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If there's one thing that Aussie tradies are spoiled for, it's choice.
With the number of big, ladder-framed light commercial utes on offer, it's difficult for any single truck to rise to the top. One truck has done it, however; bigger and bolder than ever before, the Ford Ranger's popularity has escalated to the point that it's stealing the thunder of the previously unassailable Toyota HiLux. The Ranger name has only been used in Australia since 2006, but that doesn't mean that Ford is new to the party. Ford Ranger is really just a new name for the Ford Courier, a nameplate that was used in Australia since 1979.
Available in a range of sizes and body styles and priced from $36,880 for the Ranger XL 2.0 HI-Rider (4X2) up to $90,440 for the Ranger Raptor 3.0 (4X4), the Ranger can serve as anything from a small, 4x2 single cab to extra and dual cab 4x4 utes with a choice of diesel engines and pickup and cab chassis trays.
The accessories in a Ford Ranger vary greatly based on which variant is in question, for example lower variants get fairly basic fittings. Key inclusions are a 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen, manual air-conditioning, cloth seats and the same digital driver display as the rest of the range.
Middle-level variants like the XLT score additions like dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The Sport gains power adjustable seats upholstered in leather, wireless charging, and more visual design additions, though the Wildtrak scores even more trim additions and things like ambient lighting, heated seats, and a larger 12.0-inch touchscreen.
The Platinum variant comes with all the bells and whistles, scoring extra additions like a 10-speaker sound system, while the Raptor is similarly lifestyle-focused.
The Ford Ranger is available in Arctic White at no cost, or optionally Meteor Grey, Aluminium, Blue Lightning, Luxe Yellow, Shadow Black, Equinox Bronze, Command Grey and Code Orange. Colour availability depends on the variant chosen.
The symptoms here point to a stuck flasher relay. This is the electrical component that not only powers the indicator lights, but makes them flash (and produces the steady clicking sound you hear when the indicators are on). The contacts in these units can become stuck at which point the lights can become stuck on.
Why does it still happen when the ignition is off? Because the flasher relay is powered up even when the ignition is not. That’s so you can have the emergency hazard-warning lights flashing even though the vehicle is locked and the keys in your pocket. A new flasher relay unit should fix it.
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There was a recall for a batch of manual-transmission Rangers built between 2015 and 2016 which had a poorly installed clip on the gearshift cable on the production line. Your car is from an earlier batch, but it’s not inconceivable that the problem is the same one.
The cable clip in question could allow the cable that operates the gear changes to make contact with the car’s driveshaft. At that point, gear-changing could become difficult or even impossible, which sounds pretty much like your symptoms. Check with a Ford dealer to see if your vehicle was covered by this recall.
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Some Ford Ranger owners have reported that the hoses that carry coolant to the engine’s EGR valve have failed, allowing coolant to escape. This is one of the more common ways for this engine to lose coolant.
The problem with no warning showing up on the dashboard has more to do with physics. The warning light is triggered by the temperature of the coolant it’s submerged in. If the engine loses enough coolant, the sensor is suddenly not contacting the hot water and it ceases to give a reading or, therefore, trigger a warning. This is not a Ford Ranger thing, but a common problem faced by car owners over many decades.
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There are a few engine options available in the Ford Ranger, depending on which trim level you select.
The XL can be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder single turbo-diesel, which has power and torque figures at 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm between 1750-2500rpm, sent to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
Most variants can be had with a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel with 10-speed automatic - this engine makes 154kW at 3750rpm and 500Nm between 1750-2000rpm.
Higher specifications can be fitted with a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, with outputs of 184kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm at 1750-2250rpm and the same 10-speed automatic.
Finally, the Raptor’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-petrol engine makes 292kW at 5650rpm and 583Nm at 3500rpm.
The Ford Ranger’s interior feels well-appointed and at times more SUV-like than you’d expect from a dual-cab ute.
The seats and ergonomics are comfortable and sensible, and the materials even in low-to-mid-range variants feel like decent quality. The layout of the Ranger’s interior is much like you’d expect from even a relatively premium car, with a large portrait-oriented touchscreen and a digital driver display.
In full dual-cab versions, the Ranger’s rear seat is spacious enough for three adults to be comfortable on a short trip.
The Ford Ranger is a ute with multiple seating layouts, but the most popular is the standard five-seat traditional layout of two front and three second-row seats.
There's storage under the second row of seats in this layout.
Buyers can also opt for a single cab body style which has only two seats, or a super cab body style that seats four - two in each row.
While Ford Rangers come with different engines and weights that can affect fuel consumption, the claimed figures for most variants fall between 7.2L/100km and 8.4L/100km, meaning the 80-litre diesel fuel tank should last for a hypothetical 950km to 1100km.
In the real world, this is likely to be much lower, though the top-spec performance-focused Raptor has a claimed 11.5L/100km consumption figure and the same-sized 80-litre tank. Expect to achieve much less than the hypothetical 695km maximum range.
Ranger now comes with a box step for smaller-statured people reach things more easily in the tub.
Moving to the back, the tailgate retains its lift assist, and opens up to reveal a cargo area capable of taking a Euro palette for the first time. And there are now new box caps to help protect the fresh metalwork.
There are other innovations, such as a bedliner with moulded slots to help keep items in place, a 12V outlet, illumination under the box caps, load bearing aluminium side bars to secure items to, latching points on the box caps for accessories like canopies and cross bars, and external tie-down rails with sliding cleats for odd-shaped items.
Plus, there’s zone lighting available on higher-grade models, using the many LEDs around the vehicle for useful nighttime illumination operable remotely via the FordPass app.
Even the tailgate is a workbench, with two clamp pockets to secure project materials and a built-in ruler for convenient measuring.
Additionally, there’s a powered roller shutter for added security that's standard on Wildtrak and optional on other grades.
Finally, all Rangers offer a maximum towing capability of 3500kg. Payloads vary from 934kg to 1441kg, depending on model and grade.
While the Ranger’s acceleration is hardly the focus for most, a four-cylinder Ranger should be able to hit 100km/h in under ten seconds in good conditions.
V6-powered Rangers should be a bit quicker, around 8 seconds, though the Raptor’s powerful twin-turbo petrol V6 means it shouldn’t take much more than six seconds to hit the tonne.