NSW Police ground Ford Rangers

[SVTVNM]

NSW Police has grounded its fleet of more than 200 Ford Ranger utes -- which represent about one quarter of all general duties cars in the state -- even though there is no official recall on the vehicle.

The Ranger has been sidelined at the request of the Police Association pending an investigation into a spate of roll-overs involving the Ford Ranger in recent weeks.

Questions have been raised over the Ranger's suitability as a police vehicle. No Rangers bought or driven by members of the public are affected by the police action.

A bulletin from the Police Association issued this week (August 4) read: "Ford Ranger -- Advice to Cease Use. The executive of the police association advises all members to immediately cease the use of all Ford Ranger vehicles pending a satisfactory resolution of the inherent risks currently identified."

The NSW Police Vehicle Standards Committee is due to meet today (Friday) to discuss the future of the Ford Rangers, which are front-line vehicles typically driven by general duties police.

Under NSW Police guidelines they are not allowed to be used in pursuits or in urgent duty driving and yet a number of vehicles have been involved in roll-overs in the past few years, with a spate in the past month.

The Ford Ranger replaced the Holden Rodeo on the NSW Police fleet about three years ago after the Rodeo had been involved in a high number of roll-over crashes.

The most recent accident with a Police Ford Ranger happened on the weekend, with an officer trapped for a short time when it rolled while turning.

At the centre of the issue is the plastic prisoner module that is fitted to the rear of NSW Police Ford Rangers.

The modules, estimated to cost $25,000 each, more than half the value of the utes they are fitted to, are made by Varley, a Newcastle-based engineering firm that also makes fire trucks and fits out ambulances -- in addition to providing modules for the Army's new Mercedes-Benz G-Wagens.

There is some concern that these modules cause an imbalance to the vehicle -- however they replaced heavier steel cages to improve stability.

Because NSW Police have acquired about 250 of these modules over the past six years the department continues to buy utilities that are typically tool-of-trade vehicles, rather than replace them with newer vehicles with more safety features.

Unfortunately the modules do not fit the utility with the most safety features -- the Mitsubishi Triton -- which is available with six airbags, stability control and, to date, is the only vehicle of its type with a 4WD system that can be driven on tarmac for added stability and grip. The Mitsubishi Triton also gets a four star safety rating from ANCAP compared with the Ford Ranger's three-star rating.

The Ranger is due to be replaced in 18 months by an all-new model being developed by Ford Australia. Although the Ranger had a facelift in 2007 and then another in 2009, its underpinnings and chassis date back more than 10 years when the vehicle was called a Ford Courier and it had a two-star ANCAP rating.

The Association has asked that utilities be phased out and replaced with caged sedans and vans -- such as the Volkswagen Transporter and Hyundai iLoad -- which are more suited to police work, have more safety features and have a wider, more stable footprint than the narrow-bodied Ranger.

NSW Police have introduced a small number of VW and Hyundai vans, but they are very much in the minority.
http://ninemsn.carpoint.com.au/news/...-rangers-21126


The NSW Shadow Police Minister Mike Gallacher told a Sydney newspaper: "If there is some anecdotal evidence that the vehicles are prone to roll over then this needs to be resolved as soon as possible, not just for NSW police but for all state jurisdictions that utilise these vehicles."

Ford Rangers were spotted parked out the front of police stations across Sydney yesterday (pictured).

The spokeswoman for Ford Australia, Sinead McAlary said: "All our investigations show there is nothing wrong with the vehicle and customers should not be alarmed. The Ranger meets all Ford safety and handling requirements. We are working with NSW Police to assist them with investigating the vehicles and what if anything can be done to improve the situation. We have two vehicles at our proving ground being assessed."

[Road_Warrior]

Ok, so they had roll over problems with their last dual cab ute, and are having roll over problems with their current dual cab ute. Somehow, I don't think it is the ute at fault here...

[cheek]

This reminds me of Sam Newman on the footy show last night.... Oh really?
Of course if they drive the rangers and rodeos like SS's and XR8 they're gonna roll!

