2003 Ford Ranger

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD RANGER. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE AND TURNING ON THE HEATER, SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE VENTS. A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AUTONATION FORD MOBILE (901 EAST 1-65, SERVICE RD SOUTH, MOBILE, AL) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE SPINDLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE ROD BROKE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED FROM LANE TO LANE THE VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE BECAME AIR BORN AND CRASHED IN A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS WOULDN'T BUCKLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CUT FROM THEIR EAR TO THEIR THROAT FROM THE SEAT BELT, THE CONTACT ALSO HAD A BURN MARK FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT'S BROTHER WAS IN THE VEHICLE WAS AS WELL. THEY SUSTAINED AN INJURY BUT DIDN'T RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT'S BROTHER SUSTAINED A CRACKED RIB. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS THE ONLY VEHICLE EVOLVED IN THIS CRASH. NO OTHER MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NEEDED. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

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.