2002 FORD RANGER Suspension Problems

Rear shake bracket rusted off

WE ARE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF A 2002 FORD RANGER XLT NOW WITH 57,000 HIGHWAY MILES, ALWAYS GARAGED/WASHED/MAINTAINED, LITTLE DRIVING IN WINTER (MOSTLY IN SUMMER), ALWAYS FORD MAINTAINED/SERVICED AT SAME DEALERSHIP, BODY/ENGINE/TRANSMISSION IN GREAT SHAPE, WILL LIKELY FAIL INSPECTION THIS SPING BECAUSE FRAME AND FRAME COMPONENTS ARE SEVERELY RUSTED OUT. - SEVERE RUST ON THE ENTIRE FRAME INCLUDING BOTH CROSS MEMBERS (ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION), ARM BOLT POINTS AND CONTROL ARMS. - FRAME ALSO HAS SEVERE RUST DOWN BOTH SIDES TO REAR BUMPER, REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTAL, LEAF SPRINGS AND ALL MOUNTS. - THE PASSENGER SIDE STEARING KNUCKLE IS DELAMINATING. - ALL BRAKE LINES HAVE FAILED WHILE DRIVING: FIRST THE REAR BRAKES INCLUDING ALL AXLE COUPLINGS AND DRUM COUPLINGS; SECOND THE FRONT BRAKE LINES FAILED AT THE DISK BRAKES AND RUBBER COUPLINGS. ALL BRAKE TUBES HAD TO BE REPLACED FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE WHEELS. - SERVICE MANAGER IS WORRIED ABOUT...

REAR TIRE FELL OUT ONTO ROAD, ROTTED CARRIER , FRAME ROTTED AT AXLE, CRACKED IN HALF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, REAR END SHIFTED, CAN KNOW LONGER DRIVE VEHICLE SAFELY, HAD TO BUY NEW TRUCK DAYS LATER! BODY IN GOOD SHAPE, FRAME TOTALLY ROTTED! SO MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME THING ON GOOGLE SEARCH. TOYOTA TOYOTA HAD SAME THING, WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK F WE CALLED ALL THEIR TRUCKS AND REPLACED ALL TRUCK FRAMES FRAMES, STILL TO THIS DAY FORD HAS NOT RECOGNIZED A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THEIR FRAMES!!! THESE VEHICLES ARE A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD AND A RECALL NEEDS TO HAPPEN !!

REAR BUMPER AND SPARE TIRE HOLDER ROTTED OFF .. REAR SHACKLES ON BOTH SIDES.. GAS TANK STRAPS AND CROSSMEMBER THAT HOLDS IT UP... NOW THE FRAME HAS ROTTED IN HALF RIGHT IN MIDDLE OF TRUCK... SPARE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING

I BOUGHT MY RANGER NEW, IT CURRENTLY HAS 232,000 MILES. FRAME RUST IS SO BAD IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. REAR SPRING SHACKLE MOUNTS RUSTED AWAY, BED IS RESTING ON SPRINGS. RUST RAINS FROM UNDERNEATH WHEN HOOD IS ALLOWED TO CLOSE. BRAKE LINE MOUNTS ARE NEARLY GONE, AS IS GAS TANK STRAPS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN FRAME ROT THIS BAD, EVEN IN NORTHERN STATES WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED.

EXCESSIVE RUST UNDERNEATH. LEAF SPRING HANGERS FAILED AT 11 YEARS/120K MILES. SPARE TIRE WINCH SEPARATED FROM TRUCK AT 14 YEARS/155K MILES. . AN EXHAUST MOUNT HAS RUSTED AWAY LEAVING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM MARGINALLY SUPPORTED - UNCERTAIN OF WHEN THIS HAPPENED. LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT DUE TO THE GAS TANK STRAP FAILURE. ONE GAS TANK STRAP SEPARATED FROM UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK BED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO - AGE 14.5 YEARS, ~160K MILES. WITH THE SPARE TIRE, I NOTICED IT HANGING LOW (3 OF 4 FASTENERS HAD PULLED AWAY FROM THEIR MOUNTS), AND WITH LITTLE EFFORT, WAS ABLE TO HAVE IT FALL OFF. HAD THE REMAINING FASTENER FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY, OBVIOUSLY BAD THINGS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. WITH THE GAS TANK STRAP, LUCKILY IT SEPARATED FROM UNDERNEATH THE BED RATHER THAN FROM THE FRAME, AND I COULD HEAR IT RUBBING AGAINST THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE OTHER STRAP WAS ABLE TO CARRY THE ENTIRE...

