2003 Ford Ranger Structure

The contact owns a 2003 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, an abnormal, rattling noise began to emit from the rear of the vehicle without warning. Upon inspection, the contact discovered that the rear cross members had rotted out due to severe corrosion. The contact also stated that the fuel tank was no longer being supported due to the failure. An independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and deemed the vehicle unsafe to drive. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE RESIDENCE AND INSPECTED. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SUB-FRAME WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SUB-FRAME HAD RUSTED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000

TWO YEARS AGO, A CRUNCHING NOISE WHILE TURNING WAS DETERMINED TO BE THAT BOTH REAR SPRING BRACKETS HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN, LEAVING THE REAR OF THE LEAF SPRINGS UNATTACHED TO THE FRAME. BOTH WERE REPLACED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS WEEK, WHILE DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I NOTICED THE FRONT FUEL TANK HANGER WAS OUT OF PLACE. UPON EXAMINATION, ONE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK HANGER WAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME. THE CROSS MEMBER AND THE HANGER FOR THE FUEL TANK BRACKET IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. THE FRAME HAS NO STRUCTURAL SUPPORT IN THAT AREA AND NOTHING IS SUPPORTING THE FRONT OF THE FUEL TANK. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT FORD IS ALLOWED TO PRODUCE FRAMES THAT RUST AWAY RIGHT UNDER THE VEHICLE SO QUICKLY. THIS TRUCK BODY LOOKS FINE, HOWEVER, THE BED IS RUSTED AWAY IN TWO PLACES AND THIS FRAME CROSS MEMBER IS COMPLETELY GONE.

THE FUEL TANK STRAP BRACKET ON THE FRAME ROTTED OUT AND THE STRAP IS NOW HANGING LOOSE. THE STRAP LOOKS TO BE RUSTY BUT WASN'T THE ISSUE IT IS WHERE THE T-SHAPE END ON THE STRAP HOOKS TO THE FRAME/BRACKET THAT IS THE PROBLEM IF THE OTHER STRAPS ARE TAKING UP ALL THE WEIGHT AND WERE TO BREAK THIS COULD CAUSE THE GAS TANK TO FALL OUT. THIS MAY HAVE HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. SALT SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WINTER AND WET CONDITIONS WOULD BE THE BEST CAUSE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN RESULTING IN RUST AND CORROSION. ALSO COMMON FOR THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLES AND MOUNTS TO ROT OUT AND COME APART THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE IN ITSELF. THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THE MAZDA B2300 THROUGH THE B4000 SERIES PICK UPS SINCE THEY USE THE SAME RANGER FRAMES. *TR

A FEW WEEKS AGO MY SPARE TIRE FELL OFF MY TRUCK WHILE DRIVING ON LAKESHORE DRIVE IN HEWITT, NJ 07421. THANKFULLY IT ROLLED OFF ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO NO ONE ELSE HIT IT. YESTERDAY I NOTICED THE BACK END OF THE TRUCK LOOKED TWISTED ONLY TO FIND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME IS COMPLETELY SNAPPED. ONLY TO FURTHER DISCOVER THE ENTIRE FRAME, SUSPENSION, AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPONENTS ARE ROTTING HORRIBLY. MY VEHICLE HAS UNDER 70,000 MILES. I HAD AN OLDER TOYOTA TACOMA A FEW YEARS AGO THAT WAS RECALLED DUE TO FRAME RUST AND IT WAS FULLY HANDLED. HOWEVER, THE RUST AND ROT ON THIS FORD RANGER MAKE THE 1997 TACOMA FRAME LOOK NEARLY NEW. I CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS IT IS NOT SAFE. IRONICALLY, IT SEEM THAT THIS IS OR HAS HAPPENED TO NEARLY EVERY FORD RANGER FROM THE EARLY 2000S. PERSONALLY I FEEL WITH THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF WEB EVIDENCE (LITERALLY THOUSANDS) FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. PLEASE SEE THE PHOTOS I'VE ATTACHED. THANK YOU.

SEVERE FRAME ROT (RUST) AT APROX. 85000 MILES, ALREADY REPLACED LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING MOUNT (APROX. 2 YEARS AGO) FRAME CROSS BRACES ARE RUSTING THROUGH INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT.10/10/16. MY BELIEF IS THAT THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO CORROSION RESISTANT APPLIAD TO THESE FRAMES UPON VEHICLE ASSAMBLY. GOOD USABLE PARTS ARE HARD IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AS MOST ARE AS BAD OR WORSE THAN MY EXISTING PARTS. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE EXISTS WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.

