Problems · by component
2000 Ford Ranger suspension problems
74 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Ford Ranger cite suspension, 10% of all 729 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
74
10% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the suspension
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE FRAME RAILS AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHERE THE SHOCKS BOLT UP HAS COMPLETELY CRACKED THROUGH THE METAL ON PASSENGER SIDE & THE DRIVER SIDE HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND FRAME CRACKED”
“I RECENTLY REPLACED ROTTED PARTS OF THE UNDERSIDE OF MY FORD RANGE, SPRING SHACKLES, SCHOCKS AND SCHOCK MOUNT BRACKETS. I DID THIS REPAIR TO MAKE MU TRUCK SAFER, AFTER 3 WEEKS OF DRIVING WITH THE NEW REPAIRS THE FRAME BEGAN TO CRACK AND IS ABOUT TO SPLIT IN HALF... NOT SO SAFE. THE BODY IS IN GREAT SHAPE, BUT I CAN'T DRIVE THE TRUCK WITH THE FRAME IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. BACK ROAD DRIVING 3 DAYS A WEEK.”
“I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK DOWN A MAIN ROAD AND THERE WAS A SMALL POTHOLE.IT WAS ONLY ABOUT AN INCH DEEP BY ABOUT A FOOT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRUCK STARTED MAKING VERY LOUD NOISES GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALMOST SEEMING LIKE THE TRUCK DIDN'T WANT TO GO STRAIGHT. I PULLED OVER BECAUSE I WANTED TO CHECK IT AND HERE WAS A MASSIVE CRACK IN THE FRAME BEHIND THE SHACKLE MOUNT IN THE FRONT OF THE WHEEL WELL. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE GAS TANK MOUNT THAT THE STRAP CONNECTS DO HOLDING DIRT AND MOISTURE BEHIND IT AND ROTTED OUT A HOLE IN THE FRAME. ALSO THE GAS TANK MOUNT ROTTED COMPLEATLY OUT AND IS NO LONGER THERE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE THE SAME PLACE THAT THE FRAME ROTTED OUT. THIS IS A BIG DEFECT BY FORD AS THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAN IT OUT AND THE FRAME WILL JUST ROT EVEN THOUGH THE BODY OF THE TRUCK IS SPOTLESS AND RUST FREE BECAUSE I WASH THE UNDERCARRIAGE EVERY WEEK AS WELL AS THE WHOLE TRUCK. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE BECAUSE THE MOISTURE AND DIRT CONSISTAINTLY EAT AWAY AT THE FRAME. ALSO IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT I POSSIBLY NEED TO TAKE THE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD EVEN THOUGH THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS PERFECT. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I CAN'T BELIEVE FORD COULD HAVE OVER LOOKED THIS.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. SUDDENLY, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SHOCK DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS ROTTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.”
“WAS PULLING LAWN MOWER TRAILOR ON I-81 & CAR PULLED UP BESIDE ME, THEY WERE HISTERICLY TELLING ME TO PULL OVER, THAT MY BUMPER WAS COMING OFF, ALONG WITH TRAILER, MOWER & ALL. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN MANY FATALITIES. THE FRAME OF MY TRUCK IS COMPLETELY RUSTED IN 1/2 ON DRIVER SIDE. NOT FAR FROM IT ON PASSENGER SIDE. GAS TANK STRAP RUSTED IN 1/2. NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY FORD TRUCK IS UNDRIVEABLE. THIS IS A GREAT INCONVENIENCE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE, & RECALL MY TRUCK FOR NEW FRAME. THANK U VERY MUCH....STILL A FORD MAN FOR NOW.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD RANGER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, A RATTLING TYPE NOISE WAS PRESENT UNDER THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE CONNECTED TO THE SUBFRAME FAILED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPLACEMENT COMPONENTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.”
Showing 6 of 74 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.