Ford Ranger 2019 Problems

This could be caused by something inside the engine bay rattling or vibrating, but could also be linked to the exhaust system or its heat-shielding doing the same thing. When you hit the accelerator up a hill, the engine and driveline (and exhaust) are suddenly put under a lot of stress which can be passed along any mechanical link or fixture, making things flex or vibrate that don’t normally do so when they aren’t subjected to the same stresses and loads.

When the engine is cold, have a feel around the engine bay to find anything loose or poorly mounted that could contribute to such vibrations. It could be as simple as a poorly located clamp of a loose piece of trunking or internal panelling vibrating against another part. Often these noises will be conveyed into the cabin via the fresh air vents, making them sound even louder.

Just be sure not to confuse a rattle with the normal cacophony of noises a modern turbo-diesel produces as part of operating under load.

Start with the basics. Is the coolant level correct (and the radiator overflow tank intact)? Are the fan belts that drive the water pump tight and not slipping? Is the electric fan turning on? Is the second electric fan turning on with the air conditioning? Are the radiator hoses in good condition and not collapsing when you rev the engine? Are the car’s brakes dragging and causing the engine to work harder than it should? Is the radiator clean and flowing properly? Is the radiator cap holding the correct pressure? Is there a build-up of mud, bugs and grass on the radiator’s surface? All these things can lead to overheating.

If all that checks out, you might have to dig a bit deeper, including a check of whether the water pump is pulling its weight (and not worn internally) whether the thermostat is operating correctly and even a test to see whether the head gasket has failed. Ford’s Ranger engines have also ben known to experience failures of the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve’s cooler which is part of the overall cooling system. The 2.2-litre and 3.2-litre Ranger engines seem more susceptible to this, but it shouldn’t be automatically ruled out on the 2.0-litre engine.

Good news. Instead of a rubber toother timing belt, the engine in your Ranger has a timing chain. While the rubber belt type generally requires periodic replacement, the timing chain in your car should last the life of the engine.

In very early-build examples of the Ranger (from 2011 and 2012) there was a problem with the gearbox output-shaft speed sensor that could cause the transmission to shift back to first gear with a distinct clunk. While it’s generally accepted that this was fixed as time passed, it sounds too much like the same problem to ignore a check of this sensor as part of any investigation.

And guess what? The sensor fault was found to be an intermittent one, just like your experience suggests. I’d have the sensor checked and work from there.

I’ve heard of a couple problems with the ten-speed automatic in these Rangers; problems that could produce the problems you’ve noted.

From what I can gather through the trade, there has been a dealer bulletin regarding failures of and problems with the transmission’s torque converter. Without a functioning torque converter, it’s entirely possible that you could have experienced exactly the symptoms you’ve mentioned. The fact that the computer hasn’t logged a relevant code is a bit of a puzzle, but stranger things have happened. Apparently, there was a manufacturing problem with a batch of transmissions (some of which were sold in Australia) and that problem caused torque-converter failure.

The other problem my insiders have identified involves the front oil pump for the transmission. Again, without this functioning, the transmission lacks the oil pressure it needs to engage and provide drive. Like the torque converters, it seems there was a bad batch of oil pumps made with too much hardening applied to the teeth, which made them brittle and prone to breaking.

I’m tipping the dealership will have a pretty good idea of what’s going on and that it will involve either the oil pump or the torque converter. At least your vehicle is still under factory warranty.

So, going by your description, the engine has only just started before the vehicle rolls downhill to the first intersection. So the engine has only been running for a few seconds, and then only at idle. It’s possible that the transmission pump hasn’t had time to build up enough pressure to fill the accumulators to eliminate any slack in the shifting clutches and bands. Which could, on the odd occasion, produce a clunk when you hit the throttle for the first time on a cold transmission.

Honestly, though, this is a problem you see more in older cars with worn transmissions, and I wouldn’t expect it from a 2019 Ranger.

But let me ask you a question: Is the vehicle lifted on its suspension? Many Ranger owners opt to raise their cars for greater off-road performance, but this changes the angle of the driveshaft and can cause precisely the shudder you’ve described. The fix is to fit a spacer between the car’s body and the centre-bearing of the driveshaft. That corrects the angle of the driveshaft and stops the shudders.

If you can drive other similar Rangers to see if it affects more than yours. If it does it could be a common issue, if it doesn’t it would suggest there is something wrong with yours and you could take it up with Ford, either directly through the customer assistance people or with your dealer. As your car is near new you have good grounds to ask for it to be fixed.

It could well be a sensor problem, but actually pinning it down when it only happens intermittently is difficult and there might not be anything obviously at fault when the dealer checks the car. There’s no simple answer, except to keep on trying to fix it.

Both would be improved, but I wouldn’t necessarily think they would be the same. Talk to an off-road suspension specialist for a more definitive opinion.

Being such a new vehicle it’s unlikely to be a simple service issue, more likely a calibration one. If you are concerned about it have an independent automatic transmission mechanic assess it for you.