NHTSA complaint: 2003 FORD RANGER — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HIS 2003 FORD RANGER FX4 5-SPEED GAVE A SMALL LURCH AND A "STUTTER". SINCE HE WAS RIGHT THERE AT HIS DESTINATION, HE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THINKING THAT IT WAS JUST A GLITCH (LIKE HIS FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE CLUTCH, OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES), HE WENT INTO THE HOUSE TO GET OUR SON AND TAKE HIM HOME. HE WAS INSIDE THE HOUSE NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES. AS HE WAS CARRYING OUR SON OUT TO THE TRUCK, HE SAW THAT THERE WAS SMOKE POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OF COURSE, EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CALLED. THE FIRE REACHED THE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND BEGAN SPREADING ALONG THE GROUND. AFTER PUTTING THE FIRE OUT, THE FIRE MARSHALL INDICATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE STARTED TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE TRUCK, OF COURSE, WILL BE A TOTAL LOSS. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (WHICH WAS DISARMED AS OUR INFANT SON RODE ON THAT SIDE) HAD DEPLOYED, THE WINDSHIELD HAD EXPLODED, AS HAD THE TWO FRONT TIRES. AS FOR THE HOOD, THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation