Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Ranger submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 112 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 112, in the owner's own words
The rear frame rusted so bad the bumper fell off and the frame actually cracked. This is a common issue with the late 1990s & early 2000s Ford Ranger, I do not understand why this isn't a recall yet as is it very dangerous. This happened on the highway. The front end frame, engine and all the components work flawlessly while the rear frame is just crumbling in rust.
The frame has rusted so bad it has completely separated from the body. The Ranger frame rusting is a known problem but it has not been recalled like the Toyota Takoma has been.
The frame is rotted and broken on both side in the rear
I noticed that there was significantly more rust than there should be. There are places where the frame has rusted through. It is a major safety concern. I researched the issue and found several others with the same concern. I also found that Toyota has previously recalled several vehicles for the same issue.
REAR FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. REAR DRIVER SIDE SPRING MOUNT HAS RUSTED AND BROKEN FROM THE FRAME. REAR BUMPER MOUNTS AND SPARE TIRE MOUNTS ARE RUSTED OUT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED .
THESE ARE PICTURES OF THE FRAME ON MY RANGER. THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT AND IT ONLY HAS 76,619 MILES ON IT. MY MECHANIC FOUND THIS WHEN I WAS HAVING THE BRAKE LINE REPAIRED AND HE LIFTED THE TRUCK.
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
I PURCHASED A USED 2001 FORD RANGER, WENT TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AND THERE WAS SEVERE RUST UNDERNEATH OF THE FRAME TO THE POINT THE INSPECTOR SAID IT WAS HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AROUND. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS FOR THE TRUCKS FRAME UNDERNEATH? WILL PROVIDE PICTURES IF NEEDED.
I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK USED. THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT I'VE HAD THE FRAME RUST OUT. I JUST HAD SOME WORK DONE TO THE TRUCK AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT A CHUNK OF THE FRAME FELL OFF WHEN HE LIFTED THE TRUCK TO DO WORK TO THE BRAKE LINES. I'VE ALREADY HAD WELDING WORK DONE TO THE TRUCK RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WASN'T DISCLOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTING OUT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE. THE ATTACHED IMAGE IS FROM WHEN I HAD THE WELDING WORK DONE THE FIRST TIME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OVER A RAILROAD TRACK, THE SPARE TIRE LOOSENED FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, LOOKED UNDERNEATH, AND NOTICED NOTHING BUT RUST WHERE THE FRAME FOR THE SPARE TIRE WAS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,092. *BF *TR
THE SALT ON THE ROADS RUSTED THE FRAME HORRIBLY CAUSING HOLES AND WEAK POINTS THROUGH THE BODY.
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
2001 FORD RANGER FRAME IS RUSTED OUT BAD. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES FOR MAKING A VEHICLE THAT THE FRAME ONLY LASTS 15 TO 17 YEARS!
BODY FRAME RUSTED TO THE POINT I NOTICED THE BUMPER WAS HANGING DOWN ON DRIVERS SIDE, AS I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK IN MY DRIVEWAY I HAD SEEN THE SHACKLE WAS BROKEN AND THE PLATE OVER THE SPARE TIRE WAS CRACKED WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE THE TIRE TO FALL OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK OR BUMPER WHICH WAS NOT CONNECTED ON DRIVERS SIDE BECAUSE OF RUST ALSO FRAME HAD TO BE REPAIRED THESE ARE THE REPAIRS I HAD DONE, REPLACED REAR FRAME SECTION FROM REAR AXLE SNUBBERS TO BUMPER, REPLACED REAR SHACKLES-REPLACED RIGHT SIDE REAR FRAME SHACKLE MOUNT REPAIRED CROSSMEMBER FOR GAS TANK RIGHT SIDE-REPAIR RIGHT FRONT FRAME RAIL ROUND CONTRO; ARM TO TRANS CROSSMEMBER COST WITH LABOR $973.69
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)
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 HAS EXCESSIVE RUST/CORROSION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE FRAME EXPERIENCED SEVERE CORROSION. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000. *TT *TR
FRAME IS RUSTED BADLY AT POINTS WHERE CONTROL ARM CONNECTS TO FRAME AND CROSS MEMBERS WHERE HOLDS GAS TANK. BODY IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND ONLY ISSUE IS IN THE FRAME . IT'S UNSAFE TO DRIVE ANY LONGER. IF CONTROL ARM BREAKS OFF THE FRAME COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO PASSENGERS AND OTHERS ON HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING, ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S SPARE TIRES AND HALF OF THE REAR BUMPER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT FRAME WAS ROTTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
BACK HALF OF FRAME RUST OUT CROSSMEMBERS AND GAS TANK BRACKET. BECOMES UNSAFE
REAR SPRING SHACKLES RUSTED SO BAD THEY BROKE APART AND STARTED TO COME THROUGH THE CARGO BED. NOW THE ENTIRE REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME IS SO RUSTED I AM AFRAID TO USE THE TRAILER HITCH. FRONT SECTION IS ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. THIS TRUCK ONLY HAS 55000 MILES ON IT AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I HAVE OWNED FORDS ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS BEFORE. I CAN UNDERSTAND SOME BOY PANEL RUST, BUT TO HAVE THE FRAME COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. FORD NEEDS TO BE REQUIRED TO FIX THESE TRUCKS OR BUY THEM BACK AT A FAIR MARKET VALUE.
I TOOK MY FORD RANGER TO BE INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD THE REAR BUMPER MOUNT HAD TO BE FIXED DUE TO RUST. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THAT FIXED AND WHEN THE GARAGE THAT I TOOK THE TRUCK TO WENT TO FIX THE THAT PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T FIX IT BECAUSE THE REAR FRAME WAS ROTTED. I HAD BEEN RUNNING THE TRUCK BEFORE THIS PROBLEM ARRIVED SO NOW I HAVE A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 169000 MILES ON IT AND IT WONT PASS INSPECTION. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN GOOD CONDITION. I HAVE A G M C PICK-UP WITH 230500 MILES ON IT AND THE FRAME IS STILL GOOD. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN UPDATE. UPDATED 10/23/2017*JS
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.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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