1999 Ford Ranger Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
MY VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION BUT TRY IS FRAME IS VERY WORRISOME. THE RUST MAKES ME AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE CONFIDENTLY.
When washing the truck I noticed a crack in the left rear frame just aft of the forward leaf spring shackle.Vertical crack approx, 6" long and separating, frame severely rusted while the rest of the body has minimal rust.
I HAVE A 1999 FORD RANGER AND THE FRAME IS SHOT STARTING TO CRACK IT'S SO THIN AND LIKE POST I CAN ALMOST BEND IT WITH MY HANDS .
SPARE TIRE FELL OFF IN STREET, THEN GAS TANK, WHOLE FRAME IS ROTTEN, WAS DRIVING DOWN A ROAD,
FRAME RUST UNDER DRIVERS AND RIDERS DOORS. REST OF TRUCK LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND I TAKE GREAT CARE OF THE TRUCK!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR SECTION OF THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 192,000.
FRAME RUSTED INTO
DRIVERS SIDE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. FOUND DURING INSPECTION.
FRAME ROT... THE FRAME HAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE-OUT IN THE SAME PLACE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE: UNDER THE MOST-FRONT PART OF EACH DOOR (KEEP IN MIND THIS IS THE FRAME I'M TALKING ABOUT, NOT ANY KIND OF DOOR SUPPORT OR FRAMING... THIS IS THE SECTION OF BODY FRAME THAT IS LOCATED UNDERNEATH EACH DOOR ON THE VEHICLE). THE FRAME HAS RUSTED AND BEGUN TO SPLIT HORIZONTALLY (THE LENGTH OF THE VEHICLE) AND VERTICALLY (FROM THE GROUND-UP). WHEN LIFTING THE VEHICLE IN CERTAIN PLACES, THE FRAME CAN BE SEEN BENDING, OBVIOUSLY. BECAUSE OF THIS I CAN ONLY JACK/LIFT THE VEHICLE FROM THE VERY FRONT... ALL OTHER PLACES THAT I'VE TRIED TO LIFT FROM RESULT IN TOO MUCH WEIGHT BEING PUT ON THOSE WEAK POINTS. I AM NOW VERY SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING A NEW FRAME, WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY... OR, AT THE VERY LEAST, A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO PULL A FRAME OFF OF A VEHICLE FROM A JUNKYARD, THEN PUT IT ON MY VEHICLE (OR RATHER, PUT MY VEHICLE ON IT). FRAME FAILURE COULD RESULT IN CATASTROPHE OR DEATH, AND THIS FRAME IS IN VERY BAD SHAPE COMPARED TO MOST VEHICLES IT'S AGE (AND MANY THAT ARE OLDER).
MY 1999 FORD RANGER JUST FAILED INSPECTION FOR STRUCTURAL REASONS. TRUCK RUNS PERFECT WITH ONLY 107K MILES ON IT. THE TRUCK IS ROTTING AWAY !! GAS TANK FALLING OFF. REAR BUMPER FALLING OFF. TAIL GATE ROTTED. SIGNIFICANT ROT IN FRAME AND SHOCKS. SPARE TIRE READY TO JUST FALL FROM CHEAP STRAP THAT IS ROTTED. THIS REALLY IS UNSAFE SITUATION. I CALLED FORD AND FILED COMPLAINT BUT WAS TOLD NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD!! A HAPPY CUSTOMER TELLS 2 PEOPLE,AN UNHAPPY CUSTOMER TELLS 100 PEOPLE. I REALLY CAN NOT BELIEVE THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT RECALLED. VERY UNSAFE.
