2000 Ford Ranger

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS TRUCK HAS FAILED N H STATE INSPECTION FOR FRAME PROBLEMS,FIRST TIME WAS FOR A RUSTED THROUGH CROSS MEMBER WHICH I HAD TO HAVE WELDED,11/17/2009. NOW I GO BACK FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION ON 11/30/2012 AND WAS TOLD I HAD TO REPLACE REAR SHACKLES WHICH I SAY OK,THE REPAIR SHOP CALLS ME AND TELLS ME THE FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH AND THEY CAN NOT PUT IN THE, FRAME HAS TO BE REPLACED FROM BACK TO ABOUT 4 FEET TO THE FRONT AND AT ANOTHER COST OF 350$ THE LAST COST WAS THE SAME 350$.I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND THE BODY LOOKS LIKE NEW.THE WELDING SHOP GUY TOLD ME HE HAD TO DO SEVERAL OF THESE REPAIRS TO EVEN 2002 FORD TRUCKS,I CAN NOT SEE THE REASON FOR THIS,THIS IS THE FIRST OF ANY CARS OR TRUCKS I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT HAD FRAME PROBLEMS,CAN YOU HELP RECOUP SOME OR ALL OF MY MONEY ON THIS,I AM DISABLED AND ON A FIXED INCOME AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO THROW MONEY OUT THE WINDOW,THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE I LOOKED TO SEE THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH IN AT LEAST TWO PLACES, THE SHOCK ABSORBER UPPER MOUNT HAD RUSTED OFF. THE GAS TANK STRAPS MOUNTS WERE ABOUT TO FAIL. I HAD REPLACED THE GAS TANK FEEDER TUBE THAT HAD CORRODED OFF THE YEAR BEFORE. THE TRUCK BODY IS STILL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION BUT THE FRAME APPEARS TO BE GONE. THE TRUCK HAS SEEN VERY LIGHT DUTY AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED OFF ROAD. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE FOUND MANY OF THE SAME OCCURRENCES ON THE INTERNET.

I HAVE A 13 YEAR OLD FORD RANGER THAT HAS FRAME RUST. MY MECHANIC STATES I HAVE TO CONDEMN THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT WILL BREAK AND CAUSE A DANGEROUS INCIDENT. IT SEEMS TO ME THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE OF A VEHICLE. ALSO I DO NOT RESIDE OR TAKE THE TRUCK NEAR WHERE HEAVY APPLICATIONS OF ROAD SALT IS USED. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH VIA GOOGLE AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS INCIDENCES OF THIS TYPE OF WEAR. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY REPORTED MALFUNCTIONS, BUT LET'S ADD THIS TO THE LIST. NO FAILURES HAVE OCCURED WITH MY TRUCK YET. *TR

WHILE PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY THE REAR BUMPER FELL OFF. AFTER GETTING UNDER THE VEHICLE I FOUND THE FRAME TO BE RUSTED FROM THE FURTHEST POINT BACK TO THE AXLE AREA.LOOKING INTO IT MORE I FOUND THE CROSS MEMBER TO BE RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT IT IS READY TO FALL OFF. THE GAS TANK HOLDING STRAPS ARE RUSTED FROM THE FRAME, NOT SURE WHAT'S HOLDING THE GAS TANK IN PLACE. THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER IS RUSTED AND READY TO COME OFF. I REMOVED THE SPARE A PLACED IT IN THE BED FOR NOW. THE BED AND ITS MOUNTS ARE SHOT, THE BED CAN BE PICKED UP A GOOD TWO INCHES OFF THE FRAME. BASICALLY THE TRUCK IS NOTHING BUT RUST FROM THE CAB BACK. I WAS LUCKY WHEN THE BUMPER FELL OFF 1/2 HOUR EARLIER I WAS TRAVELING ON A STATE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 60-65 MPH. I HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER RANGERS THE SAME YEAR AND FOUND SOME WORSE AND SOME WITH NO RUST WHAT SO EVER. WHATS UP? AND IS FORD AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ARE THEY GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WHO WOULD HAVE GOTTEN SUED IF MY BUMPER HAD FALLEN AND KILLED SOMEONE? *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONE SIDE OF THE FRAME APPEARED TO BE HIGHER THAN THE OTHER SIDE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LINKAGE BECOMES LOOSE DUE TO NO LOCKWASHERS IN MOUNTING PLATE ON STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE DASHBOARD. LINKAGE CAME LOOSE CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF TRANSMISSION GEARING. CAUSES SPONTANEOUS GEAR SHIFTING UNDER VARIOUS OPERATING CONDITIONS AND PREVENTS PROPER GEAR SETTING. FAILURE COULD CAUSE TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF TRANSMISSION. LOCK WASHERS WERE USED IN ALL PRODUCTS UNTIL RECENTLY. COMPUTERS WERE FIRST TO DISPENSE WITH THEM. NOW MANY ENGINEERS NO LONGER SPECIFY THEM. SCARY TO THINK THAT MAYBE AVIATION HAS GONE THE SAME. *TR

TWO TIMES ON 3/2/12 I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS TO STOP AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHEN I STARTED TO BRAKE THE TRUCK ACCELERATED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON WET ROADS SO I COULD SLOW IT DOWN ENOUGH WITH THE BRAKES WHILE THE TIRES WERE BURNING TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN GOT IT STOPPED. LATER THE SAME DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS TIME THE ROAD WAS DRY AND NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED THE BRAKES I COULD NOT GET THE TRUCK TO STOP BEFORE HITTING A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE I GOT IT INTO NEUTRAL. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK! I CALLED A DEALER AND ASKED IF THEY KNEW OF ANY ISSUES OR RECALLS THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THIS SITE AND OTHER SITES THERE ARE OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. OF COURSE THEY ADVISED I COULD BRING IT IN FOR AN INSPECTION THAT COST A LARGE FEE REGARDLESS IF THEY FIND AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT. *TR