NHTSA Complaint #10547784 — 2000 FORD RANGER

NOT REALLY AN INCIDENT, MORE OF A COMPLAINT. WE BOUGHT A 2000 RANGER APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO. THE SPARE TIRE WAS MISSING AND WE FOUND OUT WHY. THE SPARE TIRE WINCH ASSEMBLY WAS A BLOCK OF RUST AND THE SHEET METAL THAT MADE UP THE HOLDER THAT THE CARRIER WAS ATTACHED TO IS SO SEVERELY ROTTED THAT IT COULD NOT POSSIBLY EVEN HOLD A TIRE. THE SHEET METAL MENTIONED IS A STRUCTURAL PART OF THE REAR FRAME AND IT HAS MAJOR ROT AND SHOULD PROBABLY BE REPLACED. MY SON NEEDED A SPARE TIRE SO SINCE THERE WAS NO HOLDER HE PUT IT IN THE BED. WHEN HE PUT IT IN THE BED IN BOUNCED TO THE RIGHT AND PUT A LARGE HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE BED JUST BEHIND THE CAB. WE STARTED TO CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE BED ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS SO RUSTED THAT IT WAS LITERALLY STATING TO CRUMBLE IN SPOTS. WHILE CHECKING IT OUT WE PUT SEVERAL MORE HOLES IN THE FLOOR OF THE BED AND THE SIDES JUST BY POKING AROUND WITH A SCREWDRIVER. THE BED IS A STEPSIDE AND THERE IS NO METAL LEFT UNDER THE STEPS AT ALL, IF YOU WERE TO STEP ON EITHER SIDE YOU WOULD CRACK THE FIBERGLASS SIDES. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE BED. ALL OF THE BOLTS HAD TO BE CUT OUT DUE TO THE RUST. ONCE WE GOT THE BED OFF WE WERE SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE FRAME WAS COVERED TOP TO BOTTOM WITH RUST. I HAVE RESTORED OLDER TRUCKS IN THE PAST SOME FROM THE 40'S AND I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED RUST LIKE I HAVE SEEN ON THIS ONE, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS NO PAINT ON IT FROM THE FACTORY AT ALL. WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF WIRE BRUSHING THE FRAME SO WE CAN SPRAY A RUST CONVERTER AND TRY TO REPAINT THE FRAME. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE RUST ON THESE TRUCKS AND FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE JUST LIKE TOYOTA WAS WHEN THEY HAD A SIMILAR SITUATION INVOLVING RUSTED FRAMES ON THEIR TRUCKS. TRUST ME I AM A DIE HARD FORD FAN BUT I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY SON AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. *TR