1999 Ford Ranger

TRUCK LOST BRAKES WHILE GOING DOWNHILL. FRAME CORROSION HAD CAUSED RIGHT SPRING HANGER TO FAIL, AND CORRODED BRAKE LINE BURST. I WAS ABLE TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL AND AVOID AN ACCIDENT. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE INCIDENT. MECHANIC PUT THE TRUCK ON A LIFT, AND IDENTIFIED SEVERE CORROSION TO THE BRAKE LINES, DIFFERENTIAL, FRAME, AND SEVERAL OTHER UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS. TRUCK HAD BEEN UNDERCOATED AND WASHED REGULARLY, AND HAS LESS THAN 105,000 MILES. MECHANIC SUGGESTED ALL NEW BRAKE LINES, TOTAL FRAME, AND REAR END REPLACEMENT. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 FORD RANGER 4 DR. SUPER CAB. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS TRUCK ON THE EXTERIOR/INTERIOR YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS 3-4 YEARS OLD!! ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, YOU KNOW THIS TRUCK IS CARED FOR EXTREMELY WELL!! HOWEVER PUT IT UP ON A LIFT AND YOU WOULD SWEAR IT WAS SITTING IN A SALT FIELD FOR 20 YEARS!! ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! ALL CROSS MEMBERS ARE COMPLETELY DE-TACHED FROM FRAME, TANK STRAPS ARE GONE, THE ONLY THING HOLDING UP MY GAS TANK IS THE SKID PLATE! THE SPARE TIRE HANGER AND C-MEMBER IS ROTTED COMPLETELY, AND THE REAR C-MEMBER IS ALMOST ROTTED. WAS TOLD BY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC , THE ONLY THING HOLDING FRAME TOGETHER IS THE BUMPER!! ROCKER PANELS ARE IN GREAT COND., BODY IS WONDERFUL!!. THIS IS CRAZY, HOW CAN FORD DO THIS AND GET AWAY WITH THIS?? TOYOTA STOOD UP AS A COMPANY AND TOOK CARE OF THERE RESPONSIBILITIES!! GUESS THAT JUST SHOWS WHO CARES ABOUT STANDING BEHIND THERE CONSUMERS.THIS IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING TO KNOW YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL VEHICLE THAT RUNS TOP-NOTCH, THAT YOU ABSOLUTELY ADORE AND YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU PROBABLY CAN'T DRIVE IT ON THE ROAD BECAUSE OF PREMATURE ROTTED OUT FRAME!! YEAH THAT'S RIGHT PRE-MATURE!!! I HAVE SEEN 25-30 YEAR OLD VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT THIS BAD. I OWNED A 1984 FORD RANGER THAT WAS IN BETTER SHAPE THAN THIS UNDERNEATH!! WHAT DID FORD USED TO DO IN THE PAST WITH THERE FRAMES?? WELL ,, FIGURE IT OUT AND DO IT AGAIN!! THAT'S NOT ALL YOU CAN'T ORDER THE C-MEMBERS FROM FORD! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! DON'T BUILD IT RIGHT, THEN SCREW YOU ON REPLACEMENT PARTS! I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD STEP AND FIX THESE FRAMES THE WAY A COMPANY SHOULD FULFILL THERE RESPONSIBILITIES! IF TOYOTA CAN DO IT SO CAN WE ON THIS SIDE OF THE OCEAN!! I WOULD LOVE TO DRIVE MY RANGER FOR AWHILE LONGER, AND WITH THE BREAKDOWN AND REPUTATION OF THESE FRAMES ON THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK FORD SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY! *TR

EXCESSIVE UNDER CARRIAGE/FRAME RUST. SPARE TIRE MOUNT RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND FELL OFF AT 30,000 MILES. LADDER FRAME CROSS MEMBERS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND FELL OFF AFTER 35000, FRONT PART OF LADDER FRAME WHERE ENGINE MOUNTS IS RUSTED 80% THROUGH BY 41,000 MILES. MOST OF FRAME IS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY EXCESSIVE RUST. UPPER BODY LOOKS FINE, NO RUST ON MAIN BODY, ONLY UNDER CARRIAGE AND FRAME. VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE. *TR

