Ford Ranger Recall - Information & Updates

Ford will disable all cruise controls on the dual cab models, but have said replacement modules could take several months to arrive.In the interim the company has ordered dealers to disable the cruise control after drivers experienced problems setting or deactivating the system.The stopgap move comes as Ford tries to source enough replacement mechanisms to replace the 8082 units sold between April 2009 and January this year in PK Ranger XLT and Wildtrak vehicles and PJ and PK Ranger models where the cruise control was fitted as a genuine accessory.Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald said there have been no reports of accidents .He said replacement parts will arrive progressively over the next two months and all affected owners will be contacted by mail.The issue doesn't affect Mazda's BT-50 workhorse. The two vehicles are built on the same platform, but the cruise control unit is specific to the Ranger.from news.com.au

Mazda Australia has recalled 5000 BT-50 utes to fix a potential fault which could see the workhorse suddenly thrown into first gear while in motion, causing drivers to lose control of the vehicle.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

Faulty welding on towbars has forced Ford Australia to recall more than 16,000 Ranger utes.Although no accidents have been reported, there is the potential for the vehicle to lose its trailer when towing. The recall applies to 16,287 Rangers built in Thailand from September 2006 to June last year.The recall notice stated: “Fracturing of the towbar tongue welding can affect safe operation and handling when an affected vehicle is towing, presenting a potential traffic hazard to the driver and/or other road users”. A Ford spokesman said the fault originated in the company’s Thailand production plant.The company has written to owners of PJ and PK Ranger XLT and Wildtrak models advising them not to tow with the vehicles and to contact their nearest dealer to have the unit replaced. All of the 4244 PJ vehicles affected are XLT models; while around 1200 of the 11,812 newer PK models are the top-range Wildtrak version, with the rest XLTs.The recall does not apply to the PX Ranger now on sale. Ford Australia spokesman Neil McDonald said that 3000 replacement towbars had already been shipped to dealers and more stock was arriving at a rate of 600 a week.At that rate it will take 22 weeks to replace all of the faulty towbars. “It’s only an issue if you are using the vehicle to tow, it is safe to continue driving normally,” he said. “A Queensland customer noticed a crack in the weld and our engineering department has verified it is an issue on those vehicles.“It’s a half-day fix to replace the towbar assembly - the rear step bumper isn’t affected.” Ranger owners who are unsure if the recall applies to them should call Ford on 1800 503 627. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recall notices, with models from Nissan, Jeep, Ford, Mazda, Infiniti and Citroen affected.

The recall is for the rear seatback latch strap on Ford PX Ranger Double Cabs sold between 23rd May 2011 - 13th February 2012, and affects 4258 vehicles in Australia and 957 in New Zealand.The recall notice says the rear seatback latch fitted to affected vehicles may not engage correctly, resulting in the rear seatback latch not being secured to the body striker and causing the rear seatback to fall forward.The defect poses a safety hazard to passengers, and owners are warned not to use a rearward-facing child seat in the vehicle until the defect is fixed. Ford spokesman Neil McDonald says there has been only one field report on the problem - a customer notification that something was wrong with the latch - but no accidents have been reported.“The fix is to fit a new metal ring for the rear seatback latch strap,” McDonald says. “It’s relatively minor fix bit quite important. “It will take less than half a day to do, but customers should check with their dealers to ensure they get the earliest possible slot.”It’s the second recall on the Ford Ranger within months, with an August notice issued on 16,287 Rangers built in Thailand from September 2006 to June 2011 for a defect that risked fracturing of the towbar welding.Ford is writing to the owners of PX Rangers affected by the current recall, advising them to  contact their Ford authorised dealership for inspection and rectification. For further information, contact any authorised Ford Dealer or Ford Customer Relationship Centre on 1800 503 672.