2002 FORD RANGER Complaints

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

SPARE TIRE MOUNT FELL OFF TRUCK GOING 50 MPH. COULD HAVE KILLED SOME ONE. MOUNTS WERE TOTALLY RUSTED OFF. SINCE THEN HAVE HAD TO WELD FRAME SEVERAL TIMES TO PASS INSPECTION. FRAME IS NOT GOING TO PASS AGAIN THIS YEAR ON A TRUCK WITH GREAT ENGINE, TIRES, BRAKES, ETC. LAND FILL HERE WE COME. SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG WITH THE STEEL USED IN THIS FRAME. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. *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

THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT THE BELT MORE THAN A FEW INCHES. THE REMAINING BELT FALLS ONTO THE DOOR OPENING AND GETS PINCHED WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. THIS DAMAGES THE BELT. *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 ????

I HAVE A 2002 FORD RANGER 2.3L 4 CYL AN WHEN I START TO DRIVE MY CAR WILL SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND SO ROUGH THAT MY CAR JUMPS FORWARD AND THEN MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTS BLINKING AND THEN EVERYTIME I PRESS THE GAS FROM STOPPED IT SHIFTS VERY ROUGH. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM AND SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. ALSO WHEN I TAKE OFF THERE IS A LOUD VIBRATION SOUNDING LIKE IT IS COMING FROM THE DASH OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT BUT FIGURED I WOULD ADD THAT IN. *TR

2002 FORD RANGER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY DEFECT WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING AS HE LEFT OFF THE ACCELERATOR TO MAKE A TURN , THE ENGINE RPM'S DROPPED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING ERRATICALLY AND ALMOST SLATTED OUT COMPLETELY. THE CONSUMER READ ON A WEBSITE WHERE A PLASTIC PLUG COULD COME OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. HE REMOVED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SOON AFTER, HE DISCOVERED THE PLASTIC PLUG AND ABOUT A 3/8 HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE HOLE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE VACUUM IN THE SYSTEM, THEREFORE IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ERRATIC IDLE/STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WELDED THE PART BACK TOGETHER AFTER LEARNING IT WOULD COST ANYWHERE FROM $500-$1000 TO REPLACE. *JB

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