NHTSA Complaint #10150694 — 2001 FORD RANGER

WE PURCHASED A 2001 FORD RANGER IN OCTOBER OF 2000. IN 2004 THE PINION SEAL BEGAN LEAKING AND THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT CLICKING/SQUEAK IN THE DRIVERS FRONT SIDE. THE PINION SEAL WAS REPLACED AND FLUID WAS TOPPED OFF. AS WELL THE EXCLUDER SEALS WERE REPLACED AND LUBED TO REPAIR THE CLICKING SQUEAK. THIS WAS ALL DONE UNDER THE WARRANTY. ON 05/24/05 THE TRUCKS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO CRATER LAKE FORD AND THIS EMISSIONS ISSUE WAS FIXED AND WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY 203.39. AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION REGARDING THE WARRANTY AND THE FACT THAT THOUGH THIS IS NOT COVERED THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NO ISSUES THIS SOON, WE WERE FINALLY TOLD THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THIS AND THEY ADJUSTED THE BILL TO 18.49, DID NOT CHARGE THE WARRANTY AN AMOUNT. HOWEVER, THEY PUT ON THE RECEIPT THAT THE PINION SEAL WAS AGAIN LEAKING, THOUGH THEY DID NOT MENTION THIS TO US AND DID NOT STATE THAT THEY WOULD FIX IT AND THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED. WE HAVE THE BEST WARRANTY THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE WHEN WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK. WE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE TRUCK IN, OUR SCHEDULES BEING VERY HECTIC. WE TOOK THE TRUCK IN TODAY, AND WERE TOLD THAT THE PINION SEAL WAS NOT PART OF THE WARRANTY, THAT THERE WAS ONLY A 12 MONTH 12,000 MILE WARRANTY ON IT, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY OVER 3 YEARS AFTER PURCHASE AND IT HAS BEGUN LEAKING BY THERE ESTIMATES LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THEY REPLACED IT. OF COURSE THIS DID LITTLE FOR OUR DISPOSITION AND WE TOOK THE TRUCK AND LEFT. WE HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE AT CRATER LAKE FORD AND AT FORD MOTOR CORP. NOW WE RECEIVE A CALL STATING THAT THE SERVICES WE WERE BEING SEEN FOR ARE COVERED AND THAT WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK IN. HOWEVER, THE SEAL IS OBVIOUSLY AN ONGOING ISSUE. WE WANT THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM THAT IS CAUSING THE PINION SEAL LEAK. THEY WANT TO SIMPLY CHANGE THE SEAL AGAIN. WE WANT THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SYMPTOM. *JB