This problem started as a slight squeal that I thought was a worn belt. I replaced the belt, and the sound changed to a chirping noise that became constant. I tried replacing the belt tensioner, and the sound pretty much had disappeared. Two days later, the truck just stalled in the middle of traffic and would not re-start. Had it towed to a shop (where I was able to diagnose the problem for them, thanks to carcomplaints.com). The rubber seal around the harmonic balancer (crankshaft pulley) had separated and been pushed back into the engine. It also wore on the crankshaft sensor to the point of requiring it's replacement too. $435 later (was quoted twice that from the ford dealer) and the mechanic is telling me that these are re-designed parts from Ford, obviously because the originals had a problem. I would love to see reimbursement from ford, but I know it will never happen.

Was on a short routine errand , home to Home Depot and back, about 14 miles each way. Starting hearing a slight whine like an alternator or idler pully going out. Half way home heard a thump, bang , thud. Whine stopped. Everything still worked. No alternator light. Didn't start to heat up. Steering working OK. Was about 9 in the evening. Decided to wait till morning to look at it just in case it was a big snake that had crawled in the engine compartment and got ground up.

Inspection next morning revealed the crankshaft pully totally separated where the rubber joins the outer and inner metal parts.

Ford dealer charged me about $190 for the part. Said they were on backorder [3 weeks] I plan to install it tomorrow myself. Read Haynes manual but it is not exactly clear because the Haynes manual example does not have the crankshaft position sensor.

Nevertheless, its probably a 3 or 4 hour job.

Over the years I've probably owned 60 or 65 vehicles and never had a crankshft pully just disintegrate for no reason. The Ranger has never been abused. I told the dealership that a failure like this should be repaired free of charge.Its not the expense and labor, its the principle. Ford should be held "feet to the fire" to fix their screw-ups. The response of the dealership was simply to shrug their shoulders.

When I bought my new Toyota Camry last fall, I gave my old 1996 Camry to my son. The 1996 Camry's total maintenance requirement, other than routine oil changes, tires, and brakes, has been 2 timming belts, a power steering pump and the rack and pinion, all of which my son and I did. The 1996 Camry now has 280,000 miles. Right now I own several Fords, an E 350, an F350 diesel , the Ranger and even a 1972 LTD. So I don't like to badmouth Ford, but, the reliability and durability of Toyota speaks for itself.