NHTSA Complaint #10322217 — 2006 FORD RANGER

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2006 FORD RANGER 4X4, 4.0 LITER XLT CLUB-CAB. THIS TRUCK HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT, AND WILL BE 4 YEARS OLD IN MAY. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, AND AS I HAVE FOUND OUT, THE HUB/WHEEL-BEARING BEARINGS FAIL AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS. AFTER READING ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC ACCOUNTS OF FAILURES FROM MANY OTHER OWNERS, I AM ASTOUNDED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL. ADDITIONALLY THE CURRENT DESIGN HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR SOMETIME, AND FORD HAS ADMITTED THEE PARTS MEXICAN AND CHINESE ORIGINS (WHERE COUNTERFEIT PARTS ABOUND). I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT AS THE WHEEL BEARING STARTED TO CRAB OR CATCH AT WET HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SEE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM FOR FORD HUB/WHEELBEARING FAILURES, SOME ARE RATHER EXTREME. I CAREFULLY (AND SLOWLY) TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE LEFT WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE (FALLING OFF??) AND THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS LOOSE, BUT NOT AS EXTREME. AS FORD IS WELL AWARE, THE COST FOR REPLACING BOTH IS $800. THE REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC SAID THAT THEY SEE A LOT OF THESE (I.E., FORD RANGERS); SOME LESS THAN 50,000 MILES, AND THAT MINE IS NOT AN UNUSUAL CASE FOR THE FORD RANGER, AND I WILL PROBABLY BE BRINGING IT BACK IN ABOUT 40-50,000 MILES TO GET THOSE REPLACED. IT IS SAD THAT MECHANICS ARE NORMALIZING SUCH A DESIGN DEFICIENCY AS TYPICAL AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE. DUE TO THE POOR RESPONSE TO OTHER FORD RANGER (AND EXPLORERS TOO) OWNERS (2000-2006) AND LACK OF FORDS WILLINGNESS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, I WILL MOST LIKELY RETURN TO TOYOTA. ADDITIONALLY, TOYOTA HAS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE IN WANTING TO RESOLVE CUSTOMER PROBLEMS TO REGAIN THEIR TRUST AND WIN THEM BACK AS EVIDENT BY RECENT ISSUES. FORD HOWEVER HAS NO SUCH ASPIRATIONS, WHICH IS CLEAR BY READING THE MANY CARCOMPLAINTS.COM ACCOUNTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND FORDS POOR RESPONSES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR SAFETY.