NHTSA Complaint #10126374 — 2003 FORD RANGER

DT:CONSUMER REPORTS: HIS 2003 FORD RANGER CAUGHT ON FIRE ONE NIGHT WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THERE WERE ELECTRICAL SPARKS COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT TIRE WELL. HE FOUGHT THE FIRE WITH BARE HANDS AND SNOW. HE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND LOST CONTROL AND IT SLID INTO A SNOW DRIFT. HE TRIED TO DRIVE THE CAR OUT AND HE STARTED TO DIG THE CAR OUT OF THE SNOW WHEN HE NOTICED THE SPARKS AGAIN AND A GLOW COMING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE ENGINE. HE TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AGAIN WITH A SNOW SHOVEL. BY THE TIME THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP, IT WAS ON FIRE AGAIN. AFTER THE FIRE DEPT. HOSED THE FIRE DOWN WITH A STANDARD 2'' HOSE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AGAIN. THE FIRE DEPT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, PUT THE FIRE OUT AGAIN AND THE FIRE DIDN'T START BACK AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE FIRE WAS DUE TO DRIVER ABUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH SYSTEM. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF THE FOLLOWING: THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE ASBESTOS LINING ON THE CLUTCH PLATE, INCLUDING THE SHEARING OF THE RETAINING PINS, THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAD A GIANT HOLE, ' OF THE MAIN SEAL WAS MISSING WITH NO HYDRAULIC FLUID REMAINING INSIDE THE CYLINDER AND THE INTERNAL PARTS SCORCHED FROM FIRE. THEY SAID THE FIRE WAS INSIDE THE BELL HOUSING. SCORCHED MARKS WERE ALL OVER THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AS WELL AS THE FIRE WELL ITSELF, INCLUDING THE INSULATION THAT IS MOUNTED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD IN THE SAME AREA. THE DEALERSHIP DID DRIVE THE TRUCK AFTER THE FIRE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE THE FLY WHEEL. *JB