WAS PULLING INTO FRIENDS DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A CRACKING NOISE WHEN I CHECKED THE LEFT REAR SPRING HANGER PULLED OUT OF THE RUSTED FRAME. I PULLED OFF THE BED OF THE TRUCK AND FOUND SEVERAL AREAS WHICH WERE SEVERELY RUSTED INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND THE STRAPS WHICH HOLD UP THE GAS TANK. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE AND HAVE LIVED IN PENNSYLVANIA THE WHOLE TIME.

I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM A DEALERSHIP IN JAN 2010. TRUCK WAS IN GOOD SHAPE, HAD FRAME CHECK OUT BEFORE I BOUGHT IT AND LOOKED VERY GOOD. TRUCK HAD ONLY 48000 MILES ON IT. IN JAN OF 2015 THE TRUCK BED SAT A LITTLE CROOKED CHECK FRAME AND SEEN A CRACK ON FRAME 3' LONG BY FRONT SHACKLE. AT THAT TIME TRUCK ONLY HAS 94000 MILES ON IT. TOOK BED OFF AND FOUND MORE AREAS THAT WOULD NEED ADRESSING SOON. I TRIED TO KEEP TRUCK UNDER SIDE CLEAN DURING THE WINTER, I GUESS THE STUFF THE STATE USES ON THE ROAD WAS TO MUCH FOR THE TRUCK.

REAR LEAF SHACKLES REPLACED, ROTTED FROM FRAME, LAST AUG 2014 TO PASS INSPECTION. THIS WINTER 2014-2015, THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER FRAME ROTTED AND FELL FROM THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE SPARE TIRE. NOW, UPON INSPECTION OF THE BED APPEARING CROOKED, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT LEAF SPRING MOUNT IS TOTALLY ROTTED. THIS HAS CAUSED THE GAS TANK MOUNTS TO THE FRAME TO BREAK. IT HAS ALSO CAUSED THE BED TO TWIST AND THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THIS VEHICLE IS NOW ONLY SUPPORTED BY THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME.

FRAME IS RUSTED AND ROTTING AWAY, BOUGHT IT FROM DEALER 1/21/2015. FOUND OUT TRUCK WAS IN BAD SHAPE 1/23/2015 AFTER GETTING OIL CHANGE FROM LOCAL SHOP. *TR

BRACKET FOR SPARE TIRE ROTTED, TIRE DROPPED OFF, NO CAR IN BACK OF ME, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPEN AT THE TIME, THAT HAPPENED 6 MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT, THE OTHER DAY THE FRAME CRACKED IN HALF. CAR DEALER SHIP SOLD TRUCK TO ME ROUGHLY 15 MONTH AGO TRUCK IS TOTALED. INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID WHOLE FRAME AND UNDER CARRIAGE IS ROTTED? HELP. EXTERIOR OF TRUCK LOOKS BRAND NEW? HELP *TR

I TOOK MY 2002 FORD RANGER TRUCK IN FOR INSPECTION AND I WAS TOLD MY TRUCK WAS UNINSPECTABLE BECAUSE MY FRAME,CROSSMEMBER, FRONT AARMS ARE RUSTED THIN. IT ONLY HAS 80 SOME K ON IT I ONLY HAVE IT FOR 2YEARS I DON'T DRIVE VERY FAR I BOUGHT IT WITH 74K. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK 1 YR AGO . I TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND FOUND THAT IT HAD SEVERE RUST PROBLEMS . THE SHACKLES FOR THE LEAF SPRING HAD COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY CAUSING THE SPRING TO REST UPON THE BOX. THE RESTRAINT FOR THE GAS TANK WAS ROTTED TO THE POINT THAT TANK WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. THERE WAS SEVERE RUSTING OF THE FRAME , ESPECIALLY IN THE REAR .OBVIOUSLY, THE TRUCK FAILED INSPECTION. *TR

YESTERDAY I HAD SOMETHING GO WRONG WITH MY FORD RANGER AND I NEEDED TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. THIS PROBLEM WILL BE THE END OF MY WONDERFUL TRUCKS LIFE BECAUSE THE INSPECTION IS ALSO DUE AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST AND A CRACKED REAR FRAME, MY TRUCK WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PASS INSPECTION. THE BODY, INTERIOR AND ENGINE ARE ALL IN GREAT SHAPE. THE SPARE TIRE SUPPORT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY EATEN AWAY AND THE GAS TANK SUPPORTS ROTTED AWAY YEARS AGO. MY MECHANIC HAD TO RIG A WIRE HANGER FOR THE GAS TANK. WHILE MY TRUCK WAS ON THE FLAT BED, THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THAT RANGERS ARE KNOW FOR THE FRAMES BEING EATEN AWAY. I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND UNDERSTAND NOW HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS. WHY HAS FORD NOT RECALLED THIS POORLY MADE FRAME JUST LIKE TOYOTA DID? IS IT BECAUSE NOT...

TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC BECAUSE OF TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END. MECHANIC REPLACED BUSHINGS AND SUPPORT RODS ON BOTH SIDES BUT THE TAPPING NOISE PERSISTED. AFTER RETURNING TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT THAT THE BOOTS ON ALL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD ROTTED OUT AND APPARENTLY LED TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINTS. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, KEPT IN A GARAGE AND HAS HAD MINIMAL USE OF ONLY 10,000 MILES OVER ELEVEN YEARS, THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NO OTHER EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THEY NEED REPLACEMENT AFTER SUCH LOW MILEAGE. I'VE ALREADY SPENT $242 FOR THE BUSHINGS AND RODS. NOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO COST ANOTHER $1000 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY BALL JOINTS. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE CHANGING FLUIDS, HE DISCOVERED A BROKEN SHOCK ON THE REAR AXLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED THE FRONT SHOCK TOWER MOUNTS AND THE FRAME WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

WHEN PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD CRACK FROM THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. AFTER INSPECTION, THE REAR FRAME HAD RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE LEAF SPRING MOUNT DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE HAULING A LOAD, OR PULLING A TRAILER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT COULD HAVE LED TO A CRASH. *TR

MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED DESPITE THE BODY, ENGINE AND INTERIOR BEING IN GOOD SHAPE. MY SPARE TIRE MOUNT ROTTED AND THE SPARE FELL OFF. ONE OF THE CROSSMEMBERS THAT HELD THE EVAP CANISTER COMPLETELY BROKE OFF AS I WAS DRIVING STAYING ATTACHED ONLY BY THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE COMPLETELY SEVERED JUST FORWARD OF THE AXLE. THE LEAF SPRING IS THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT TOGETHER AND THOSE SHACKLES LOOK LIKE THEY'RE READY TO GO. FORD SUCKS! *TR

I NOTICED MY VEHICLE HAD A SLIGHT SAG TO IT SO I TOOK IT IN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, THE MECHANIC GAVE ME HORRIFYING NEWS, STATING MY VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE FRAME BEING EXCESSIVE ROTTED OUT, HE SHOWED MY WHERE THE SPARE TIRE WAS BEING HELD ON THE RUST HAD EATEN AWAY THE SUPPORT AND SAID I WAS LUCK NOT TO LOSE THE SPARE ON THE HIGHWAY. ALSO THE GAS TANK SUPPORTS WERE COMPLETELY GONE. THE TRUCK HAS 67K MILES. THE OUTSIDE LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND CLEAN YOU WOULD NEVER TELL BY LOOKING AT THE TRUCK THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS ROTTED. I FIND IT ABSURD THAT A TRUCK WELL TAKEN CARE HAS TURNED TO THIS... THE MECHANIC SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO REPLACE THE FRAME, WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE, SO I'M LEFT WITH A UNSAFE PILE OF RUSTED METAL. *TR

PER THE ADVICE OF MY MECHANIC, WHILE REPAIRING MY REAR BRAKE SEALS, THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLES, HANGERS & BOLTS REPLACED BEFORE I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAD THE WORK DONE AND I DID NOT RE-ATTACH THE SPARE TIRE. ITS IN THE CAB. *TR

BROUGHT TRUCK INTO SERVICE CENTER FOR NOISE IN FRONT. RAISED TRUCK TO INSPECT---- COMPLETE UNDERCARIAGE RUSTED BEYOND BELIEF,FRONT TO REAR BOLTS, NUTS, BRACKETS,FRAME, SHOCKS, ETC. MAIN CONCERN IS FRAME, BRAKE LINES --- HAD TO HAVE REAR LEAF SPRING SUPPORT AND BRACKET REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS READY TO BREAK. HAD SHOCKS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY COULD BUST AT ANY TIME. THIS IS A TRUCK WITH LESS THAN 32,000 MILES --- BODY STILL LOOKS GREAT BUT UNDERNEATH IS QUESTIONABLE IS THERE A RECALL OR SOMETHING I CAN FALL BACK ON ????

A LOUD THUNK, REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DROPPED, IMMEDIATE STOP AT MECHANIC'S SHOP, EXTENSIVE FRAME RUST AND RIVETED CONSTRUCTION OF SHACKLE BRACKET HANGERS AND SHACKLE BRACKET HAD CAUSED THE SHACKLE BRACKET HANGER TO BREAK FROM THE FRAME. THE SPRING WAS SHOVED UP AGAINST THE TRUCK'S BED. AT HIGHWAY SPEED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. MECHANIC SAID BOTH SHACKLE BRACKET HANGERS AND SHACKLE BRACKETS WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT WITH PROBABLY NEW METAL WELDED TO THE FRAME TO ENSURE THE NEW SHACKLE BRACKET HANGERS WOULD BE STABLE. ALSO, MECHANIC STATED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED TO A GREATER DEGREE THAN USUAL EVEN FOR NEW ENGLAND. WITH 107000 MILES, THIS SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE FOR US. THERE ARE ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS WAITING TO HAPPEN. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING DONE. MORE TO COME ONCE I GO TO THE WELDING SHOP TODAY (8/1/2013). READ ONLINE RANGER FORUMS TO SEE HOW PREVALENT THIS FRAME ROT ISSUE IS. *TR

REAR CROSSMEMBER ROTTED OFF CHARCOLE CANISTER AND SPARE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING WHY SHOULDN'T FORD BE RESPONSIBLE WHEN GOVERMENT MAKES TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR THERE FRAMES. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SPARE TIRE FELL OFF AND WAS DRAGGING UNDER THE TRUCK. LOOKING UNDER THE TRUCK I NOTICED LOTS OF ROT? THIS TRUCK IS IN GREAT CONDITION NOT A SPOT OF RUST ON THE BODY BUT THE FRAME IS A ROTTED MESS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A TEN YEAR OLD TRUCK. P.S IF THE TIRE EVER BROKE AWAY FROM THE TRUCK COMPLETELY IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING IS GOING OUT WITH JUST 77,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2002 RANGER EDGE 4X4 , IT HAD 4 MILES ON IT. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE AIRBAG SENSOR, ABS SENSOR, FRONT END HAD TOBE REALIGNED DUE TO A BAD ALIGNMENT AT THE FACTORY,THE TIRES IN THE FRONT HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 4500 MILES. NOW AT 38000 MILES THE 4X4 DRIVETRAIN WAS LEAKING AT THE FRONT COVER. THE BREATHING TUBE WAS THROWING OIL OUT ONTO THE ENGINE . I WAS TOLD BY FORD COMPANY AND A FORD TECH. THAT THIS WAS A E4NGINNERING PROBLEM. IT WAS REPLACED AT MY COST OF 796.00. THE COVER WAS REPLACED WITH A PART THAT WAS USED PREVIOUS TO 1995, PART NUMBER IS FOF6TZ-4033-BA. MY COMPLAINT IS WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL AND CAN I EXPECT FUTURE PROBLEMS. *JB

VEHICLE HAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION AT 65 MPH THAT INCREASES IN SEVERITY AS SPEED INCREASES. AT 85 MPH IT HAS A VERY PRONOUNCED VIBRATION THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO DEALER FOUR TIMES. THE DEALER ESSENTIALLY TOLD CUSTOMER THAT FORD WOULD NOT WARRANTY A VEHICLE OVER THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT. THIS WAS THE FINAL ANSWER AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONVINCE THE CUSTOMER OF OTHER CAUSES, MOST OF WHICH WERE ESSENTIALLY RIDICULOUS. (THE CUSTOMER WAS IN THE AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS FOR 17 YEARS.) THE CUSTOMER TOOK THE TECHNICIAN FOR A TEST DRIVE TO DEMONSTRATE THE SEVERE VIBRATION. THE TECHNICIAN PROPOSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A DEFECTIVE REAR DRIVE LINE. THE TECHNICIAN'S SUPERVISOR THEN DROVE THE VEHICLE HIMSELF THEN STATED THE VEHICLE DEFINITELY HAD A PRONOUNCED VIBRATION, BUT FORD WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE VIBRATION WAS DISCOVERED WHILE PASSING AN OBVIOUSLY INTOXICATED DRIVER (FOR SAFETY REASONS),...

WHEN PULLING UP TO A STOP TRUCK RATTLES WITH AN AWKWARD SOUND. DEALERSHIP HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT, BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. FORD HAS SENT OUT A TSB ON THIS, BUT EVEN THAT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. A FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE SPOKE WITH THE OWNER AND BASICALLY TOLD HIM THAT THE TRUCK WAS LIKE THAT. THE ENGINE IS 3.0 LITRE W/5 SPEED TRANSMISSION, EDGE SERIES MODEL PICKUP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK