An Australian driver is challenging a major car manufacturer, Ford, after allegedly encountering numerous issues with a Ford Ranger he purchased for nearly $85,000.
Matthew Patruno, a father from Sydney, is demanding a refund from Ford Motor Company, taking his grievances to the courtroom to resolve the matter.
Patruno asserts that the vehicle has been experiencing power failures, which nearly led to an accident, along with persistent oil problems, necessitating three services within just ten months.
In 2024, Patruno brought Ford and the dealership to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal; however, his initial claim was dismissed by June 2025.
Undeterred, Patruno appealed the decision, and on January 9 of this year, the tribunal agreed to revisit the case, scheduling a new hearing for a future date.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Patruno revealed that the issues with his ex-demo model began shortly after he acquired the 2022 Ford Ranger Raptor 2.0L Bi-Turbo diesel in January 2023.
He claimed the vehicle, which only had 4,000km on the clock, needed a service after only a few months, but the mechanics ‘couldn’t figure out what the issue was’.
‘Eventually I said “enough is enough”, it’s a new car and I had to get it serviced three times in ten months, that’s excessive for a new car,’ Mr Patruno said.
Sydney father Matthew Patruno (above) has demanded Ford Motor Company refund him the almost $85,000 he spent on a Ford Ranger
He lodged a formal complaint after a close shave while driving.
‘I was in peak-hour traffic and the Ranger suddenly lost power, the car behind, it was only doing 60kmh, almost crashed into me, I almost got cleaned up,’ he claimed.
He eventually lodged a claim with NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal’s consumer and commercial division in November 2024.
He sued Ford Motor Company and the dealership to refund him the $84,980 it cost to buy the Ranger.
Mr Patruno alleged his vehicle was defective due to a ‘persistent oil degradation issue’ which caused the vehicle to lose power ‘without warning’ while towing.
A report submitted to the tribunal indicated the oil had degraded two per cent on a 25km drive with ‘no towing or idling and in normal conditions’.
He argued the report demonstrated the ‘oil degradation is showing a symptom of an inherent fault in the vehicle’.
However, the tribunal found in favour of Ford and the dealership and dismissed Mr Patruno’s claim in June last year.
Mr Patruno’s ‘defective’ Ford Ranger
The tribunal found there was no vehicle defect because Mr Patruno had driven the Ranger in Sydney traffic, which were considered ‘severe conditions’.
Ford submitted the Ranger’s Intelligent Oil Life Monitoring (IOLM) system is ‘designed to increase services’ in Sydney’s ‘severe’ conditions and there was no defect.
Mr Patruno appealed the tribunal’s decision, citing the ‘decision was not fair and equitable’ and ‘against the weight of evidence’.
He also submitted ‘new evidence had arisen that was not reasonably available at the time of the tribunal hearing’.
The Civil and Administrative Tribunal appeal panel heard new evidence – an expert report by Car Solutions commissioned in August last year that found the Ranger fault ‘still exists’.
‘The condition of the vehicle as of August 2025 was not reasonably available at the time of the hearing,’ the appeal panel found.
‘Therefore, we admit the expert report by Car Solutions into evidence as significant new evidence not reasonably available at the time of the primary hearing.’
Mr Patruno told the Daily Mail two appeal panel members submitted that Ford should advise consumers who purchase Rangers to drive in Sydney should be aware the vehicle’s performance may suffer due to the ‘severe driving conditions’.
Ranger Raptors are advertised as vehicles which can drive well off-road
‘You would think a vehicle, especially a Ranger, would be able to handle driving in metropolitan centres,’ Mr Patruno said.
‘An engineer said it was “unfit for purpose” and I just drive it minimally around Sydney, it has only done 50,000km in three years.
‘It barely goes off-road, the car is not abused. I spent $85,000 on the stupid car.’
The appeal panel also found the initial tribunal was ‘silent’ on Mr Patruno’s other submission the Ranger was ‘unfit for purpose’ due to the ‘very act of the increased frequency of the required services’.
Mr Patruno submitted the Ranger was purchased for interstate trips to Fraser Island, Moreton Bay and Cape York.
He said the Ranger would ‘require at least two services’ to make it through such a trip.
The appeal panel highlighted a submission by Mr Patruno the initial tribunal member ‘did not consider the EPA study indicating the average idle time of vehicles in NSW which was substantially higher than what[Ford] indicated was severe conditions for idling time’.
‘Honestly I don’t drive it much, I can’t drive to Mudgee, I can’t drive to Queensland, I traded in a Range Rover Velar, that was perfect, we swapped to meet our family’s needs, we wanted to do travel, adventure, but it’s been a nightmare,’ Mr Patruno said.
‘I’m massively disappointed, it’s actually heartbreaking, I have a young family, we wanted to do a lot, explore Australia now we can’t even drive to Queensland.
‘Who would buy a car if they had to get it serviced three times a year, especially a top of-the line Ford Ranger. It’s also a safety concern, that car is a deathtrap.’
Mr Patruno also warned others to ‘stay away’ from the Ranger model.
‘There’s a lot of Facebook forums about this particular model, so it must becoming more common,’ he said.
The appeal panel found in favour of Mr Patruno with the matter to be reheard at a later date.
‘Since the matter will need to be remitted for determination, with likely enhanced evidence, it is preferable for us not to express opinions on contested factual matters, other than to indicate a need to address what the evidence on idling and frequency of service in fact demonstrates,’ the appeal panel submitted.
‘We consider that whatever evidence is relied upon should be assessed afresh by a different member.’
Daily Mail contacted Ford for comment.
