1999 Ford Ranger

I NOTICED HEAVY RUST SCALE ON GROUND AND INSPECTED TO SEE MY SPARE TIRE WAS MISSING, THERE IS A LARGE HOLE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THRU THE FRAME IN FRONT OF THE LEFT REAR SPRING SHACKLE AND A CRACK IN THE FRAME IN FRONT OF THE FRONT SHACKLE ALMOST ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CHANNEL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED ALL CROSS MEMBERS, GAS TANK STRAP AND BED SUPPORTS ARE SEVERELY RUSTED AND THE RIGHT SIDE FRAME RAIL FOLLOWING SUIT WITH THE LEFT FRAME RAIL. THE REMAINDER OF THE TRUCK IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A TRUCK WITH THIS AGE AND MILEAGE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY STEERING. THE CAR WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT AND I HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE IT WAS TOO DIFFICULT TO MANAGE. UPON INSPECTION, THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS TOED-IN AND THE UPPER TIRE STABILIZER ARM BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME AT THE BRACKET. THE BRACKET ATTACHING THE ARM TO THE FRAME HAD SNAPPED. THE FRAME ITSELF JUST BELOW THAT BRACKET WAS CRACKED WITH SEVERE ROT ON BOTH SIDES. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN PERFECT CONDITION EXCEPT FOR THE FRAME. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS CANNOT BE FIXED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BOLTS BEHIND THE REAR WHEELS THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE BED OF THE VEHICLE WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION WHEN THE DEALER ADVISED HIM OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. *TR

REAR OF TRUCK IS ROTTING AWAY TO NOTHING. HAD THE REAR OF THE FRAME PLATED A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE THE SHACKLE BRACKETS BOLT ON. NOW I NOTICED ONE OF THE FUEL TANK STRAPS HANGING. THE CROSSMEMBER THAT HOLDS IT IS ROTTED AWAY TO NOTHING. TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC. HE CALLED ME AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR & TOLD ME THE TRUCK WAS JUNK. THE WHOLE FRAME & CROSSMEMBERS FROM THE CAB BACK ARE RUSTED HORRIBLY. HE TOLD ME NOT TO EVEN DRIVE THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT WASN'T SAFE. *TR

THE FAR REAR RIGHT SPRING SHACKLE AND MOUNT FELL OUT OF THE TRUCK. I FELT THE BODY FALL AND HEARD A BANG AND IN THE MIRROR SAW SOMETHING FALL ON THE GROUND. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT THOSE PARTS HAD ROTTED OUT AND FELL OUT. THE SPRING WAS RESTING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK BED. I'M A MECHANIC, SO I GOT THE PARTS TO FIX IT, BUT FOUND THAT AS I TOOK APART THE FRAME PARTS, THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SPRING MOUNT. THE LEFT SIDE, THOUGH THE SHACKLE MOUNT HAD NOT ROTTED OFF YET, WAS IN BAD SHAPE. WHEN I GOT THE LEFT SIDE SPRING MOUNT OFF, THE FRAME WAS ROTTED THROUGH BEHIND IT AND HAD RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SPRING MOUNT. THIS ISN'T GOING TO LAST LONG. INFACT I'M LOOKING INTO MY OPTIONS FOR REPAIR. FORD SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. THERE IS NO WAY A TRUCK FRAME SHOULD MELT LIKE THIS. TO REMOVE THE RIVOTS USED FROM THE FACTORY TO MOUNT THE FRAME PARTS, I USED AN AIR CHISEL. THE VIBRATION CAUSED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF RUST FLAKES TO FALL OFF OF OTHER PARTS OF THE FRAME, SOME AN EIGHTH IN THICK AND THE SIZE OF A LARGE TIRE PATCH. THIS MAKES ME WONDER IF THE REST OF THE FRAME IS SAFE TO USE.! IF YOU GO TO A JUNK YARD YOU CAN FIND TRUCK FRAMES THAT ARE 40 YEARS OLD THAT DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF ROT!!! PLEASE PRESS FORD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS...THANK YOU. *TR

FRAME HAS ROTTED OUT BEHIND THE REAR SHACKLE MOUNT AND AROUND THE GAS TANK STRAP THE WHOLE REAR SECTION OF FRAME IS VERY THIN AND RUSTED AND SHOWING SIGNS OF DETERIORATION ALL WITHIN 75K MILES TRUCK IS ONLY A 99 AND HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE GARAGED BY PREVIOUS OWNER AM SURPRISED AS TO THE AMOUNT OF ROT IN THE FRAME ON SUCH A LOW MILES TRUCK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND RUST ON THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 11/13/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME ON THE REAR SHACKLE RUSTED AWAY; THE REAR BUMER ON THE LEFT SIDE FELL OFF FRON THE RUST ON THE FRAME. THERE IS NOTHING TO WELD ON THE METAL IS THAT BAD. UPDATED 11/28/2012 *JS