NHTSA Complaint #768515 — 2002 FORD RANGER

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO OVERTAKE A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE. HE HAD TO ACCELERATE BETWEEN 80 AND 85 TO OVERTAKE IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. OUR VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WAS STARVED OF FUEL AND WAS NOT RESPONDING. THIS PUT US IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THERE WAS OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. WE CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A DEFECT. WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN THAT THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER PUTS US IN AN UNSAFE OVERTAKING SITUATION. WE WERE INVITED TO TAKE A TEST DRIVE WITH A TECHNICIAN. WE EXPRESSED OUR CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE TECNICIAN AND OURSELVES DURING A TEST DRIVE A HIGH SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD MANUFACTURING STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. FINALLY HAVING FAXED OUR CONCERNS TO THE DEALERSHIP ON10/14/02, WE WERE OFFERED ANOTHER TEST DRIVE WITH A SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON 10/15/02. DURING THE TEST DRIVE AT SPEEDS NOT EXCEEDING 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A "REV LIMITER" WHICH IS GOVERNOR WHICH STOPS ALL ACCELERATION AT 85 MPH. WE FEEL THAT THIS INABILITY TO GO ABOVE 85 MILES PER HOUR PLACES IN A VERY VULNERABLE POSITION. THE TRUCK WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESPOND IN AN EMERGENCY OR AVOIDANCE SITUATION. THIS PLACES EVERYONES LIVES AT RISK. IT SEEMS THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS DECIDED HOW FAST THEIR TRUCKS SHOULD GO AND HAVE NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE DANGER THAT THEY A PLACING US IN. WITH REGARD TO THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: THE UNIT CYCLES ON AND OFF APPROX. EVERY 12 SECONDS. THIS CAUSES THE TRUCK TO SURGE EACH TIME THE UNIT COMES ON AS THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE. THE UNIT ALSO MAKES A LOUD CLICKING SOUND AS IT COMES ON. THE CONSTANT SURGING OF THE ENGINE MAKES FOR A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE. THE FORD DELEARSHIP AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY DO NOT CONSIDER THIS A PROBLEM. MR