Problems with 2001 Ford Ranger SUSPENSION

Takata recall. my vehicle was stationary when i got to work i nothing my rear bumper fell off with no given warning and i didn't hear it hit the ground i got home and looked under the frame and noticed the whole frame was rotten away and is not safe to drive

The frame on this truck has rusted to the point where it is unsafe to drive. the rear bumper actually fell of the vehicle while it was being driven. i took off the bed and cut off the rear part of the frame and welded on a new rear section and put on new leaf spring hangers and re installed the bumper a few years ago and re coated the frame with paint but now it has gotten worse to the point where i can no longer drive it as there are actual holes rusted thru. it needs a frame replacement or it just a parts vehicle.

Frame is rotted everywhere for the most part spare tire is about to fail off isn't safe to haul anything in the bed

Frame is rusting away. both rear shock mounts. gas tank holding straps. both chasis rails are rusting away with big chunks of steel falling off. trans cross member rusting away

Frame rusted even thou we paid for undercoating no accident trying to prevent accident without scraping the vehicle can send pictures, but this form does not work

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford ranger. the contact stated that the vehicle made a noise by the wheel bearing. the contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was informed that the wheel bearing needed to be replaced. the certified mechanic also stated that the frame and the leaf springs were severely rusted, causing the leaf springs to detach. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. the approximate failure mileage was 182,000.

Bought a used 2001 ford ranger after driving it for a month or so shocks were really bad looked underneath to find two clean cracks through from near back shocks not sure if bad shocks are to blame or weak frame

Serious structural frame rust affecting areas related to suspension (shocks, brackets/shackles of leaf spring) while the rest of the truck, including the body is generally unaffected by any serious rust.

Frame bad.spare tire fall off and back bumper fall off.spare tire fall off when i was parking in a parking space.frame is in very bad conditon.

Severe rust on frame. rear spring hangers broke. spare tire holder rotted and needed to be removed. cracked frame behind front spring hanger of right rear spring. driveline in good condition as was the rest of the body.

I own a 2001 4x4 ford ranger xlt. body, interior perfect condition. always garaged, just over 100k miles won't pass inspection. frame rotted out! ford should replace this frame or buy back the truck. it is useless to me in this condition. i was told that repairs could cost up to $2000 or more. i feel ripped off by ford motor company. this is my last ford.

This is in addition to a previous complaint that i filed earlier today. i own a 2001 ford ranger 4x4 xlt. body and interior all perfect. no rust on body. frame is rusted through in back of area that rear shackles are attached to. shackles themselves have been replaced two years ago. truck will not pass inspection and i am told cost of repairs could be around $2000 or more. the mileage on this truck is just over 100k. i am very disappointed in ford motor company. i've owned many ford vehicles, some a lot older than this truck and never experienced anything like this.

Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford ranger. while servicing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the frame was corroded and fractured. in addition, the suspension was corroded. the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 58,000.

I bought my ranger 12 months ago. 6 months ago i noticed the bed of the truck was starting to lean to the left. also the spare tire came up missing. i thought it was stlolen but upon inspection it had simply rusted the holder under the truck and fallen off. 3 months ago the truck started making a grinding noise upon braking. the right front a arm had rusted and broken off the frame. a mechanic had to weld a piece of metal to the frame because there was nothing to weld to. then i finally decided to look under the truck and was shocked at what i found. the bed floor was nearly non excistant. rusted almost completely gone. the spring shackle on the right which is attached to frame with a bracket were sticking up against the bed liner, the bracket completely gone. the tube that holds the right shock absorber is completely rusted off, the shock absorber just hanging there. mechanics have told me theres no way to repair because theres no viable metal left to weld to. its simply rusted away. so now im left with over 3 more years of car payments on a vehicle that's useless. i will upload pictures as soon as i can. thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Frist, rear spring shackles rusted through had to be replaced, now rear frame where the shock tower hooks up is completely rusted through ( frame is severely rusted to on safe condition )in motion heard a loud rattle pulled over to see what it was .we have pictures but could not download them on this form.

While inspecting my vehicle before attempting to repair the bracket on the exhaust when i noticed large chips of rust and decay on the entire frame of the vehicle while the body and engine bay are completely un damaged, the rust on my vehicle is far worse then should be on my vehicle with less then 100,000 miles.

Noted piece of metal dangling from rear of truck. took vehicle to my mechanic and was shown that driver side gas tank strap had rusted away from mounting bracket. toured underneath vehicle while it was on lift and was astonished to see the rust thru on all components of underbody. frame, fuel and brake lines, mounting brackets etc. mechanic unable to find a secure part of frame that would hold temporary repair. {auto body mechanic made temp repair}. the deterioration of this vehicle goes way beyond normal wear and tear. i have maintained this vehicle through its 80,000 miles and the body and paint look perfect. it is a life safety catastrophe waiting to happen. i babied this truck and planned on keeping it many more years. i can't even sell it now due to complete deterioration from premature rusting.

