NHTSA Complaint #10066314 — 2001 FORD RANGER

FORD RANGER XLT 2001 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FROM NEW AND NOW JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY BASED ON MILEAGE, THE TRANSMISSION IS NEEDING REBUILDING OR REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 38412 MILES TOTAL ON IT, WARRANTY COVERAGE ONLY LASTS UNTIL 36000 MILES OR 3 YEARS. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST OF 2001. NO SPECIAL OPERATING CONDITIONS HAVE EXISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE (I.E. TOWING, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OR ITEM HAULING). THIS VEHICLE BEGAN VERY EARLY SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2004 FLASHING THE O/D OFF INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH PANEL. I TOOK THIS VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY INDICATED THAT THE OBDII SYSTEM WAS REGISTERING 3 DIFFERENT CODES HAVING TO DO WITH THE POWERTRAIN SYSTEM. THE CODES REGISTERING WERE P0731, P0733 AND P0735. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO WAS WORKING ON THE VEHICLE THERE IS A TBS FOR THE CODE P0733 REGISTERING. THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO I ENDED UP RECEIVING THE BAD NEWS FROM ONLY GAVE ME THE OPTION OF INSTALLING A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF ROUGHLY $2600. I HAVE ALSO TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDANT TRANSMISSION MECHANIC TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND SEE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING. THIS MECHANIC HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT, BUT ALSO COMMENTED THAT HE IS SEEING MORE OF THIS HAPPENING WITH THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION MODEL IN THIS VEHICLE. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE TREND IS THAT BETWEEN 30-40,000 MILES IS THE RANGE AT WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS. I PLACED A CALL TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY ARE 'RESEARCHING' POSSIBILITIES OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE. THE MAIN CONCERN THAT I HAVE WITH THIS 'FIX' IS THAT IT WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE SAME MODEL OF TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR AGAIN IN 30-40,000 MILES.*AK