Could the dreaded death wobble return on the new Ranger. Trying to fix before forced to recall (hence new name). Another launch swing and a miss.
Production and deliveries of the next generation Ford Ranger are well underway, with the new mid-size pickup already reaching the shores of multiple countries around the globe as it will eventually be exported to 40 of them. That list includes Australia, where the next generation Ford Ranger has faced some teething issues – namely, a small number of V6-equipped pickups were vibrating at speeds between 40-80 kilometers-per-hour. Ford Australia reached out to affected customers to rectify this issue, and now, it has apparently been mostly resolved, according to Drive.
“We have had some Rangers that have exhibited some harshness or vibrations at certain times when driving,” said Ford Australia boss Andrew Birkic. “So as part of the pre-delivery process, dealers will do a road test and work with the customer if any issues are identified. If the driveshaft needs to be repaired or replaced, then we will do that. Our (focus) right now needs to be on identifying the issues and, if we do have an issue with a vehicle, we need to address it as soon as possible and as appropriately as possible. We’re really thankful to customers for not only their patience, but their investment in the Ford brand and in the new Ranger. Quality has been an absolutely number one priority for us, and is one of the key drivers of our business both in Australia and globally.”
In addition to vibration issues, several hundred next-gen Ranger customers experienced a few other issues related to the truck’s zone lighting and infotainment screens, after which Ford instructed dealers to complete a more thorough pre-delivery inspection. Now, the automaker notes that it has addressed most of these issues and escalated all customer concerns to its production facilities to prevent them from happening in the first place.
The rollout of the next-gen Ford Ranger will continue soon in Europe, where order banks for the Wildtrak and Limited trims just opened up this week. Deliveries of the Ranger Raptor and Everest SUV will commence in Australia this month, while both the Ranger and Ranger Raptor are set to launch in the U.S. in 2023.