2002 Ford Ranger

REAR TIRE FELL OUT ONTO ROAD, ROTTED CARRIER , FRAME ROTTED AT AXLE, CRACKED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, REAR END SHIFTED, CAN KNOW LONGER DRIVE VEHICLE SAFELY, HAD TO BUY NEW TRUCK DAYS LATER! BODY IN GOOD SHAPE, FRAME TOTALLY ROTTED! SO MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME THING ON GOOGLE SEARCH. TOYOTA TOYOTA HAD SAME THING, WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK F WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK FRAMES FRAMES, STILL TO THIS DAY FORD HAS NOT RECOGNIZED A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THEIR FRAMES!!! THESE VEHICLES ARE A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD AND A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN !!

I BOUGHT MY RANGER NEW, IT CURRENTLY HAS 232,000 MILES. FRAME RUST IS SO BAD IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REAR SPRING SHACKLE MOUNTS RUSTED AWAY, BED IS RESTING ON SPRINGS. RUST RAINS FROM UNDERNEATH WHEN HOOD IS ALLOWED TO CLOSE. BRAKE LINE MOUNTS ARE NEARLY GONE, AS IS GAS TANK STRAPS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN FRAME ROT THIS BAD, EVEN IN NORTHERN STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED.

WAS PULLING INTO FRIENDS DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A CRACKING NOISE WHEN I CHECKED THE LEFT REAR SPRING HANGER PULLED OUT OF THE RUSTED FRAME. I PULLED OFF THE BED OF THE TRUCK AND FOUND SEVERAL AREAS WHICH WERE SEVERELY RUSTED INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND THE STRAPS WHICH HOLD UP THE GAS TANK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE LIVED IN PENNSYLVANIA THE WHOLE TIME.

2002 FORD RANGER XLT, FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF SEVERE RUST THAT DEVELOPED ON THE FRONT LEFT SUB FRAME, A ARM BOLT POINTS AND CONTROL ARM POINTS. THE EXTENT OF RUST IS SO SEVERE THAT THE MECHANIC DOESN'T BELIEVE THE VEHICLE CAN BE SALVAGED, BECAUSE THERE IS A NOTHING SOLID ENOUGH LEFT TO WELD A PATCH OR REPLACEMENT PIECE TO. THE TRUCK BODY IS IN PERFECT SHAPE NO OTHER RUST EXCEPT THE FRAME. THE DAMAGE WAS ONLY VISIBLE WHEN THE FACTORY FRONT SKID PLATE WAS REMOVED BY THE INSPECTING MECHANIC. THE TRUCKS FACTORY WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERY EXCEEDED THE TEN YEAR TIME LIMIT, BUT WAS STILL UNDER THE MILEAGE PORTION.

BROUGHT TRUCK INTO SERVICE CENTER FOR NOISE IN FRONT. RAISED TRUCK TO INSPECT---- COMPLETE UNDERCARIAGE RUSTED BEYOND BELIEF,FRONT TO REAR BOLTS, NUTS, BRACKETS,FRAME, SHOCKS, ETC. MAIN CONCERN IS FRAME, BRAKE LINES --- HAD TO HAVE REAR LEAF SPRING SUPPORT AND BRACKET REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS READY TO BREAK. HAD SHOCKS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY COULD BUST AT ANY TIME. THIS IS A TRUCK WITH LESS THAN 32,000 MILES --- BODY STILL LOOKS GREAT BUT UNDERNEATH IS QUESTIONABLE IS THERE A RECALL OR SOMETHING I CAN FALL BACK ON ????

THE RADIATOR ON MY 2002 FORD RANGER HAD TO BE REPLACED ON MARCH 5, 2004. ON MARCH 17, 2004 A 30" X 7" X 6" PLASTIC DEFLECTOR LOCATED BEHIND THE RADIATOR DROPPED AND CAUGHT A RIDGE ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD SENDING THE TRUCK INTO A SNOW COVERED EMBANKMENT. WHEN I WENT TO WHALING CITY FORD AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND SAID THEY MUST NOT HAVE PUT THE DEFLECTOR BACK ON PROPERLY THEY SAID THE DEFLECTOR MUST HAVE COME OFF AS A RESULT OF STRIKING THE EMBANKMENT. THEY CLAIM THAT MARKS ON THE DEFLECTOR SHOW IT GOT DAMAGED AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, OTHER THAN WHAT HAPPENED TO THE END THAT DROPPED TO THE ROADWAY, THE MARKS ON THE DEFLECTOR ARE FROM HAVING TO TWIST AND TURN THE DEFLECTOR TO BREAK IT OFF FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TRUCK SINCE THE TRUCK COULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITH THE DEFLECTOR HANGING HALF WAY OFF AND SCRAPING ALONG THE ROAD SURFACE. THE RADIATOR DID NOT GET DAMAGED AND THE RADIATOR IS FORWARD OF THE DEFLECTOR. THE IMPACT WITH THE EMBANKMENT WAS SO SLIGHT THAT THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THAT WOULD NOT HAVE KNOCKED A PROPERLY SECURED PART OFF THE TRUCK. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE BUMPER FROM THE IMPACT WITH THE EMBANKMENT. FURTHERMORE, THE SIDE OF THE DEFLECTOR THAT DROPPED HAD A PLASTIC PIN (MEANT TO HOLD THE DEFLECTOR IN PLACE) STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THREE HOLES WHILE THE OTHER TWO HOLES APPEAR TO HAVE HAD NOTHING IN THEM. WE FILED A COMPLAINT ON FORD'S WEB SITE ON 12 APR 04 AND THEY HAVE, AT THIS WRITING, REFUSED TO HELP. THEY HAVE ALSO REFUSED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE SUBMITTED BY E-MAIL. WE HAVE THE FAILED PART AND ARE WILLING TO SHOW IT TO ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED. *AK