NHTSA Complaint #10087384 — 2001 FORD RANGER

THE GEAR SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK. CONSUMER HAD TO GIGGLE THE SHIFTER TO REMOVE IT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE. TWO DAYS LATER, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. WHEN THIS OCCURRED CONSUMER HEARD SOMETHING BREAK LOOSE IN THE COLUMN, FOLLOWED BY A RATTLING NOISE. THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED AFTER BREAKING LOOSE, AND A RATTLING NOISE OCCURRED. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO TAKE THE STEERING COLUMN APART TO INSPECT IT UNTIL THEY COULD DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THEY WERE ONLY WILLING TO REPLACE THE STEERING PUMP, BUT THE FAILURE WAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK