/10 *CN UPDATED 09/15/10

NHTSA ID

10336210

Incident

Jun 10, 2010

Mileage

112,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT SMELLED PLASTIC BURNING IN THE ENGINE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AT HIS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO OFFER HIM ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000. UPDATED 02/26/10 *BF UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10308696

Incident

Nov 21, 2009

Mileage

38,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. HE STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH HE NOTICED THAT HIS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A DEALER AND INSPECTED WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER WAS FAILING AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE VALVE SEATS REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER. HE FEELS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE ALUMINUM HEAD VALVE SEATS BECAUSE THEY LOSE COMPRESSION WITH THE METAL THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS USING FOR THE ALUMINUM HEAD VALVE SEATS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 87,000. BL UPDATED 10/5/09 *CN UPDATED 10/07/09

NHTSA ID

10281851

Incident

Aug 12, 2009

Mileage

84,000 mi

PURCHASE VEHICLE JULY 2005, VEHICLE NEVER HAD A GOOD PULL TO IT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS THE WAY THE TRUCK JUST PULLED UNTIL MAY 2006 WHEN I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A FORD EXPLORER, MY TRUCK GOT WORSE. IN JUNE 2007 ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WOULDN'T GO OFF. GAS CAP LIGHT CAME ON WOULDN'T GO OFF. TRIED TO TIGHTEN CAP, LIGHTS STILL HAVEN'T WENT OFF. TOOK TRUCK TO MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT MY TRUCK HAD A CRACKED HEAD THAT WAS INDICATED THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURE AND OR POSSIBLY DUE TO COLLISION ALSO FORD MANUFACTURE HAD A DEFECT CALL BACK ON ALL 2005 FORD RANGER. IN DECEMBER 2005 FIVE MONTH AFTER I PURCHASE THE TRUCK AND THEY ( FORD) DID NOT EVEN NOTIFY ME OF THE DEFECT. I DO HAVE A COPY IN MY POSSESSION FROM MY MECHANIC. ALSO I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRUCK COULD IGNITE AND CATCH A FIRE AT ANY TIME. *TR. UPDATED 01/11/08.*LJ THERE WAS A CRACKED HEAD ON THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. UPDATED

NHTSA ID

10205059

Incident

May 30, 2006

Mileage

16,413 mi

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2005 FORD RANGER THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 DAYS WE WERE ABLE TO PICK THE FORD UP AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. SHORTLY AFTER THIS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING FOR NO APPARENT REASON .DURING ONE OF THESE TIMES IT SHUT DOWN I WAS REAR ENDED,IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WAS THERE FOR 3 DAYS, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THE DEALER INFORMED ME THE VEHICLE HAD NO PROBLEMS, AND WAS VERY SAFE TO DRIVE. ALSO, I CONTACTED FORD , AND WAS INFORMED THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE 2005 FORD RANGER JUST SHUTTING DOWN. THIS VEHICLE WAS FAR FROM SAFE NOT ONLY FOR THE DRIVER AND ANY PASSENGERS BUT ALSO FOR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. AS IT JUST SHUT OFF WHEN IT WANTEDF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10194252

Incident

May 2, 2007