Table 1 shows one common parking brake related problems of the 2003 Ford Ranger.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Parking Brake problems |
1. No warning or event. 2. Parking brake cable sheared off by leaf spring. Happened when truck was loaded with 700 lbs in bed of truck ( within rated capacity ). Resulting in loss of parking brakes and possible runaway vehicle. 3. Replaced broken cable but failure will happen again unless the cable guide is modified to prevent the spring from chopping into the cable ( needs raised an inch ).
When releasing the parking brake during wet conditions the linings stick to the drums, this is especially a problem in the winter months as they will freeze. This also causes the brakes to be extremely sensitive during the first 5 miles (approx) of braking. When the vehicle service brakes are applied the rear wheel grab hard and the abs tries to release them and can't. I have had two faults on the abs due to this. This is not a one time thing this happens so frequently that during wet/freezing conditions I actually use a 4x4 wood block to hold the vehicle in place. .
The windshield wipers failed and when the brakes were applied, the vehicle failed to stop properly and acted as if the brakes were manual, the brakes had to be pumped before the truck stopped. The vehicle was in the shop previously because the emergency brake failed to release.