I had my truck serviced and the mechanic said the left front frame holding the suspension was rusted. *tr

Frame supporting spare tire carrier fell off causing spare to drag. also have in the past had both rear leaf spring mounts and shackles break off the frame to excessive rot. *tr

All 4 rear shackles have been replaced due to rusting away. also driverside rear shock where it attaches frame rusted off. the bed has rusted off of the front 2 bed mounts

The spare tire rusted off and fell of when driving and shock mounts also broke due to rust. *tr

Front wheel driver's side just fell off the frame due to extensive rust. wheel is hanging by the spring only. inspection of the entire frame shows very extensive rust and it looks like swiss cheese. *tr

Rear frame rails have rusted through in multiple areas. right rear shock mount to frame has broken off and left a large hole in the frame rail. right side rear frame rail has a large crack completely through it. *tr

Frame in rear of truck rusted badly, rear shackle mount o pass side extremely bad with holes completely through the frame in multiple places. rear tire carrier completely unusable. *tr

Chassis is severely rusted. you can break chunks of metal off with bare hands.both rear shock mounts have rusted off. straps that hold gas tank have rusted through. cross member holding tranny is severely rusted. gas tank fill tube is severely rusted gas vapor return tube rusted off. whole chassis. the whole frame is so rusted i am afraid to drive the truck. truck only has 155,000 on it and has always been maintained (have all service records)

When going to install trailer hitch i found that spring and shackle brackets are about to fall off due to severe rust perforation. also bumper brackets are compromised by severe rust perforation as well as entire spare tire compartment. i have found several forums where the same complaint has been reported and i feel it is a safety hazard due to manufacture of the frame metal.i am concerned that my bumper is going to come off while driving or spare tire or leaf spring shackles causing an accident. surface rust is expected but total perforation of metal from rust on vehicle this old is not acceptable and is a defect in the metal. *tr

The rear leaf spring mounts, shackles and frame where it mounts have rotted through resulting in the leaf spring breaking loose from the frame. also, the front cross member of the frame is disintegrating and shows signs of imminent failure. *tr

Passenger side rear spring shackle bracket rusted and broke off of frame. frame, especially near rear of truck, is badly rusted. *tr

I took my truck in for tire repair and service technician found severe rotting where leaf springs are supposed to be connected to the frame. there was a total disconnect at this location which explains the loud banging that i've been hearing. this is on the drivers side. he advised me that on the passenger side, it was the same situation but it wasn't disconnected yet. he advised me ford rangers have a problem with this. i went online and discovered a huge volume of complaints regarding this same issue. some complaints said that they were driving when their truck bed gave way and collapsed while in the truck was in motion. this truck was handed down with low mileage and little reason for all that rust/rotting in the frame of the truck. i was advised that had i been carrying a medium or heavy load the bed could have given way, and that could have been in motion. *tr

The gas tank support which was a part of the frame rusted off. *tr

Picked up kids from bus stop (5 and 6 years age) with 2001 ranger parked in gear on gravel driveway grade with emergency brake engaged. loaded kids and myself, started vehicle and released emergency brake. brake pedal went to floor, vehicle took off down hill. pushed and pumped pedal hard to engage rear brake valve; no rear brakes. engaged emergency brake (now at considerable speed on grade). left rear wheel locked skidding vehicle to right side on gravel drive, corrected with steering avoiding roll over. subsequent inspection revealed extensive premature corrosion to vehicle frame, suspension and brake components. both front and rear brake lines compromised with catastrophic failure during emergency. my kids and i could have been killed or injured because ford saved a few bucks using below standard imported steel. ntsb; are you in some way being paid-off by ford to ignore the thousands of safety complaints and incidents associated with extensive corrosion on these vehicles? do not even attempt to assign blame on salty eastern roads; many other vehicle driven under identical conditions do not fall apart so consistently and completely. many undercarriage parts on my ranger are not even recognizable due to near complete disintegration. my truck has an 'a' title and was rust proofed prior to delivery. i take good care of my vehicles and regularly wash undercarriage. how many people will be injured or killed before action is taken? *tr

Failed component 2: frame ahead of leaf spring shackles on both sides. left was completely fractured and right was 1/2 fractured. right shock strut mount broken. driving around town hit several bumps in road due to road construction. when i parked the truck i noticed the truck bed was leaning to the right. further inspection revealed a cracked frame. took it to the shop and they said it wasn't safe to drive. they removed the bed and noticed extreme rust and a 'paper thin' frame.. said it would be difficult to find good metal to weld to. i noticed that ford had a recall on the 2004 ranger frame. *tr

Failed component 2: frame ahead of leaf spring shackles on both sides. left was completely fractured and right was 1/2 fractured. right shock strut mount broken. driving around town hit several bumps in road due to road construction. when i parked the truck i noticed the truck bed was leaning to the right. further inspection revealed a cracked frame. took it to the shop and they said it wasn't safe to drive. they removed the bed and noticed extreme rust and a 'paper thin' frame.. said it would be difficult to find good metal to weld to. i noticed that ford had a recall on the 2004 ranger frame.

