1998 & Newer specific Ranger problems.....

[Beanmachine7000]

2000 Ranger 2.5, AT 188k miles, owned it since 20k miles on it...

1.) I have the same front end "clunk" a couple people noticed... Usually <20-35mph, especially when going over speed bumps... Checked it out, everything seems fine.
2.) Front drivers side wheel bearing needs replacing
3.) Acc. belt blew up at ~185k (luckily in the driveway)
4.) Transmission is sketchy, fluid in pan and filter changed every 6k miles since about 20k
5.) "Phantom wipers"
6.) Tailgate handle broke (I have to use a giant screwdriver to open the latch now)
7.) It makes the weirdest noises of any car I've driven, lol... Power steering pump whines, it makes some squeaky noise when you let off the accelerator, some kind of electric whirring noise, when you accelerate... etc.
8.) When you floor the pedal, the vents stop blowing (Vaccuum problem? My old '90 did it too...)
9.) Needs a new thermostat
10.) Sometimes when it's cold, you have to hold the gas to keep it running for a bit, and sometimes it stumbles when slowing down or idling, sometimes, but rarely it stalls, usually when coming to a stop, not sure what it is (throttle position sensor maybe?)

I'm sure there's something else... Honestly, it's been the most reliable vehicle we've owned, nothing has ever happened to it that has left me on the side of the road, in fact every Ford vehicle I've owned got me home every time... Can't say that about any other car, except the Camaro, but I've only put 3k miles on it... Compared to the 188K on this one...

 

[ruppy22000]

Biggest Problems:

- Front driver's side hub is grinding (getting replaced)

- LBJs need replaced

- PVHs are crap (I made mine manual, AVMs are on order)

- Driveshaft clunk

- C/C Lights out on steering wheel

- Brake Drums locked up on me once

- Passenger side rear door (4-door) doesn't close unless you slam the S#^& out of it.

- AND THE MOST ANNOYING PROBLEM AWARD GOES TO: the mechanism that turns the blinker off when you straighten the wheel is broken... painfully annoying

 

[3.0Ranger]

-front end clunk when going over speed bumps all seems to be fine though
-Automtic Hubs stop working replace now with AVM hubs
-Dash vibrtation while driving between 1,500-2,000rpms
-Rear chatter noise while driving


1998 Ford Raner 3.0 5-speed 4x4

 

[dangeranger88]

-Dash vibrtation while driving between 1,500-2,000rpms

I've been noticing a "chatter" in the drivers side instrument panel when i reach 3,000rpms (often with the 3.0) its kind of annoying...anyone know what might cause this? Odometer cable?

 

[pdmustgt]

Door Ajar light stay on sprayed the latch in the side doors. But only worked for abit replacing the latch door Ajar light gone now. Left PVH hub making noise fixed with Explorer hubs and axles. Tailgate rust out at the bottom.
Had the radio after playing CD's after a bit on the display show the words "HOT" fixed was 01 or 02 stock 6 disc radio

25,000 miles since change over to V8

 

[superrocker10]

From my experience with my 99:

- The syncros in my 5 speed are almost non existent
- PVH Hubs. enough said
- Alternators (i dont think they like mud)
- Inner tie rods
- Through pins in the rearend. on my third one now
- Door ajar light
- Once in a blue moon, the rear drums will lock up on me
- pedal assembly
- Power steering pump noise (i think its a ford thing though)
-

 

[cappin90]

-pvh hubs
-front drive shafts exploding
-auto transmission failure?
-door ajar, easy fix though

and on mine anyways, overheated once, melted part of the wiring harness and even after replacing sensors and wires still have random error codes that seem to pop up every 1k miles or so after getting them cleared.

 

[98 ranger xlt]

. . . Oh, and a couple of problems that are so common that they almost slipped my mind:

the door ajar light/buzzer "on" - very common when extremely cold;

problems with the multi-function switch on the turn signal/wiper/washer stalk - "phantom wiper/washers" sometimes over bumps, while signalling turns and so on.

I have that problem sometimes, my wipers will be on the lowest setting and i hit a bump and theyre wiping fast.

