1991 FORD RANGER Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED APPROXIMATELY FIVE INCHES FROM THE REGULAR POSITION AND THE FRONT FENDER WAS COVERING THE TOP OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING MOUNT WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOCAL AUTO SHOP WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

THE CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURE FOR THE FRONT END SUSPENSION PART THAT WAS DISCONTINUED. *JB

Mileage: 42,000

RIGHT FRONT SPRING BRACKET RUSTED THROUGH ALLOWING BODY TO DROP ONTO FRONT TIRE, AND I NOTICED THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE AND WAS WANTING TO KNOW IS FORD GOING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR ARE WE THE PUBLIC GOING TO GET STUCK WITH THIS PROBLEM ? *JB

Mileage: 58,212

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT SHOCK MOUNT COMPLETELY RUSTED. *YH

RIGHT FRONT SHOCK TOWER COLLAPSED ON VEHICLE WHICH CAME APART FROM FRAME. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK. CONSUMER STATES THE RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION HOUSING CORRODED AND FAILED, CONSUMER STATES PART MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY HEAT TREATED PRIOR TO INSTALLATION.*JB

WHILE DRIVING WOULD HEAR NOISE COMING FROM RIGHT FRONT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT NOISE WAS COMING FROM HOUSING ASSEMBLY.*AK

PLASTIC NYLON BUSHING ON FRONT RADIAL ARM CRACKED, CAUSING FRONT SUSPENSION TO BECOME LOOSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. NLM

SPRING HOUSING CORRODED, CONSUMER DISCOVERED PROBLEM BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE OCCURED. *ET

NOTICED RUST FELL OFF NEAR FRONT RIGHT TIRE. HAD MECHANIC AT WORK CHECK HE SAID THAT IT IS READY TO BREAK AND THE TRUCK IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED FORD I LOOKED AT YOUR SITE AND FOUND MANY TRUCKS WITH SAME PROBLEM.NOT SURE WHAT TO DO SINCE IT IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM THAT NOT ONLY MY TRUCK HAD. I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE REPLACING THEM. MY TRUCK ALSO HAS LOW MILAGE.

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1991 RANGER PICKUP USED. SINCE THE PURCHASE I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ABOUT 1500 MILES. I NOTICED WHILE INSTALLING NEW SHOCK ABSORBERS THAT THE SPRING MOUNT (TOP BRACKET) WAS RUSTED. WITHIN 500 MILES OF THE INSTALLATION THE BRACKET HAS STARTED TO SEPERATE FROM THE FRAME AND THE RIGHT FRONT CORNER OF THE TRUCK WAS NOTICABLLY LOWER. I WENT TO A FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRUCK WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND THAT THE SPRING COULD BE EJECTED FROM ITS POSITION CAUSING A ACCIDENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD OF ANOTHER RANGER 1993 WITH THE SAME CONDITION. I WANTED TO INFORM THE NTSA, ONLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS CONDITION IS A FACTORY DEFECT THAT MOST LIKELY WON'T SHOW UP UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS SOME AGE AND MILES ON IT. IT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF MANY ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES IF IT IS COMMON TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES. THANK YOU

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE WHOLE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND. RIGHT FRONT UPPER COIL SPRING FAILED, AND THE PAINT THAT WAS ON THE PART HAD CORRODED. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK TOWER CORRODED AND RUSTED OUT , EVENTUALLY CAUSING IT TO BREAK, AND CAUSING FRONT END TO FALL DOWN. *AK

RIGHT FRONT UPPER SPRING MOUNT PREMATURELY RUSTED OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DROP. CAUSED BY COATING ON PART TRAPPING MOISTURE. OTHER PARTS MAY ALSO FAIL. *AK

RIGHT FRONT SPRING BRACKET RUSTED THROUGH ALLOWING BODY TO DROP ONTO FRONT TIRE.

THE RIGHT FRONT UPPER SPRING MOUNT LOCATED IN THE LOWER SUSPENSION HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED OUT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED ERRATIC VIBRATION AT SPEEDS UP TO 50MPH CAUSED BY FLEX PLATE CRACKING, DEALER REPLACED TWICE. NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED A THIRD TIME DUE TO A MISALIGNMENT PROBLEM. *AK