2001 Ford Ranger Suspension Problems

so I recently purchased this truck thinking it was all safe, the pictures were too good to be true thats for sure, When I brought the truck back the old owner even drove with me knowing what he just sold me. The next day I was so happy so I get it registered and insured and I was so eager to hope in and drive around in my new "safe" truck I also went out with my loved one and it sickens me that the old owner was ok with selling me a not so safe truck and I could have died if the frame bracket broke or the frame cracked while i was driving but when I started to look under I saw the problem and I was scared I saw that the upper control arm bracket mount was rusted and the strut tower as well it had a Hole forming and a crack on the strut tower. I also found out that there was a crack in the frame and i've looked up online and it seems that the frame and other components rust I don't know what to do. Im also a college student who is trying to get into the mechanic world and this scares me with how many trucks like this are out on the road.

NHTSA ID

11494659

Incident

Nov 19, 2022

The rear leaf spring shackle rust causing the leaf spring to go through the bed. When going highway speeds the vehicle shakes and not safe to drive over 60.

NHTSA ID

11462673

Incident

Jul 1, 2021

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.

NHTSA ID

11455156

Incident

Mar 4, 2022

Frame rusted in several places behind the cab at the rear spring shackles. Frame cracked both sides and bed is up against the cab and ready to break in two. Ford will not do anything. 145 k miles and the rest of the truck is in very good shape everything works except the cruise and is a loaded edge…..very upset just had a transmission rebuilt in it. Love the truck all the one I have looked at have the same issues over several years on fb marketplace and cannot find a good frame in any salvage yard. Didn’t Toyota’s have the same issues and they had a recall. Why doesn’t Ford have one? Call Ford directly and they won’t do a thing. Tried selling as is and replacing but can’t get a buyer for what I have in the truck. Trying to find a good frame to fix it now, but there are none out there. Very Dissatisfied.

NHTSA ID

11426288

Incident

Jul 24, 2021

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 .

NHTSA ID

11375642

Incident

Nov 20, 2020

Mileage

113,902 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11244925

Incident

Jul 20, 2019

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.

NHTSA ID

11205656

Incident

May 5, 2019

Mileage

136,500 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11190104

Incident

Feb 3, 2015

FRAME IS ROTTED EVERYWHERE FOR THE MOST PART SPARE TIRE IS ABOUT TO FAIL OFF ISN'T SAFE TO HAUL ANYTHING IN THE BED

NHTSA ID

11165953

Incident

Jan 4, 2019

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)

NHTSA ID

11090814

Incident

Apr 25, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11090811

Incident

Apr 25, 2018

Mileage

135,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11072001

Incident

Jan 9, 2018

Mileage

143,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11058360

Incident

Jan 3, 2018

Mileage

182,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11030283

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

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

NHTSA ID

10992745

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

150,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10986082

Incident

May 16, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10897471

Incident

Feb 1, 2016

Mileage

138,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10882096

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

Mileage

58,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10870221

Incident

May 22, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10864055

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10864047

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10855580

Incident

Apr 22, 2013

Mileage

155,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10786074

Incident

Sep 19, 2015

Mileage

110,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10760166

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10759863

Incident

Aug 24, 2015

Mileage

89,365 mi