NHTSA Complaint #714572 — 1998 FORD RANGER

CLUTCH WOULD NOT FULLY DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, AND TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP. DEALER REPRESENTATIVE STATED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILED, DUE TO WAY I DRIVE, WHICH IS A WEAR ITEM AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, AND $623.00 TO REPAIR. TRUCK HAS ONLY 32,000 MILES ON IT. PREVIOUS TWO TRUCKS I OWNED HAD MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND OVER 140,000 MILES ON THEM WHEN I SOLD THEM AND BOTH HAD ORIGINAL CLUTCHES. I HAVE NOT CHANGED WAY I DRIVE, AND I DRIVE IN SAME AREA. BROUGHT TO AAMCO FOR SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD PRESSURE PLATE AND CLUTCH FAILURE. WAS TOLD BY AAMCO IT WAS PROBABLY DESIGN DEFECT DUE TO ONLY 32,000 MILES AND PRESSURE PLATE FAILURE. ALSO, AAMCO REP. STATED NEW FORD RANGER AND F-150 MANUAL TRANSMISSION USES AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND HAS 3 RUBBER PLUGS IN TRANSMISSION HOUSING. AUTO TRANS. FLUID EATS AWAY RUBBER PLUGS, WHICH ALLOWS DIRT IN AND FLUID OUT, ANOTHER DESIGN DEFECT.