What are the potential trouble spots in the new 2019 Ranger?

[Carl]

So far the Ranger is checking all the boxes in terms of our needs. Including good gas mileage, flat towable 4 wheels down behind our diesel motorhome, plenty of power with the 2.3 engine/10 speed trans. Most components seem proven in other vehicles like the 2.3 in the Mustang, 10 speed trans in the F150 and Dana axles. The Sync 3 also has Apple/Android carplay and seems to get good reviews. Price is ok but uncomfortable close to the 2.7 F150

However, as we learned in the beginning of the new 2018 JL Jeep Wrangler history there can be major problems like missed welds, and a poor steering box design that results in major drivability problems for some units (sawing at the wheel and death wobble). What problems might await us on the new Ranger? What about engine issues related to coking of the valves due to no throttle body fuel injection? Or seat comfort issues (like the Tacoma has). Will the small 5' bed in the 4 door Ranger allow loading a full size motorcycle? And the big unknown is ride comfort and highway cruising comfort. The Australian market reviews rates this truck generally superior to the Hilux (except in resale value)....will we see similar success in the US?

Please share your particular concerns on the new Ranger....like the new Jeep Wrangler...it looked great until the first units hit the owners and them the problems began...well documented on YouTube. I have high hopes that this is not the case and my buying decision will come down to first adopter owner reviews.

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[skibuff]

I committed to buying one sight unseen back in September. I'm usually hesitant to be an early adopter for many of the reason you stated above but am some what comforted by the fact that it is heavily based off the global version.

Funny you bring this up I was contemplating starting a thread for predictions as to what the first recall would be.

As far as my concerns:
I lost my last 2 trucks to transmissions so that is always a fear of mine.
I'm a little concerned that they have overworked the small engine and are pushing it a little to hard.
Also a little concerned regarding Carbon Deposit issues with the turbos.

 

[DHMag]

There is a company that has formulated an oil blend specified for the Ecoboost engine series to address the carbon deposit issue and provide more lubricity for other vital components

 

[Crismac]

I'm a little concerned that they have overworked the small engine and are pushing it a little to hard.
Also a little concerned regarding Carbon Deposit issues with the turbos.

These issues can't help creep into your mind. I watched you tubes on the carbon deposit issue years ago. I've seen where it's been stated this has been a non issue from 1st gen engines.

But it is still in my mind.

 

[Beef_Stew]

The way I look at it -
Engine- Has been around since 2015 in multiple vehicles
Body - Has been around since 2012 in one form or another across the world.
Transmission- It has been proving itself in the F150's for awhile now.
I'm digging it and not worried

 

[StAugKid]

I agree with the above. The 10 speed has proven to be awesome, quick and efficient. The 2.3L has been a real monster in the Focus RS and Mustang and the global Ranger has won so many comparison reviews around the world and proven itself in many grueling off road challenges. The combination of all the above along with a bumper to bumper once over with various tweaks and upgrades for the American market should make for an absolute boss of a truck in every measure. I cannot wait for the reviews to come out and the comparison shootouts between the Ranger and the Taco/GM twins/Frontier. I am confident the reliability should be second to none right in the first year since most everything has been proven and just all been put into one package in the Ranger.

 

[EcoRanger]

So far the Ranger is checking all the boxes in terms of our needs. Including good gas mileage, flat towable 4 wheels down behind our diesel motorhome, plenty of power with the 2.3 engine/10 speed trans. Most components seem proven in other vehicles like the 2.3 in the Mustang, 10 speed trans in the F150 and Dana axles. The Sync 3 also has Apple/Android carplay and seems to get good reviews. Price is ok but uncomfortable close to the 2.7 F150

However, as we learned in the beginning of the new 2018 JL Jeep Wrangler history there can be major problems like missed welds, and a poor steering box design that results in major drivability problems for some units (sawing at the wheel and death wobble). What problems might await us on the new Ranger? What about engine issues related to coking of the valves due to no throttle body fuel injection? Or seat comfort issues (like the Tacoma has). Will the small 5' bed in the 4 door Ranger allow loading a full size motorcycle? And the big unknown is ride comfort and highway cruising comfort. The Australian market reviews rates this truck generally superior to the Hilux (except in resale value)....will we see similar success in the US?

Please share your particular concerns on the new Ranger....like the new Jeep Wrangler...it looked great until the first units hit the owners and them the problems began...well documented on YouTube. I have high hopes that this is not the case and my buying decision will come down to first adopter owner reviews.

Jeep wrangler is a Chrysler product and Chrysler products are well known for piss pour build and major electrical problems merging with Fiat also well known for pour quality things just got worse. It's only the Jeep name that keeps sales going and people who don't research their car before they buy. Sure Ford has there problems but I think Ford cars and trucks are the best out there and I have a great dealer who has always bent over backwards to fix any issues that has popped up even getting my wife's new Edge replaced because of the water leak problem. As far as the Ranger goes the 2.3 is a great engine I have it in my Mustang and the 10 spd auto has proven its a winner I have now worries buying a new Ranger.

 

[FordBlueHeart]

All manufacturers have issues. All dealerships have service and parts departments. All of them are busy.

I'm not sure what the growing pains of the Ranger are going to be, but I surmise it will focus around the implementation of the 2.3l EcoBoost as a "truck" motor and how owners will "tune/modify" it to their preferred usage.

I believe that the Explorer has this same powertrain, but those owners typically are not going to customize to the same level as a Ranger Owner.

