Ford Ranger Engine Problems

I contacted Stephen Kruk from Ford Australia for the right result: "The vehicle requires a new engine and turbo but, because he is a loyal Ford customer with great service history we and the dealer are going to contribute significantly to the cost of the repair despite it being well outside warranty. We are also going to cover the 90,000km service costs of another of John's Rangers to make sure he knows how much Ford values his loyalty".

Car makers will sometimes reset the idle speed to compensate for the increased load on the engine from the air-conditioning so the engine doesn’t become unstable at higher temperatures. But a 1000 rpm idle would be annoying.

Thanks for the tip. We'll add that to our list of things to look out for on the Ranger. Presumably it's the same with the Mazda BT-50.

It's too early for a reliability read on classy utes such as the Ford Ranger/Mazda BT50 and VW Amarok, which with their lusty turbo diesels are great for heavy work.

A lack of oil is the most likely explanation, although it could also have been caused by a manufacturing defect. At this point all you can do is what you have done, and that's to write it off to experience.

It's likely to be a fuelling issue, so check the fuel pump and injectors. Common-rail diesels often have issues with the injectors as they wear. To get a better reading on it I would suggest taking it to an experienced diesel mechanic.

Excess sealant suggests sloppy workmanship. You might like to mention it to your dealer and suggest they disassemble the diff and put it back together without excessive sealant that could cause issues down the track, or you could let it go and hope it doesn't cause any problems later on. If it was the engine I would want to fix it, but in the case of a diff I'd be tempted to report it in case something does develop in the future, and let it go.

We don't have lemon laws in this country like they do in the USA. If we did your car would most likely have been declared a lemon and you would have your money back or a new car. Unfortunately our consumer protection laws are pathetically weak and appear to favour the manufacturer more than the customer. They satisfy the requirements of the law by attempting to fix it, but they are clearly taking way too long. They could have built a new car for you in the time they have being trying to fix yours. At the very least you should have been given a loan car while they sort yours out. Call Ford's customer assistance people and tell them of your frustration. Alternatively you call Ford Australia President Graeme Whickman and ask him to intervene on your behalf.