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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,761 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Ford Ranger suspension problems

suspension problem

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2001 Ford Ranger Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #74

Nov 192022

Ranger

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

so I recently purchased this truck thinking it was all safe, the pictures were too good to be true thats for sure, When I brought the truck back the old owner even drove with me knowing what he just sold me. The next day I was so happy so I get it registered and insured and I was so eager to hope in and drive around in my new "safe" truck I also went out with my loved one and it sickens me that the old owner was ok with selling me a not so safe truck and I could have died if the frame bracket broke or the frame cracked while i was driving but when I started to look under I saw the problem and I was scared I saw that the upper control arm bracket mount was rusted and the strut tower as well it had a Hole forming and a crack on the strut tower. I also found out that there was a crack in the frame and i've looked up online and it seems that the frame and other components rust I don't know what to do. Im also a college student who is trying to get into the mechanic world and this scares me with how many trucks like this are out on the road.

- Hampton Bays , NY, USA

problem #73

Jul 012021

Ranger

  • miles
The rear leaf spring shackle rust causing the leaf spring to go through the bed. When going highway speeds the vehicle shakes and not safe to drive over 60.

- Fenton, MO, USA

problem #72

Mar 042022

Ranger

  • miles
The frame has rusted so bad it has completely separated from the body. The Ranger frame rusting is a known problem but it has not been recalled like the Toyota Takoma has been.

- Eastpointe, MI, USA

problem #71

Jul 242021

Ranger

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Frame rusted in several places behind the cab at the rear spring shackles. Frame cracked both sides and bed is up against the cab and ready to break in two. Ford will not do anything. 145 k miles and the rest of the truck is in very good shape everything works except the cruise and is a loaded edge-??..very upset just had a transmission rebuilt in it. Love the truck all the one I have looked at have the same issues over several years on fb marketplace and cannot find a good frame in any salvage yard. Didn-??t Toyota-??s have the same issues and they had a recall. Why doesn-??t Ford have one? Call Ford directly and they won-??t do a thing. Tried selling as is and replacing but can-??t get a buyer for what I have in the truck. Trying to find a good frame to fix it now, but there are none out there. Very Dissatisfied.

- Bent Mountain, VA, USA

problem #70

Nov 202020

Ranger

  • 113,902 miles
Rear frame has rusted through. Rear driver side spring mount has rusted and broken from the frame. Rear bumper mounts and spare tire mounts are rusted out. Vehicle was stationary when problem was discovered.

- Cortland, IL, USA

problem #69

Jul 202019

Ranger

  • 0 miles
Takata recall. My vehicle was stationary when I got to work I nothing my rear bumper fell off with no given warning and I didn't hear it hit the ground I got home and looked under the frame and noticed the whole frame was rotten away and is not safe to drive

- Waycross, GA, USA

problem #68

May 052019

Ranger

  • 136,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The frame on this truck has rusted to the point where it is unsafe to drive. The rear bumper actually fell of the vehicle while it was being driven. I took off the bed and cut off the rear part of the frame and welded on a new rear section and put on new leaf spring hangers and re installed the bumper a few years ago and re coated the frame with paint but now it has gotten worse to the point where I can no longer drive it as there are actual holes rusted thru. It needs a frame replacement or it just a parts vehicle.

- Fultonham, NY, USA

problem #67

Feb 032015

Ranger

  • miles
All 4 rear shackles have been replaced due to rusting away. Also driverside rear shock where it attaches frame rusted off. The bed has rusted off of the front 2 bed mounts

- Campbellsport, WI, USA

problem #66

Jan 042019

Ranger

  • miles
Frame is rotted everywhere for the most part spare tire is about to fail off isn't safe to haul anything in the bed

- Ashland, OH, USA

problem #65

Apr 252014

Ranger

  • 135,000 miles
Chassis is severely rusted. You can break chunks of metal off with bare hands.both rear shock mounts have rusted off. Straps that hold gas tank have rusted through. Cross member holding tranny is severely rusted. Gas tank fill tube is severely rusted gas vapor return tube rusted off. Whole chassis. The whole frame is so rusted I am afraid to drive the truck. Truck only has 155,000 on it and has always been maintained (have all service records)