[FPV+fteT3]

You can roll anything if you try hard enough. I have seen plenty of these boxes on wheels being thrashed to within an inch of their lives. Accidents will happen they are not performance vehicles they are utes with high, wide bodies fitted not specifically designed for the vehicle just adapted from a basic design I would bet they have no suspension mods to help with the handling when being pushed. NSW police you get what you pay for, if they are not safe drive them at the speed limit and they will probably stay upright.

[irlewy86]

Yeah its a paddy wagon. Not hard to connect the dots as to why they're having rollover issues.

[Feathers]

Common sense would tell you they aren't suitable for code red situations and pursuits. It's not what they were intended for.

[Stoney!]

I would have though the plastic 'box' bought out with the rangers would have seen them being a lot more stable than the rodeo. Clearly the chassis Dynamics aren't as good.

Stoney!

[Brazen]

what an atrocious and piece of crap vehicle these utes are. How the hell do vehicles like this can sell in 2010 for 40k is beyond me. And the tritons are no better, tritons have rolled in many low speed turns as well. Just a rubbish segment of the new car market. Whoever approved these kind of utes for general police work has rocks in their head.

I drive a lot of these dual cab utes for work, and I honestly think you'd be better off spending 20 k on a chinese one.

[GS608]

Never understood why they needed FOUR WHEEL DRIVE Rangers and Rodeos in the City? Up here they use the 4x4 Hilux and haven't heard of any rolling over.

Why not use Commodore/Falcon utes like they do in Victoria?

[Redrum]

No surprise there. They only had to consult the Monash Accident Research Centre who did a study after the double fatal involving a Commodore Divisional van in Northcote and would have seen vehicles tested such as the Rodeo (similar to Ranger) were something like a 70% risk factor where a Ford Divisional van at the time of the study was only a 20%.

http://www.monash.edu/muarc/reports/muarc184.pdf

[Raptor]

Ford can't release the replacement Ranger (T6), which has FOA developed dynamics, soon enough. Why it has taken as long as it has is beyond me.

Maybe these one rolling over are being driven at the speed limit rather than to suit the conditions and the vehicle.

Driving at exactly the speed limits always safe though, right.
Just like driving above the speed limits always dangerous [/sarcasm]

[ebxr8240]

I also drive a Rodeo .. They are NOT designed for the work and weight distribution they have over the back wheels..
They should adopt what the RTA keep telling us...
There's NO such thing as safe speed !!!
Sheesh they have cart rear springs on rear suspension !!!

I also wear a blue uniform.. But if we rolled our vehicles ???
I highly doubt our vehicles would be checked into !!!

[LightningStrike]

Yep, one of the accidents which prompted this happened not to far from me in Warrawong NSW. General duties officers were responding to an ATM alarm at the Westfield shopping centre, took the left turn into the driveway a little too hard, too fast and tipped the Ranger over. Shook the occupants up, but no injury that I know of.

My suggestion?

Hog tie the crims and use a modified AWD territory!
Handling problems solved - although I am sure you could still roll it if you really want to!

(Sure, the third trow seats aren't too comfortable, particularly when you are bound up with cable ties, but maybe they should have thought of that before they committed the crime!)

[Road_Warrior]

In WA, they were almost exclusively using these:



Ignore the Mitsubishi van. They had a module designed for the backs of the Falcon utes when the AU came out and they simply unbolted it from the old utes to the new ones. Still a rollover threat, but much lower centre of gravity. Now they seem to be moving towards 4x2 dual cab Hiluxes with those plastic modules on the back.

[Airmon]

Downhill slope, followed by shard right hander, i think that'd be a tough call in an XR, thats what happened to this 'deo.

I've seen 2 rangers that have been rolled down with the other police cars at the car depot. For this area at least. The VW Vans they get around in seem like a better idea.

[Dave3911]

The centre of gravity in the Vic Police vans is much lower, and development was as a direct result of the Northcote Van crash already referenced.

Pic Here: http://www.auspolcars.info/index.php...s_crewmanct_03

That is the old model, based on the VZ crewman. As there is no VE crewman, the current model is based off a VE Omega ute. Cant find a pic, but the pod on the rear is basically the same.

