Tom

Tom,

Q I own a 2002 Ford Ranger. Recently the engine began pinging under

acceleration. I took it to the dealership and was told by a mechanic that the
pinging was inherent in this model and not to worry about it. Should I be
worried? If it is a problem, how can it be corrected? Can I get it covered
under warranty even though the truck is out of the time and mileage
coverage, and Ford knows about the problem with the pinging?

Jim—Detroit,    Michigan

Jim,

A Ford issued a technical service bulletin for pinging on these trucks back

in 2003. It involved reprogramming the computer with a software update. A
bad mass airflow sensor can also cause this problem if the sensor is out of
range. If your Ranger has a 4.0-liter engine, there have been problems with
the primary timing chain too. The noise with the timing chain slapping
against the timing cover is similar to that of an engine ping and will occur
between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. No, none of this is covered under warranty or
recall since it’s not safety related. Sorry.