I'm not aware of the Explorer GVWR, but I assume the Ranger will be used more aggressively in comparison.

 

[WXman]

My only concern going into a Ford product right now would be the EcoBoost engine. They earned the nickname "EcoBust" for a few reasons, the most serious of which is the poor track record those engines have for reliability and longevity. I've seen a lot of trouble with them myself, but I have a friend who has first hand knowledge since he's a Ford technician with 20 years on the job so he's more up on it than I am. He got a new F-150 this past summer and I asked him if he got the EcoBoost. His reply: "He11 no." He said he sees those engines more than anything else by a long shot in the service dept.

As far as the Jeep JL Wrangler goes, I have been driving one of those this year. It was a somewhat early build (2-1-18). I got it in mid April. In June the steering issue was resolved with a simple software flash. And this month (November - 8,300 miles) it's been in the shop with Electronic Start/Stop system not working. Some people would consider that a blessing. Otherwise it's been flawless.

I've had Ford, GM, FCA (Dodge and Jeep), Toyota, Nissan, and BMW products in my driveway for the last 15 years. By FAR the ones with the least issues have been the FCA products. It's not even close. I'm not sure where their poor reputation comes from. They build the best domestic vehicles, with the longest warranties, and have the fastest sales growth of any brands in the U.S. to show for it.

 

[Stic-o]

As far as my concerns:
Also a little concerned regarding Carbon Deposit issues with the turbos.

This is my biggest issue. I love the Ecoboost, but my '15 focus st had the check engine light on for about 90% of it's life, due to this. Ford said they could not do anything, and the only way I found to getting rid of it was to be hard on it here and there to burn everything off. Kinda throws your gas mileage out the window. But my biggest fear was what happens when I have to smog it down the road. I end up with a paper weight. Fun car though.

 

[LBOWMAN]

There is a company that has formulated an oil blend specified for the Ecoboost engine series to address the carbon deposit issue and provide more lubricity for other vital components

Where do you get eco boost oil

 

[DHMag]

https://www.turnology.com/tech-stor...specific-oil-could-save-your-ecoboost-engine/

 

[FordBlueHeart]

My only concern going into a Ford product right now would be the EcoBoost engine. They earned the nickname "EcoBust" for a few reasons, the most serious of which is the poor track record those engines have for reliability and longevity. I've seen a lot of trouble with them myself, but I have a friend who has first hand knowledge since he's a Ford technician with 20 years on the job so he's more up on it than I am. He got a new F-150 this past summer and I asked him if he got the EcoBoost. His reply: "He11 no." He said he sees those engines more than anything else by a long shot in the service dept.

As far as the Jeep JL Wrangler goes, I have been driving one of those this year. It was a somewhat early build (2-1-18). I got it in mid April. In June the steering issue was resolved with a simple software flash. And this month (November - 8,300 miles) it's been in the shop with Electronic Start/Stop system not working. Some people would consider that a blessing. Otherwise it's been flawless.

I've had Ford, GM, FCA (Dodge and Jeep), Toyota, Nissan, and BMW products in my driveway for the last 15 years. By FAR the ones with the least issues have been the FCA products. It's not even close. I'm not sure where their poor reputation comes from. They build the best domestic vehicles, with the longest warranties, and have the fastest sales growth of any brands in the U.S. to show for it.

Keep drinking the Fiat kool-aid. They are still rated the poorest in quality. I'm not saying that as a "Ford fan boy" either.
My wife and I have a Patriot and have had an Escape as well as an Edge. Every single one has it's faults.

Working in the automotive industry for the last two decades, it amazes me how opinionated technicians can be w/o a clue about how ignorant they are. Knowledge is power. As technicians, they don't get paid to figure out new solutions to problems. They get paid to turn hours. If they don't understand certain things, it can't be "their fault. " It has to be the vehicles....

 

[WXman]

Keep drinking the Fiat kool-aid. They are still rated the poorest in quality. I'm not saying that as a "Ford fan boy" either.
My wife and I have a Patriot and have had an Escape as well as an Edge. Every single one has it's faults.

Working in the automotive industry for the last two decades, it amazes me how opinionated technicians can be w/o a clue about how ignorant they are. Knowledge is power. As technicians, they don't get paid to figure out new solutions to problems. They get paid to turn hours. If they don't understand certain things, it can't be "their fault. " It has to be the vehicles....

I would prefer that the technicians never saw my vehicle to begin with.

So, when a trusted friend and senior tech who also is avid in the racing community tells me that EcoBoost equipped trucks show up at the shop far more frequently than N/A powered trucks do, that says all I need to know.

 

[uthunter]

I would prefer that the technicians never saw my vehicle to begin with.

So, when a trusted friend and senior tech who also is avid in the racing community tells me that EcoBoost equipped trucks show up at the shop far more frequently than N/A powered trucks do, that says all I need to know.

Hmmm. A trusted friend of mine and owner of several large mechanics shops drives an F-150 Ecoboost because he says he sees them far less than other trucks. He had a new mechanic start there that was a Chevy guy and my friend told him to wait a few months and then they'd talk. The new mechanic later admitted that they see far more Chevy's than other trucks. I guess the "my friend said so" isn't that good of a metric.

The thing about these discussions is that you can hear anything you want if you talk to the right person. We all suffer from choice-supportive bias (fyi... the tendency to retroactively ascribe positive attributes to an option one has selected).

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