Even with the pod on the back, these vehicles have been tested by Vic Police as "Silver" class and can be used for urgent duty driving and pursuits. Which, is the same class that a standard police sedan (IE. non SS, XR8 or XR6T) gets.

Not sure why other states still **** fart around with 4x4 utes with oversized pods on the back..... I know having the 4-door capability means they can transport victims and witnesses around too.... but Victoria seems to manage, even now that the crewman isnt available.

[Ghiadude]

Originally Posted by Stoney!

I would have though the plastic 'box' bought out with the rangers would have seen them being a lot more stable than the rodeo. Clearly the chassis Dynamics aren't as good.

Stoney!

Did you read the bit where it said the rodeos rolled as well? Its the after market generic plastic box and not driving to the conditions that is causing the issue - not the trucks.

[mrbaxr6t]

you send any high wheelbase vehicle into an offcamber corner its not going to go well, anybody who has ever driven a 4X4 in the bush knows this offcamber == puckering if they want to use these cars then maybe they should remove offcamber corners from the roads.

[Ghiadude]

I think a territory with a cage would be better than the plastic box thingy...handle better and safer for sure.

[TURBOTAXI]

So based on the last roll over that happened at 32km/h on the entrance to a shopping centre should ALL Ranger owners with similar weight on the back need to be careful? Does anyone know who sits on the panel that selects vehicles? I do, and people in glass houses etc. etc....

[MO]

Maybe they should go back to the old F100 that they used years ago.

[Brazen]

Originally Posted by MO

Maybe they should go back to the old F100 that they used years ago.

cant be any worse than what they use at the moment. They are using 3 star safety utes when most passenger cars are 4 or 5, combine that with rubbish steering, crap drum brakes, crap suspension, tall centre of gravity, rubbish grip, no electronic aids. It shocks me that a first world country would use vehicles like this as an urgent response police vehicle.

[MO]

Probably got a lot to do with saving the almighty dollar.

[mik]

its not rocket science, you add weight to the wrong area of any vehicle then drive it like a sports car ............its gonna fall over, as MO said, they`d be better off with an f series with dual wheels, but no doubt you could roll that too if you tried.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Brazen

cant be any worse than what they use at the moment. They are using 3 star safety utes when most passenger cars are 4 or 5, combine that with rubbish steering, crap drum brakes, crap suspension, tall centre of gravity, rubbish grip, no electronic aids. It shocks me that a first world country would use vehicles like this as an urgent response police vehicle.

i`d say its less about the fault of the vehicle and more about a poorly chosen vehicle for application, the other thing thats a worry is that if people expect electronic aids to save them rather than drive within the limits of the vehicle and load, until they learn that we are going to see a lot more roll overs.

[naddis01]

Why not just use sedans with a barrier like the do in the US? Surely a sedan would be more suited to getting to an emergency in a hurry than a commercial vehicle. It's a wonder Holden aren't pushing their Stato police car to the Aussie police.

[GS608]

Originally Posted by naddis01

Why not just use sedans with a barrier like the do in the US? Surely a sedan would be more suited to getting to an emergency in a hurry than a commercial vehicle. It's a wonder Holden aren't pushing their Stato police car to the Aussie police.

Because the paddy wagons or whatever they call them can fit 4 officers in the cab and a 3 or 4? crooks in the back, pretty cost effective compared to a sedan that can carry a max of 2 officers and 2 crooks

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by MO

Probably got a lot to do with saving the almighty dollar.

obviously. Maybe they should buy better quality ones and extend the service life of the vehicles to compensate.

[SteveJH]

When was this decision made, because I swear I was following a NSW Police Paddy Wagon this morning.

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by naddis01

Why not just use sedans with a barrier like the do in the US? Surely a sedan would be more suited to getting to an emergency in a hurry than a commercial vehicle. It's a wonder Holden aren't pushing their Stato police car to the Aussie police.

Probably because they'd want to supply it with leather interior and dual zone climate control for $60,000?