2006 Ford Ranger Suspension

LEFT SIDE REAR FRAME...WHERE THE REAR SPRING SHACKLE ATTACHES TO THE THE FRAME RUSTED AWAY. THE FRAME RUSTED AWAY, NO WHERE ELSE IS THERE RUST THROUGH...THE LEAF SPRING ENDED UP BEING SUPPORTED BY THE BED OF TRUCK. SPRING IS ATTACHED TO THE REAR AXLE. AXLE CAN BECOME FREE WHEELING AT ANY TIME. THE RIGHT SIDE REAR SHACKLE ATTACHMENT LOOKS AS IF THE FRAME IS GOING TO FAIL ANY MOMENT ...I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE FRAME RUSTS AWAY WHILE THE REST OF THE BODY IS OK.....A TEMPORARY REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE WITH A 4 X 4 BOLTED TO THE FRAME AND SPRING.

THE REAR SHACKLES RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE OFF FROM THE LEAF SPRINGS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON CITY STREETS. WHEN TURNING CORNERS THE SOUND OF THE BROKEN SHACKLE ROLLING BACK AND FORTH ON THE BACK OF THE BUMPER ALERTED ME TO THE SITUATION. I AM THIRD OWNER AND THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL

FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE SEEMS TO HAVE EXCESSIVE RUST, ESPECIALLY REAR AXLE SPRING HANGERS.

TOOK MY TRUCK IN TO HAVE WHEELS CHANGED. WHEN PUT ON THE LIFT, I HEARD TO SOUNDS FROM THE SUSPENSION. BOTH SPRING SHACKLE HANGERS AND BRACKETS WERE RUSTED. THE SHACKLES ACTUALLY FELL APART. I HAVE REMOVED THE BED AND FOUND EXTENSIVE RUST OUT ON THE FRAME . THE DRIVER SIDE REAR FRAME IS BASICALLY GONE FROM RUST OUT. *JS

REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLES ARE BROKEN, FUEL TANK STRAPS ARE BROKEN REAR STRUTS ARE IN POOR CONDITION, EXTENSIVE RUST ON FRAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT SIDEWAYS ABNORMALLY. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS EMITTING SMOKE AND THE WHEEL WAS PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT THE WHEEL BEARING WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT NOTICED A WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED HAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND AXLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2006 FORD RANGER 4X4, 4.0 LITER XLT CLUB-CAB. THIS TRUCK HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT, AND WILL BE 4 YEARS OLD IN MAY. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, AND AS I HAVE FOUND OUT, THE HUB/WHEEL-BEARING BEARINGS FAIL AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES DUE TO DESIGN FLAWS. AFTER READING ABOUT THE CATASTROPHIC ACCOUNTS OF FAILURES FROM MANY OTHER OWNERS, I AM ASTOUNDED THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL. ADDITIONALLY THE CURRENT DESIGN HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC FOR SOMETIME, AND FORD HAS ADMITTED THEE PARTS MEXICAN AND CHINESE ORIGINS (WHERE COUNTERFEIT PARTS ABOUND). I WAS LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT AS THE WHEEL BEARING STARTED TO CRAB OR CATCH AT WET HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SEE CARCOMPLAINTS.COM FOR FORD HUB/WHEELBEARING FAILURES, SOME ARE RATHER EXTREME. I CAREFULLY (AND SLOWLY) TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE LEFT WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE (FALLING OFF??) AND THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS LOOSE, BUT NOT AS EXTREME. AS FORD IS WELL AWARE, THE COST FOR REPLACING BOTH IS $800. THE REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC SAID THAT THEY SEE A LOT OF THESE (I.E., FORD RANGERS); SOME LESS THAN 50,000 MILES, AND THAT MINE IS NOT AN UNUSUAL CASE FOR THE FORD RANGER, AND I WILL PROBABLY BE BRINGING IT BACK IN ABOUT 40-50,000 MILES TO GET THOSE REPLACED. IT IS SAD THAT MECHANICS ARE NORMALIZING SUCH A DESIGN DEFICIENCY AS TYPICAL AND EXPECTED PERFORMANCE. DUE TO THE POOR RESPONSE TO OTHER FORD RANGER (AND EXPLORERS TOO) OWNERS (2000-2006) AND LACK OF FORDS WILLINGNESS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, I WILL MOST LIKELY RETURN TO TOYOTA. ADDITIONALLY, TOYOTA HAS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE IN WANTING TO RESOLVE CUSTOMER PROBLEMS TO REGAIN THEIR TRUST AND WIN THEM BACK AS EVIDENT BY RECENT ISSUES. FORD HOWEVER HAS NO SUCH ASPIRATIONS, WHICH IS CLEAR BY READING THE MANY CARCOMPLAINTS.COM ACCOUNTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND FORDS POOR RESPONSES TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR SAFETY.

FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE FRONT WHEEL ROAD NOISE AFTER 1ST OIL CHANGE AT DEALER, AT SECOND OIL CHANGE REQUESTED INSPECTION OF FRONT END, DEALER STATED NO PROBLEMS THAT ROAD NOISE WAS TIRES, ONE DAY BEFORE THIRD OIL CHANGE WHEELS SHOOK WHILE DRIVING, UPON INSPECTION BEARINGS WERE WORN OUT, LESS THAN 19300 MILES ON 2006 RANGER, VEHICLE IS UNSAVE TO DRIVE, AND FORD WILL NOT HONOR WARRANTY. CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO REPLACE BEARINGS AND POSSIBLY AXLES AT NON DEALER CERTIFIED LOCATION. WHAT CAUSED THE BEARINGS TO FAIL? THIS IS CONSIDERED AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR