Five problems related to manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe have been reported for the 1998 Ford Ranger. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
The contact owns a 1998 Ford Ranger. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle began to shutter rapidly and the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. He drove approximately eight minutes to a local dealer and they stated that the cam shaft sensor became loose. The dealer tightened the clapping screw on the shaft sensor as a temporary repair. They also stated that the intake manifold needed to be replaced. The vehicle has not yet been completely repaired. The contact was informed that there was a service bulletin for his vehicle (item number 10000592). He filed a complaint with the manufacturer. The current and failure mileages were 60,300. Updated 04-09-08 the consumer stated there was a loose cam shaft sensor.
Carbon monoxide leakage into cab of 1998 Ford Ranger caused severe sleepiness while driving to and from work and while at home. Each day for about a month I was experiencing dizziness, sleepiness and nausea. I had a small accident when I feel asleep while stopping for a red traffic light and ran into the back of another vehicle. I reported my dizziness and sleepiness to my supervisor who notified our medical department and they sent me home. I had a medical stress test performed; it was ok', a sleep study performed and the cardiologist increased my dosage of a beta blocker. I was finally released to return to work two months later. I had taken my vehicle to my local Ford dealer shortly after I was sent home and they reported there was no CO leaking into my cab. I tried discussing my problem with the Ford motor company's customer service department a couple of times, but they said the service technician could find nothing wrong and that's all they could do for the carbon monoxide was entering into my cab from the exhaust of other vehicles on the road. I finally found and bought a digital carbon monoxide detector which would read any level of CO detected. The first day I drove to work it indicated 18 ppm CO poison and another 16 ppm CO poison on the drive home after work which totaled around 34 ppm per day for over a month. I immediately went to my doctor and requested a blood gas test which indicated a high level of CO in my blood. It was confirmed by the pulmonary doctor that the sleepiness was caused by CO poisoning entering the cab of my truck. My truck is now parked in my drive way and has not been driven for over three months.
On starting engine hesitated ,almost stalled then raced with high rpm,while huge amounts of white thick smoke and heavy gasoline smell present. Truck stalled. Restarted same problem with the addition of a large black cloud of smoke from tail pipe on pushing accelerator. Throttle sticks causing surging. Dealer replaced throttle valve. Probelm persists. Brakes make grinding noise when applied,dealer could not replicate after 4 visits they finally ackowledge problem and had to do a complete brake job. Brakes are hard now and it appears that the anti locks do not engage. Rear slider leaks water into extra cab when it rains. Vibration heard from ex haust area,had to have the heat shield tightened. Noise has returned. /.
Due to design flaw, oil filter is located under manifold. While removing oil filter, the owner had his hand burnt by hot manifold. Yh.
The design of the filter is located under the hot manifold and below that filter is the hot solenoid and starter wires, consumer was injured/burned when changing filter, filter caught on fire when consumer dropped filter from being burned. Mjs.