FRAME IN REAR OF VEHICLE HAS HOLES ON BOTH THE LEFT SIDE AND RIGHT SIDE. ALSO WHERE THE SPARE TIRE IS HELD IS ALSO ROTTED OUT , CAN NOT HOLD A SPARE TIRE. ALSO THE CROSS MEMBER THAT HOLDES THE THE GAS TANK STRAP IS ALSO ROTTING.DUE TO THE ROTTED FRAME THE TRUCK IS UNABLE TO TOW ANYTHING WITH. OTHER THAN THE FRAME THE TRUCK IS IN GOOD CONDITION

RANGER REAR FRAME IS RUSTING HEAVILY. SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY MAY BE UNRELIABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE TAKING THE VEHICLE TO RECEIVE NEW TIRES AT SCHIERL TIRE AND SERVICE CENTER (1002 S 8TH STREET, MEDFORD, WI 54451; 715-748-2963), THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR FRAME NEAR THE SHACKLES AND BUMPER WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE RUST WAS SO BAD THAT NOTHING COULD BE ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THE CONTACT CALLED MEDFORD MOTORS (105 WISCONSIN AVENUE, MEDFORD, WI 54451; 715-748-3700) WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS PREMATURE AND THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

MY WIFE GOT A 2003 FORD RANGER FX4 LAST YEAR. AS WE LOOKED IT OVER WE NOTICE SOME BUBBLING RUST UNDER THE PAINT. THE DEALER SAID HE WOULD PAINT IT IF WE GOT THE TRUCK. OK SO HE DID AND IT LOOKED GOOD. A FEW MONTHS LATER I STARTED TO NOTICE MORE BUBBLING. LAST WEEK I WAS DRIVING IT AND I HEARD SOMETHING LIKE A THUMP, I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAW THE SPARE TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE SPARE IN THE BED. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND NOTICED THE SPAIN TIER AREA WAS TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. YESTERDAY I PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND HEAR A SQUEAKING NOISE. I LOOKED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER CORNER OF THE BED WAS HANGING. I LOOKED AT THE AREA AND WHAT HELD THE BED UP WAS TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TRUCK!!! WHAT CAN WE DO? *TR

REAR HALF OF FRAME EXCESSIVE CORROSION. FRAME, SPRING MOUNTS, SPARE TIRE RACK AND MAIN FRAME MEMBERS RUSTED AWAY AFFECTING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. CORROSION IS SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED FOR THIS AGE VEHICLE. REAR SPRING MOUNTS DANGEROUSLY CORRODED.

SPRING SHACKLE SUPPORT ON REAR OF TRUCK ON DRIVERS SIDE OF TRUCK RUSTED COMPLETELY OFF THE FRAME AND WAS REPLACED IN THE SUMMER OF 2015 , THE OTHER SIDE WAS ALSO REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. SPRING PUSHED THRU THE TRUCK BED. FRAME ON REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF VEHICLE HAS RUSTED THRU. SPARE TIRE HOLDER RUSTED OFF CAUSING SPARE TIRE TO FALL OFF SOMEWHERE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. BED RAIL SUPPORTS ARE RUSTED THRU INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE TRUCK BED. REAR SHOCK BODY'S ARE RUSTED OFF, SHOCK SUPPORTS RUSTED BADLY OTHER PLACES ON THE TRUCK FRAME ARE RUSTED VERY BAD ALSO PICTURES ARE ATTACHED !!!!

FRAME RUSTED-TOOK IT TO BE REPAIRED. WAS TOLD IT IS NOT REPARABLE. TOO RUSTY AND FAR GONE TO FIX. TAKE IT OFF THE ROAD. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.THE REST OF IT IS STILL IN GOOD SHAPE.

WHILE REPLACING FUEL SYSTEM CANISTER I HAD TO REMOVE SPARE TIRE AND NOTICED CROSS SECTION OF FRAME RUSTED THROUGH. I ALSO NOTICED STRAP FOR HAS TANK RUSTED TROUGH. I WILL NEED TO REPLACE AT MY EXPENSE BOTH.

THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT MY 2003 FORD RANGER EDGE 4X4 THAT HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT . MY TRUCK LOOKS GREAT BUT I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY FRAME IS GONE AN I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN ITS SO FAR GONE ( RUSTED AWAY ) . I HAVE BEEN ONLINE AN HAVE FOUND THAT I'M NOT THE ( ONLY ONE ) WITH A RANGER THAT STILL LOOKS GREAT THAT IS RUSTED AWAY LIKE MINE , TOYOTA STEPPED UP AN TOOK CARE OF IT'S CUSTOMER'S I'M SURE THEY GOT A PUSH TO DO IT . BY O D I . FORD NEEDS TO STEP UP AN FIX THIS FOR US RANGER OWNER .I WILL HAVE TO PARK MY TRUCK AN WAIT TO HEAR IF YOUR DEPARTMENT CAN HELP US BUYER'S OF AMERICAN PRODUCTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 FORD RANGER PICK UP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME BED WAS EXCESSIVELY ROTTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CENTER FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE 53,000. UPDATED 9/29/14*CN

