NHTSA Complaint #734299 — 2000 FORD RANGER

WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT BEARING ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP DUE TO LACK OF GREASE IT ALMOST PUT ME IN THE DITCH ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER,BRANDON FORD, AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE RIGHT ASSEMBLY COSTING ABOUT $600 AND WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY DID NOT,HOWEVER,CHECK OR REPALCE THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY WHICH FAILED AT HIGHER SPEED. THE LEFT SIDE ASSEMBLY LOCKED UP 200 MILES LATER WHILE I WAS TAKING IT IN TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND THIS TIME AT 65MPH AND ALMOST THREW ME INTO A RETAINING WALL BEING USED ON I-4 AT MLK IN TAMPA. I AM FILING THIS REPORT WITH YOU SO THAT IF THERE ARE ANY MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE-EXPLORERS AND RANGERS THAT FORD FAILED TO LUBRICATE AND ARE SUBJECT TO FAILURE ,IT WILL BE ON RECORD. AS CLOSE AS IT WAS TO CAUSING A WRECK,I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD FOLLOW UP TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME UNSUSPECTING AND LESS ALERT DRIVER DOESN'T GET KILLED OR KILL SOMEONE ELSE. ALTHOUGH THEY REPLACED THE ABOVE ITEMS, THEY FAILED TO REPLACE BOTH WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND I BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE PRODDED TO CHECK OUT ANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISSED. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY AN AUTOMATED "STATION" THAT WAS COMPUTER CONTROLLED AND THAT RAN OUT OF GREASE AND WASN'T CAUGHT UNTIL MUCH LATER. I ALSO FEEL THAT WHEN IT WAS FOUND THEY DECIDED TO LET IT PASS RATHER THAN DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AT THAT TIME AND WAIT FOR THE CONSUMER TO REPORT A FAILURE TO HIS DEALER. THIS ISN'T JUST CYNICISM, I HAVE OWNED A 1987 COUGAR,FIRESTONE 500 TIRES AND A CHEVY PU WITH SIDE SADDLE GAS TANKS.