Took truck in for service and was told the spring shackles were rusted and had to be replaced. *tr

Spare tire assembly rusted completely tire and full assembly fell off on on highway created a hazard and almost an accident. the truck was in motion doing about 50 mph.

I attached a yard trailer to the receiver hitch and as i pulled out of the yard the hitch pulled right off the back of the truck. i looked under the truck and saw about a foot of the rear frame rails were completely rusted away on both sides. both rear leaf spring mounts were broken away and the springs were pushed up onto the bed of the truck. this truck has less than 60,000 miles on it and no apparent rust. if this had happened on the highway the trailer would have gone sailing down the highway possibly causing an accident. both rear springs detached from the frame and if i had been on the highway, there is a good chance i would have lost control of the truck. *tr

Undercarriage and frame has excessive rust problems causing parts on frame to fail and fall off. *tr

Right rear is two inches lower than left side, frame is rusted through. *tr

Symptoms included engine stall during highway and uphill driving. stopped at fuel station to fill tank; when tank approached full; sound of structural failure noted followed by large fuel spillage from tank area (saturated truck rt rear underbelly, ground, rear tire, my shoes and lower portion of pants). subsequent inspection revealed gas tank strap detached from frame due to severe and widespread frame rot. tank apparently hanging from remaining corrosion damaged strap and fuel filler neck (caused tank to tilt backwards; starving engine of fuel during uphill or dynamic driving). fuel filler neck was also severely rotted and finally failed during fuel fill causing entire tank loaded with 16 gallons fuel to become detached at sharp angle. following incident; vehicle professionally inspected revealing extensive frame and suspension component disintegration due to premature failure of ford designed sub-standard materials. large areas of material missing from both front frame members (rear of engine), large holes in frame areas forward of rear wheels (where fuel tank straps attack), severe and widespread frame and suspension component corrosion. vehicle condemned by inspection personnel; now sits idle in driveway. ranger purchased new (year end, 2001) with dealer rust-proof. vehicle regularly maintained and kept free from road salt with regular underbelly wash. vehicle only had 120,000 miles and looked very clean on exterior. i have owned many vehicles in my 35 year driving history; never have i experienced anything like this prior. ford obviously used ultra-sub standard materials in ranger critical suspension component designs; without regard for the safety of unsuspecting owners. this is criminal, it will only be a matter of time before people are injured or killed by these design defects. *tr

I went to a auto body shop to get a estimate on some minor body work, during the inspection process the auto body rep found the frame to the rear of the rear tires was completely rusted through on the drivers side to the point the rear spring shackle was the only item holding the axle in place. upon checking the complete frame he determined the complete frame was rusted away to the point he recommended the vehicle not be driven. ford also discontinued this frame so i can not purchase another frame and rebuild the truck on a new frame. note this truck was rarely used in the winter and was washed often. previously a fuel line had to be replaced due to rusting in 2004, which i reported to the nhtsa and never heard anything back regarding that complaint. *tr

Frame rusted to the point of breaking. *js

I own a ford ranger and the frame where the leaf springs attach has completely rotted out! is there anything i can do? *tr

Rear leaf spring bracket hasexsessive amout of rust and will break off. *tr

2001 ford ranger was taken into auto shop for routine maintenance. the mechanic inspected the vehicle and found the rear spring shackles and the frame rotted and about ready to fail completely. the springs were found to be pressing up on the bottom of the frame. also noted bumper was about ready to fall off. all of this due to severe corrosion of the frame. no maintenance was performed on the vehicle and a recommendation from the mechanic to remove the vehicle from the road was advised. *tr

Entire frame rusted out-gas tank-rear shackles-bumper fell off. *tr

During my annual inspection it was noted that the rear leaf spring bracket was rusted off and part of the frame had rusted away. would not pass safety inspection.... *tr

The driver's side rear shackle welds broke for the leafspring support. it made a clunking noise, so i checked it & seen that it was broke. were then i noticed the truck box being lifted on that side. *tr

Truck has 86,000 and looks like brand new condition, however, the frame is badly rusted, our auto mechanic has told me that the trucks life is coming to an end. contacted ford and they said there is an ongoing investigation and they can not comment at this time. i asked if they would help pay for a frame replacement which they declined. *tr

Rear frame on ranger is rusting. the slot where the gas tank strap hooks on to the frame has rusted away this caused the gas tank to drop the whole back frame looks bad. *tr

Went to rear of truck and found bumper had broken free on the drivers side. looked under the tuck and found that the entire frame in the rear is rotted and the leaf springs are in danger of coming completely off. the bumper is entirely free from the truck. the passenger side of the frame directly over the tire is cracked completely through. this is the worst frame i have ever seen and have lived through the 70's american car manufacturers mess. *tr