REAR FRAME AND REAR CROSS MEMBER HAVE RUSTED OUT.. THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER IS UNUSABLE. VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR FRAME REPLACEMENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FRAME FELL OFF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
PERFORATED FRAME ON THE LEFT REAR FRAME NEAR THE FRONT OF THE LEAF SPRING, REAR FRAME HORN WHERE BUMPER ATTACHES IS PERFORATED ALSO. SECTIONS OF FRAME WILL HAVE TO BE WELDED IN TO KEEP VEHICLE IN A SAFE CONDITION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST NEAR THE REAR FRAME CLOSE TO THE LEAF SPRINGS. THERE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT FURTHER INSPECTED THE REAR FRAME AND DETERMINED THAT IT FRACTURED DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS REMAINED PARKED IN THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY SINCE THE FAILURE WAS IDENTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY COMPLAINT IS JUST HOW RUSTED AWAY THE FRAME IS ON MY 1999 RANGER, THE BODY OF THE TRUCK IS REAL NICE. BUT THE FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY, THE REAR BUMPER BROKE OFF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE SPARE TIRE CAN NO LONGER BE MOUNTED UNDERNEATH WHERE IT BELONGS, DUE TO THE RUST. THE FRAME RAIL HAS A FOOT LONG RUST HOLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE RAIL IS CRACKED AND RUSTED ALMOST IN TWO PIECES. JUST SEEMS LIKE THE FRAME IS TOTALLY RUSTING AWAY, NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WITH THIS KIND OF RUST PROBLEM. I AFRAID TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY.
THE BED IS RUSTING OFF THE FORD RANGER PT . TO WHERE , THE BED NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE BACK , AND REDONE !!! THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT MADE WELL FOR CUSUMERS PPL CAN'T ALWAYS AFFORD WHAT THE COMPANY HAS DONE . ITS NOT FAIR TOO PUT A VEHICLE OUT AND WE HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR FORDS POOR WORK WHEN MAKING THIS VEHICLE.
FRAME AND FRAME SUPPORTS HAVE RUSTED QUICKLY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. MORE THAN I WOULD EXPECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.
TOOK TO GET INSPECTED MECHANIC SAID FRAME WAS IN BAD SHAPE. I HAD 5 DIFFERENT PEOPLE TELL ME IT WAS BEYOND REPAIR. *TR
THIS WINTER WHILE WASHING THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY 1999 RANGER, I NOTICED THE FRAME AT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SHOCK MOUNT IS RUSTED THROUGH. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, I SEE THAT THE FRAME AT THE REAR BUMPER MOUNTS IS ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. THE BED SUPPORTS THAT RUN PERPENDICULAR TO THE FRAME ARE ALSO SEVERELY RUSTED. *TR
WV STATE INSPECTION FOUND THE REAR FRAME AND SPRING HANGERS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF RENDERING THE TRUCK UNSAFE. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS RUST-FREE AND IN GREAT CONDITION. *TR
FRAME HAS ROTTED OUT BEHIND THE REAR SHACKLE MOUNT AND AROUND THE GAS TANK STRAP THE WHOLE REAR SECTION OF FRAME IS VERY THIN AND RUSTED AND SHOWING SIGNS OF DETERIORATION ALL WITHIN 75K MILES TRUCK IS ONLY A 99 AND HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE GARAGED BY PREVIOUS OWNER AM SURPRISED AS TO THE AMOUNT OF ROT IN THE FRAME ON SUCH A LOW MILES TRUCK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND RUST ON THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 11/13/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME ON THE REAR SHACKLE RUSTED AWAY; THE REAR BUMER ON THE LEFT SIDE FELL OFF FRON THE RUST ON THE FRAME. THERE IS NOTHING TO WELD ON THE METAL IS THAT BAD. UPDATED 11/28/2012 *JS
THE FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY! SPRING SUPPORTS REAR SHACKLES RUSTED OUT! PS. SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A TOYOTA!!!! *KB
WAS TOLD THAT THE TRUCK CAN NO LONGER PASS PENNSYLVANIA INSPECTION DUE TO RUSTING OF THE FRAME BRACKETS WHICH HOLD TRANSMISSION SUPPORT SUB FRAME. *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1999 Ford Ranger has 54 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.