STRUCTURE ROTTING OUT HAD TO REPLACE SHOCK MOUNT AND A STRUT TO PASS INSPECTION. NOW HAVE 34000 MILES ON IT AND THE SPARE TIRE CASING SEPARATED FROM THE BODY, THE STRUT HOLDING THE TRANSMISSION IS RUST SO I CAN'T TRUST IT TO DRIVE. THE BODY IS IN PERFECT SHAPE. *TR

THE REAR FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD IT WON'T PASS INSPECTION. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN GREAT SHAPE. *TR

I DISCOVERED THAT THE TRUCK BED HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND HAS SEVERE RUST ON THE FRAME AS WELL. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH NO RUST SHOWING ANYWHERE. ALL OF THE RUST IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUCK BED. IT APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED AT THE HEAT SHIELDS. THE TRUCK HAD A SPRAYED IN RHINO LINING THAT FORD SOLD WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW WHICH HID THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE BED GAVE WAY COMPLETELY AND NOW HAS ONE 5"X 8" HOLE AND ANOTHER SMALLER HOLE. *TR

THE RANGERS FRAME COATING SYSTEM IS FAILING IN SEVERAL AREAS. THE PAINT IS JUST PEELING OFF. THERE IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAB AND TRUCK BED. THIS VEHICLE HAS LESS THEN 55000 MILES AND ORIGINALLY IN THE STATE OF VA. THE VEHICLE WAS WILLED TO ME AND JUST BROUGHT TO THE STATE OF MA. IN AUGUST OF 2011. IT HAS NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO A NEW ENGLAND WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS. THE WINTER ROAD CONDITIONS WILL ONLY COMPOUND THE ISSUE. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES UPON REQUEST. I STRONGLYRQUEST THAT SOME ACTION BE TAKEN TO INVESTIGATE THE PAINT SYSTEM FAILURE. *TR

SPARE TIRE CARRIER RUSTED OFF OF TRUCK SO WE THEN TOOK FURTHER INVESTIGATION. MY HUSBAND LAID UNDER THE BED OF THE TRUCK TO LOOK AT IT AND THEN SEEN A HOLE IN THE FLOOR OF THE TRUCK BED. SO RIGHT THEN HE REMOVED THE BED LINER THAT WAS IT IN AND SURE ENOUGH THERE WAS A HUGE HOLE. THEN ALSO SEEN THE FRAME WAS BROKEN AND RUSTED VERY BADLY. SO HE REMOVED THE TRUCK BED ITSELF FROM THE FRAME AND SEEN HOW BAD THE DAMAGE WAS. IT HAS SINCE CRACKED DUE TO THE OBSCENE AMOUNT OF RUST OF THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. THERE ARE ALSO RUST SPOTS IN SEVERAL SPOTS ON THE BODY OF THE TRUCK BUT ARE NOT AS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS THE FACT THAT THE FRAME IS BROKEN. THE DEALERSHIP SO FAR IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. WE FEEL THEY HAVE TRIED TO COVER IT UP. WE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND ARE STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. WE HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE WHICH WE HAVE SHOWN TO A MECHANIC AT OUR CLOSET FORD DEALERSHIP AND HE STATED THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. THIS IS A 2003 FORD RANGER. HAS NOT BEEN WRECKED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. *TR

MY SON-IN-LAW WAS HELPING UNLOAD A BOX FROM THE BED OF MY 2003 FORD RANGER PICKUP AND WAS STANDING ON THE TAILGATE. THE COMBINED TOTAL WEIGHT WAS LESS THAN 200 LBS. WHILE HE WAS STANDING ON THE TAILGATE, BOTH CABLES SECURING THE TAILGATE SNAPPED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING HIM TO FALL OFF THE TRUCK TAILGATE. HE WAS NOT INJURED. SOME SCRATCHING OF THE TAILGATE OCCURRED AS IT STRUCK THE BUMPER. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER, BUT SINCE IT IS A FEW MONTHS PAST WARRANTY (ALTHOUGH WITH ONLY 21,000 MILES). THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE CABLE REPLACEMENT. I CALLED THE FORD CONSUMER LINE, AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN REPAIRING THE DEFECT EITHER. THERE WAS NO EXISTING DAMAGE TO THE CABLES, AND THE TRUCK IS NOT USED COMMERCIALLY, NOR HAS IT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE PARTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. THE OLD PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT ANY TIME. *NM

THE SILVER COATING ON THE DASH BOARD AROUND THE RADIO AND AC UNIT IS RUBBING OFF. *LA

CONSUMER FEELS THAT BRACKET ON VEHICLE IS A SAFETY HAZARD.*MR WHEN THE REAR DOOR WAS OPENED, AT THE TOP OF THE DOOR OPENING A BRACKET EXTENDED FROM THE FRAME WHICH WAS USED AS A CLOSING DEVICE. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY THE EXTENDED BRACKET WHILE TRYING TO GET IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE TRUCK.*TS *JB

CONSUMER CALLLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DASHBOARD, CANNOT BE VISIBLE IF THERE IS A SHADW HITTING THE DASHBOARD. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO.*AK