NHTSA Complaint #10133720 — 2001 FORD RANGER EV

DT: CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER EDGE. HE BOUGHT IT NEW IN 8-2001. THE NEXT WEEK HE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS. IT WOULD CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING INTERSTATE. HE LET IT SIT FOR 30 MINUTES -1 HOUR, AND IT WOULD START AGAIN. THE FRONT DOORS STARTED TO COME OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. THEN IT FINALLY JUST QUIT RUNNING AT 10,800 MILES. HE TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER APPROXIMATELY 52 TIMES. THEY WOULD NOT CREATE ANY PAPER WORK AT THE DEALERSHIP;. THEY WOULD NOT MAKE A SERVICE ORDER ON THE TRUCK. FORD FINALLY AGREED TO LET AN AREA ENGINEER MEET WITH HIM AND LOOK AT THE TRUCK. THEY AGREED TO FIX THE TRUCK. HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THESE ISSUES RESOLVED. THE DAY HE MADE THIS APPOINTMENT IS THE DAY THAT THE DEALERSHIP GAVE HIM A MEMO STATING THAT FORD WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE TRUCK UNLESS THE CONSUMER SIGNED A DOCUMENT SAYING THAT HE WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR WORK. OTHERWISE, DEALER WOULD NOT WORK ON IT. HE TOOK IT TO FOUR DIFFERENT BODY SHOPS TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRUCK. THEY TOLD HIM THE CAB WAS TWISTED SO BADLY THAT WAS WHY THE DOORS WERE FLYING OPEN. THE MANAGER OF THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE HE PURCHASED THE CAR ADMITTED FORD DROPPED IT FROM A TRAIN CAR AND REPLACED THE HOOD AT THE FACTORY, AND SENT IT TO RUSTY WALLACE TO LIQUIDATE. HE HAS LETTER FROM THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT STATING THE WARRANTY WAS CUT OFF AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL.*AK