NHTSA Complaint #10183920 — 2006 FORD RANGER

I WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC IN MY 2006 FORD RANGER WITH APPROXIMATELY 3500 MILES ON IT WHEN ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STOPPED AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THE GAS TANK WAS NEAR FULL AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER I COASTED ACROSS A LANE OF MOVING TRAFFIC ONTO THE MEDIAN. HAVING EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN MY 1986 RANGER, I CALLED THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER TO ASK WHERE THE FUEL SAFETY SHUT OFF SWITCH WAS LOCATED. AFTER BEING ASSURED THAT THE SWITCH COULD NOT BE THE PROBLEM UNLESS I HAD BEEN IN A COLLISION OR HIT A VERY LARGE POT-HOLE, I RESET THE SWITCH AND THE TRUCK STARTED. THE SWITCHES IN THESE TRUCKS APPARENTLY HAS A DEFECT THAT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED FOR 20 YEARS. THE SERVICE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE UNAWARE OF THE ISSUE AND I SUSPECT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SOLD FUEL PUMPS AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS THAT WERE NOT THE PROBLEM. I AM JUST GLAD IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AT 65 MPH. *JB