 

[pippinr]

2001 XLT: Purchased used, in April 2002 with 16,000 miles from a dealer.

*Passenger side brake caliper locked up, replaced.
*Front brakes wear unusually fast. I think I might check to see if I have rear brakes.
*Door ajar/domelight. Shut the back door firmly by the bottom of the door--seems to make it latch correctly. Soon to try some panther piss.
*Drive shaft used to "clunk", dealer replaced it--warranty right after I bought it. They said it was bent. No problems since.
*Wife hit a car and went sideways over a median. This is not a maufacuturer defect... operator error. Got some new paint, though. ***Did not knock it out of alignment! Apparently pretty tough!***
*Replaced shift motor on T-case. Then found out I didn't need to. Replaced relay under passenger side kick panel, fixed the problem.
*Put in fancy K&M air filter. Cleaned it and oiled it, then MAFS went out. Sprayed it with some cleaner, it helped. Probably too much oil in filter.
*Automatic shift handle sags. Haven't tried to figure out how to fix yet.
*Tranny "pauses" between 1&2... probably on it's way out. Should have changed fluid. (is brown and smelly bad?)
*Cranked t-rods a bit, no alignment problems yet, but 265-75R16 tires look really cool, and the truck is level. Only went up about 1.5 inches. We'll see if there are any future problems with that.
*Think I have a CV leaking on passenger side.
*When I replaced the s-belt, the spring tensioner started "clicking". Put the old belt back on, it went away. Put the new belt on, it was back again. Clicks when the label hits the tensioner. Time for a new one anyway, we'll see if the click goes away.
*I can't have a windshield for more than a month without it cracking.
*Steel supports in the backs of the seats break. New seats are like $6,000 or something ridiculous, so I guess I'll learn to have back problems.
*Plastic clip broke on the center console. Some twine holds it shut. Too lazy to find a better fix. Maybe I'll do that today...

Overall, not too many problems for a vehicle I have put 120,000 miles on after purchasing used.

 

[JamesC]

2001 XLT: Purchased used, in April 2002 with 16,000 miles from a dealer.

*Put in fancy K&M air filter. Cleaned it and oiled it, then MAFS went out. Sprayed it with some cleaner, it helped. Probably too much oil in filter.
*Automatic shift handle sags. Haven't tried to figure out how to fix yet.
*Tranny "pauses" between 1&2... probably on it's way out. Should have changed fluid. (is brown and smelly bad?)

Your tranny problem is probably caused by your k&n filter. When the MAFS reads wrong because of oil contamination the computer shifts the transmission differently. I would put back your paper filter and clean the MAFS really good or change it before you do permanent damage to the transmission

 

[pippinr]

Really? I cleaned it several times since the last oiling. I noticed an increase in performance when I first installed the K&N, but after the oiling, I started having problems. Maybe I'll chance the MAFS and see what happens. Do I need to disconnect the battery and re-boot after replacing the MAFS, or should the new one start sending correct info to the computer?

 

[kawasakiman27]

Can that slow moving clunking noise over bumps everyone talks about be comming from the steering linkage or in the rack and pinion, cause I can feel it in the steering wheel.

 

[DangerFresh]

i noticed alot of people have the same problem with the door ajar light/dome light. anybody know how to fix that....or where the switch itself is located?

 

[43551RANGER]

-Had Ujoints replaced under Bumper to Bumper warranty @ about 30k miles. They put in Zerk fitted Ujoints upon request.
- New ball joints @90K mi
-ABS light comes on if I accelerate hard under 30mph. Goes off when truck is shut off & stays off until I rapidly accelerate under 30mph
- Brakes seem to be under sized & need rear discs
-IAC sticking at times
-Something wrong currently in 4wd mode -been told maybe front u joints or drive chain in transfer case (makes kinda a grinding/clicking noise)..
-tach will occasionly stop working for a few seconds & then start back up.

 

[jgertsch]

I have a bottom of the line 2000 model (2.5L, manual everything) with about 160K miles, K&N intake & Magnaflow muffler. The idle is rough when cold. It starts fine, but when I come to a stop a few blocks away, the idle drops, sometimes enough for the engine to die. Other times, the idle speed is about right, it's just really rough. I haven't been able to figure out what's going on.

Other than that, the only problem is a leaky gas tank. I tried to fix it with JB Weld 2 part putty, but it only held for a few months. I think I might try some epoxy next. Anyone know if a '86 or '87 gas tank will fit on a 2000? They're the stupid plastic ones.