2001 Ford Ranger transmission problems

Filed Jan 10, 2012 · Transmission · 109,000 miles · MI

On the date listed, the transmission failed to go into reverse. The repair shop told me that the ford ranger is notorius for transmission problems that include: 1. Failing to go into reverse, 2. Failing to go into forward after stopping, 3. Jumping gears, or slow gear changes. This information has been confirmed by other shops as well as a google search. In fact, the problem may be severly under reported as ford dealerships may list as other problems and smaller shops may not link the problem. This is a very costly repair, so I'm sure ford does not want to be forced to recall all of the rangers, and it appears that this problem does affect several years of rangers on the market. Please google ford ranger transmissions, and look at the amount of complaints. Look at the blogs and groups that are complaining about this issue, which if it involves the vehicle moving forward, could impact the passengers if the problem occurs on a freeway entrance ramp or subdivision streets. This is a widepsread problem that is under reported and is not being addressed, and it needs to be examined in more detail.

Filed Jun 13, 2010 · Transmission · 87,018 miles · HI

I was driving my 2001 ford ranger down the road, I pushed in the clutch to change gears and something popped. My clutch pedal was now incapable of actuating the clutch to change gears or put it in gear after I put it in neutral. I had to jerk the gearshift out of gear into neutral and stop as traffic had stopped for a red light. We had to push the truck out of the way of traffic. After examining the engine compartment, I saw that the clutch hydraulic line that attaches to the clutch master cylinder had popped off. The roll pin that secures that particular connection had worked itself loose and allowed the line to pop off. The next day I removed the clutch master cylinder, reservoir, and hydraulic line. All the parts were still good, so I bench bled the assembly, installed, and bled the clutch slave cylinder. Upon further investigation, I read that ford had issued a technical service bulletin regarding this exact problem and issued a free fix if a customer has this problem and the truck is under warranty. Well, my truck isn't under warranty and fixing it myself was a hassle. I don't need my clutch parts failing like this when I'm crossing an intersection nor does anyone else. It's a major distraction that can cause an accident. Even if this problem doesn't qualify as a recall issue, they could at least mail me a cotter pin with a letter telling me to look out for this problem. The tsb number is 01-24-1 dated 10/01/2001.

Filed Mar 3, 2010 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 150,365 miles · GA

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) I was driving my ford ranger, (2001 xlt automatic transmission) in an attempt to warm up the truck as the transmission had been acting up as it was not shifting as well as it should into higher gears. The truck was having trouble going past 10-15 MPH before shifting gears and was going much slower than normal. As I drove around the parking lot where I work to warm up the truck, it was not going as fast as normal and it warmed up in about 20 minutes. I checked the transmission fluid and it was at a normal level. I turned off the truck and checked the oil which was in the normal range. I proceeded to go to qt and get some gas and on my way back to work, I went to stop at a red light and was almost stopped when the engine started revving up and took off at a very high rate of speed while my foot was pushing the brake pedal down as hard as I could. I then could not slow it down at the next light enough to make the right turn safely. I had to make a u turn with both feet on the brakes and after putting the truck in neutral and pushing the emergency brake, I had to put the truck into neutral and cut off the engine to turn into the parking lot where I work. I thought maybe I had hit the accelerator by accident and had a co-worker watch as I cranked up the truck in neutral. The tires were spinning like crazy and the rpms were way up. I had to turn the car off quickly as with the parking brake on and both feet on the brakes, it felt like the truck was going to take off at any time. My truck is parked with the check engine light on and I am scared to get near the [xxx] thing. I have a call into my mechanic now.

Filed Feb 16, 2010 · Transmission · 131,098 miles · PA

Trans shift problem 1st to 2nd shift hard shift started about 3 months ago 2001 ford ranger 4x4 ,started only doing it on cold starts now does it all the time cold or hot have to let off accelerator to get to shift or manually shift from shift lever.overdrive light flashes as soon as it slams into gear ,trans slip. Ford has had on going problems with trans. Been a auto tech for ford for many years its time to have ford look at the on going problems.

Filed Nov 28, 2008 · Transmission · 60,000 miles · VA

Bought 2001 ford ranger in 2005, 18 months later gearbox needed rebuild due to loss of gear selection on auto box. Still the gears sometimes do not engage and the o/d light comes on and gear changes are rough. I believe this is a defect in the transmission from what I have read.

Filed Jun 25, 2008 · Driver assistance, Transmission · 100,000 miles · CA

After loosing the battery (power loss) my 4x4cm (4wd control module) went bad on my 2001 ranger 4x4 truck. This caused my 4wd to not function at all. I had to replace the 4x4cm with a brand new one. Ford has updated the part. The original part number is 1l54-7h417-AC and the new updated part number is 1l5z-7e453-AC.

Filed Feb 4, 2008 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · OR

Loud squealing coming from the front axle: excluder (dust) seals. My local ford dealer has replaced these seals twice already. Now they have went out again. The noise is extremely loud and embarrassing. I have no doubt I'll get a ticket for faulty equipment if an officer hears it. I don't even want to drive it due to the noise. Now that my truck is out of warranty, I fear ford won't fix their defective parts. I have contacted the dealer who replaced them the last time; however they have not returned my call. On a side note: I take meticulous care of my ranger and never abuse it. There is no way a seal like this should go out this many times, and from what I've read there are several people with this problem. Ford needs to fix their defective parts once and for all.

Filed Sep 5, 2007 · Acceleration, Transmission · 65,800 miles · CA

Tl*the contact owns a 2001 ford ranger. After the contacts vehicle was repaired under the speed control recall, the transmission began to fail. While driving between 50 and 55 MPH, the transmission automatically shifts into neutral and the engine revs. The vehicle also shifts into neutral whenever the cruise control is engaged. The vehicle has been to the dealer twice regarding this failure. The dealer stated that the speed control recall repair was not the cause of the transmission failure. They stated that he needed a new transmission, which will cost $1,300. The federal safety agency recall id number for the speed control was unknown. The current mileage was 66,100 and failure mileage was 65,800. Updated 09/25/07

Filed Mar 28, 2007 · Transmission · 72,996 miles · RI

I was driving to work one morning, and the o/d light (over drive light) started to flash on my 2001 ford ranger xlt 4.0 v-6 4x4 truck. I had no idea in what that meant. I drove to work, I called around and that is a trouble condition on the transmission, I said on the tranny it only has 73 thousand miles on it. I was surprised, and the truck is very well kept up. I took it a well know transmission place to have it looked at, and test drove, along with the computer check, and it came back with a reading "incorrect gear ratio on 3". I was like what is that, he said that is ugly. So I took it and got 2 more inquiries, and 1 from a dealership. All the same 3 rd gear trouble. I contacted ford, and spoke to heather, and needless to say she said that it was only my that has the issue with the transmission no one else does. There was a tsb message put out about this trouble in may of 01, so ford knows there is a problem. Its going to now cost me a mim of 1500.00 to a max of 2100.00 to fix this transmission.

Filed Feb 11, 2007 · Transmission · 99,200 miles · OH

I parked my truck thursday night february 8, 2007. I placed the truck in park and removed the keys. When I returned to my truck early the next morning, I discovered that the truck was actually not in park, even thou the keys were out of it, and the shift indicator showed the vehicle being in park. Had the truck been parked on an incline it could rolled away. I found the head of a small screw laying on my floorboard which have broken from the shifter. When I repaired the truck on sunday I discovered a very disturbing situation where the gear selector is attached to the transmission cable. The assembly is held together by a small 6mm screw, which the head I found on the floorboards. This happened at 99k mileage.