- Medford, NY, USA

problem #64

Apr 252018

Ranger

  • 135,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Frame is rusting away. Both rear shock mounts. Gas tank holding straps. Both chasis rails are rusting away with big chunks of steel falling off. Trans cross member rusting away

- Medford, NY, USA

problem #63

Jan 092018

Ranger

  • 143,000 miles
Frame rusted even thou we paid for undercoating no accident trying to prevent accident without scraping the vehicle can send pictures, but this form does not work

- French Lick, IN, USA

problem #62

Jan 032018

Ranger

  • 182,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that the vehicle made a noise by the wheel bearing. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic and was informed that the wheel bearing needed to be replaced. The certified mechanic also stated that the frame and the leaf springs were severely rusted, causing the leaf springs to detach. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 182,000.

- North Vernon, IN, USA

problem #61

Jul 012016

Ranger

  • miles
Frame bad.spare tire fall off and back bumper fall off.spare tire fall off when I was parking in a parking space.frame is in very bad conditon.

- Sewickley, PA, USA

problem #60

Jun 012017

Ranger

  • 150,000 miles
Bought a used 2001 Ford Ranger after driving it for a month or so shocks were really bad looked underneath to find two clean cracks through from near back shocks not sure if bad shocks are to blame or weak frame

- Avoca, MI, USA

problem #59

May 162017

Ranger

  • 120,000 miles
Serious structural frame rust affecting areas related to suspension (shocks, brackets/shackles of leaf spring) while the rest of the truck, including the body is generally unaffected by any serious rust.

- Telluride, CO, USA

problem #58

Feb 012016

Ranger

  • 138,000 miles
I bought my Ranger 12 months ago. 6 months ago I noticed the bed of the truck was starting to lean to the left. Also the spare tire came up missing. I thought it was stlolen but upon inspection it had simply rusted the holder under the truck and fallen off. 3 months ago the truck started making a grinding noise upon braking. The right front a arm had rusted and broken off the frame. A mechanic had to weld a piece of metal to the frame because there was nothing to weld to. Then I finally decided to look under the truck and was shocked at what I found. The bed floor was nearly non excistant. Rusted almost completely gone. The spring shackle on the right which is attached to frame with a bracket were sticking up against the bed liner, the bracket completely gone. The tube that holds the right shock absorber is completely rusted off, the shock absorber just hanging there. Mechanics have told me theres no way to repair because theres no viable metal left to weld to. Its simply rusted away. So now im left with over 3 more years of car payments on a vehicle that's useless. I will upload pictures as soon as I can. Thank you. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Kansas City, KS, USA

problem #57

Mar 012016

Ranger

  • 58,000 miles
The contact owns a 2001 Ford Ranger. While servicing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the frame was corroded and fractured. In addition, the suspension was corroded. The vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.

- Rapid River, MI, USA

problem #56

May 222016

Ranger

  • 150,000 miles
Severe rust on frame. Rear spring hangers broke. Spare tire holder rotted and needed to be removed. Cracked frame behind front spring hanger of right rear spring. Driveline in good condition as was the rest of the body.

- Ravena, NY, USA

problem #55

Apr 012016

Ranger

  • 100,000 miles
This is in addition to a previous complaint that I filed earlier today. I own a 2001 Ford Ranger 4X4 XLT. Body and interior all perfect. No rust on body. Frame is rusted through in back of area that rear shackles are attached to. Shackles themselves have been replaced two years ago. Truck will not pass inspection and I am told cost of repairs could be around $2000 or more. The mileage on this truck is just over 100K. I am very disappointed in Ford Motor Company. I've owned many Ford vehicles, some a lot older than this truck and never experienced anything like this.

- Clifton Township, PA, USA

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