Welcome to another tale (case study) from Howard Motor Repairs in Howard, where we blend skill, a touch of humor, and a dash of detective work to get you back on the road. This week, we had quite the intriguing puzzle: a 2015 Ford Ranger with a knack for misbehaving.

The Ranger had racked up 175,000 kilometers and was beginning to show its age in an unexpected way. Picture this: you're cruising down the highway, enjoying your drive, when suddenly, your steering decides it's time for a break. A few lights start dancing on the dashboard, and you're left wondering, What's gone wrong now?

The Ranger's owner promptly brought it to us, and we got to work like detectives on a mystery case. The first clue was a warning light on the dashboard. After scanning for codes, we found a steering angle sensor fault, which pointed us toward the clock spring. But hold on, the plot thickens! Ford informed us that the clock spring part was as elusive as a unicorn—nowhere to be found worldwide.

Determined to solve this case, we spent the afternoon examining the clock spring, but something just didn’t add up. Our past experience whispered a hint: Check the steering rack. We recalled a similar case where the steering rack had failed. With a sense of déjà vu, we dove into the heart of the problem, disassembling the rack to unveil the truth.

And there it was, the smoking gun—the belt to the electric motor had failed. This sneaky culprit explained the whole drama with the steering. We placed an order for a new belt, confident that this would breathe life back into the steering at a fraction of the cost. Ford would have you replace the whole rack for over $3500, not including fitting! But not at Howard Motor Repairs. We prefer solutions that don't break the bank.

This isn’t just a one-off; we're starting to see this type of failure more often. So, as a friendly piece of advice to all you Ford Ranger owners out there, it might be worth considering a proactive replacement of the steering belt every 10 years or 150,000 kilometers.

At Howard Motor Repairs in Howard, we pride ourselves on solving the toughest auto mysteries with ingenuity, expertise, and a truck load of experience. If your vehicle's got an issue, bring it in—there's nothing we love more than a good challenge!