Ford Ranger Problems

You are right that SUVs are more prone to a rollover, but it's not tested under ANCAP and the electronic stability control compulsory in Australia is partly intended to reduce the chance of any vehicle running off the road.

There is some American-led styling on SUVs but bigger and higher bonnets — even on something as compact as a Mini — are a result of the safety regulations on pedestrian impact protection. The bonnet is now being designed as a "safety net" to cushion a pedestrian bowled over by a vehicle.

We have seen sufficient reports of lop-sided Rangers to believe that it is a problem. Some of the reports are of vehicles that are as much as 30 mm lower on one side than the other. Ford might say it is within specification, but I would suggest the specification is rather loose and should be tightened up. I would suggest you take your vehicle to a suspension specialist and have them measure it accurately, and suggest what might be done to correct it. Take that information back to Ford and request that thy take action to fix the car.

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".

It sounds like the seller might have known there was a problem, and decided to get out of it. There have been reports of problems with the gearbox. You could approach Ford about helping out with the repairs, but because it's out of warranty, and you bought it secondhand from a private seller I don't fancy your chances of success.

Have you fitted any extra accessories, like driving lights, a winch, towbar etc. that might be causing the problem, which is clearly a drain that is not being cut when the ignition is switched off. We haven't heard of any other Rangers with the same problem, but if anyone has had a similar problem they could contact us. In the meantime take it to an auto electrician and have it checked. The last car with a similar problem was the early VE Calais, which had a problem with a drain on the battery through the computer, which wasn't switched off with the ignition and continued to drain the battery.

It sounds as thought the air-conditioning may not be working. Take it back to the dealer and have them check the system for you.

You need to know the all-up weight of the trailer with the three horses all your gear aboard. The horses alone weight 1500 kg, and the float is going to be 1500 to 2000 kg, so you need a vehicle capable of towing 3500 kg. There are a number on the market rated to tow that load, vehicles like the Holden Colorado, Mazda BT-50, Ford Ranger, Land Rover Discovery etc. You also need to be mindful of the Gross Combination Mass of the vehicle when you're going to tow at or near its maximum rating to ensure you don't exceed it.

Orange peel was once considered the sign of poor quality in a paint job, but today it seems that it is ok to serve up. The response you got intimating that it was ok because it was only a ute is a sign of the malaise that's overtaken the car industry today. It's not acceptable, and anyone buying a new car should look closely at the paint job before signing up and handing over their cash.

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.