MY GRANDFATHER BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW AND REPLACED THE REAR SPRING HANGERS IN10/2009. I HAVE THE TRUCK NOW. AFTER PRESSURE WASHING THE FRAME I NOTICED THE FRAME CROSS MEMBER HAS A HOLE IN IT AT THE MUFFLER. FRONT SPRING HANGERS ARE EXTREMELY RUSTY AS IS THE SHOCK MOUNTS. THE FRAME FROM THE CAB TO REAR IS EXTREMELY RUSTY AND THIN LOOKING. THE SPARE TIRE HOLDING AREA HAS A HOLE IN IT. THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD OR IN THE MUD. VERY LITTLE TIME ON THE ROAD IN THE WINTER. THE BODY IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AS IS THE FRAME FROM CAB TO FRONT. TRUCK HAS ONLY 98,000 MILES ON IT NOW. COULD THIS BE A FRAME ISSUE AS IT WAS WITH TOYOTA? SAME MANUFACTURE MAYBE? JUST A THOUGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE PLENTY OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS IN THE SAME AREA.

I WAS DRIVEN AND GOING ABOUT 20MPH. AND COME TO A STOP LIGHT I TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKES THEY WORKED A LITTLE THEN I COULDN'T PRESS DOWN ANYMORE ALMOST REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR. I CALLED FORD DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THE TECH. SAID THE ABS MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE HE TOLD ME THIS ITEM SHOULD NEVER WENT BAD. I ASKED A COUPLE OF FRIENDS ABOUT THIS THEY TOLD ME PARTS LIKE THIS SHOULD NEVER GO BAD? I WAS WONDERING IF THIS IS ON THE RECALL LIST BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD! *TR

FIRST FAILURE WAS WHERE LEAF SPRINGS ATTACH TO FRAME (REAR SHACKLES) FAILED DUE TO RUST AND PUT HOLE IN TRUCK BED. REPLACED PARTS. SECOND FAILURE IS WHEN FILLING TANK WITH FUEL; GAS HAS STARTED TO RUN OUT ON THE GROUND AT THE GAS STATION. JUST RECEIVED FILLER NECK TODAY TO REPLACE CURRENT RUSTED ONE. WHILE UNDER VEHICLE NOTICED TANK STRAP IS HANGING LOOSE NOT ATTACHED DUE TO CONNECTION POINT RUSTED OFF (SIMILAR FAILURE TO NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #11V385000 FUEL TANK STRAP FAILURE). ALSO NOTICED SEVERE RUST LIKE LITTLE OR NO RUST INHIBITOR WAS APPLIED TO FRAME AND COMPONENTS. SHIELD ABOVE MUFFLER IS ALMOST NON-EXISTENT, FRAME CROSS MEMBER IS FLAKING AWAY DUE TO RUST. I AM NOT QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE FULL DETAILS OF PROBLEMS OR CAUSE BUT RUST IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF RECALL. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I WENT OVER SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND TRUCK LURCHED SIDEWAYS SUDDENLY, AFTER THAT THE HANDLING OF THE TRUCK WAS EXTREMELY POOR. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK I SAW THAT THE REAR FRAME OF THE TRUCK FROM THE REAR LEAF SPRING MOUNT BACK WAS SEVERELY ROTTED (THE FRAME HAS ROT HOLES IN IT) AND THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING MOUNT HAD ROTTED OFF THE FRAME. THE TRUCK HAS NO BODY ROT WHATSOEVER AND HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR AND THE FRAME SHOULD NOT ROT OUT BEFORE THERE IS EVER A SPEC OF RUST ON THE BODY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND DETECTED THAT THE REAR PORTION OF THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THE REAR PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SHACKLES AND BRACKETS WERE FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. MOST RECENTLY, THE REAR BUMPER PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND WAS TEMPORARILY SECURED WITH ROPE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,329. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/26/2011 *LN