There are 20 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2005 Ford Rangerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TRUCK IS IN GOOD SHAPE W/123,600 MILES. FRAME ROTTED THROUGH AT REAR AXLE. SPARE TIRE AND HOLDER DROPPED RIGHT OUT OF IT AND WAS HANGING BY A THREAD. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO SHOP AND CUT SPARE TIRE AND HOLDER COMPLETELY OFF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DOING A ROUTINE CHECK UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME UNDER THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.
THE REAR PORTION OF THE FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY AND THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET CAUSING THE BED OF THE TRUCK TO FALL ONTO THE BUSTED SHACKLE. THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT IS RUSTED SO BAD THAT WE REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE TO AVOID LOOSING THE SPARE WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR BUMPER SEEMS UNSTABLE AS THE FRAME IS RUSTED AND FALLING APART FROM THE REAR SHACKLE MOUNT ON BACK. THE FRONT PORTION OF THE FRAME SEEMS TO BE HOLDING UP OK.
THE FRAME IS BADLY RUSTED, ESPECIALLY IN THE REAR. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLE FELL OFF ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO. WITHING THE LAST WEEK , THE REAR BUMPER BECAME DETACHED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT FAR BEHIND EITHER. THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE PROBABLY HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, BUT DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. THE REAR BUMPER FELL OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.
WELL JUST BOUGHT MY 2005 RANGER ONLY HAS 111,230 MILES AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BODY LOOKS GREAT NO RUST AT ALL WELL THE FRAME IS TOTAL JUNK ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR EVEN WORSE THEM MY SEQUOIA I HAD SUPER DANGEROUS SO I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAME ISSUES I RUN A REPAIR SHOP AND I SEE 1/2 RANGERS A MONTH THAT ARE JUNK NOT JUST SPRING SHACKLES OR HANGERS COMPETE FRAMES I DON'T UNDER STAND HOW A TRUCK THAT THE BODY IS SUPER CLEAN NEVER PAINTED LOOKS FLAWLESS BUT FRAME BROKE FROM ROT FORD SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THESE JUNK FRAMES I HAVE VEHICLE IN MY BACK LOT I MAY TALK TO A LAWYER ONLY REASON I FOUND ISSUES IT WAS DUE FOR INSPECTION SUPER MAD DROVE IT WITH MY SON AND COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT BECAUSE JUNK METAL
BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SHACKLE BRACKET RUSTED AWAY , ALONG WITH RIGHT SIDE FRAME WHERE SHACKLE BRACKET ATTACHES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE REAR TIRE MOUNT FRAME THAT HELD THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND FELL ONTO THE ROAD. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO RETRIEVE THE ITEM. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
SPARE TIRE MOUNT UNDER REAR END OF TRUCK RUSTED OUT AND PARTIALLY FELL OFF WHILE IN MOTION. CHARCOAL VENT CANISTER ATTACHED TO TIRE MOUNT BROKEN OFF IN THE PROCESS. ENTIRE REAR END OF TRUCK EXTREMELY RUSTY AT 130,000 MILES. COMPARABLE VEHICLES OF SAME AGE OR OLDER IN SAME LOCATION DO NOT SHOW THIS KIND OF EXTREME RUSTING.
FRAME COMPONENTS AND ATTACHMENTS SEVERELY RUSTED AND BARELY ATTACHED. ATTACHMENT TO CONTROL ARM IS EXTREMELY BAD
FRAME ON TRUCK HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF IN TWO PIECES I WENT TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND TOOK THE BED OFF TO SEE THE TRUCK FOLD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRAILER HITCH, TIRE HOLDER, AND FRAME WERE CHIPPING AWAY. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000. UPDATED 7/9/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE RUNNING BOARD BROKE WHEN HE LEANED ON IT. THE METAL RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE. UPDATED 07/30/15*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OVER A SMALL BUMP, THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME CROSS MEMBERS ON THE TIRE MOUNT WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000. UPDATED 10/14/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. UPDATED 3/31/15 *JS
FRONT PORTION OF RACK BROKE LEAVING THE TIRE HANGING BELOW THE TRUCK. FORD DEALER SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND COULD NOT BE FIXED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED HIM THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. IN ADDITION, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CORROSION WAS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000.
TOOK MY TRUCK FOR ITS NYS INSPECTION TO MY FORD DEALER-- TECH STATED HE COULD NOT PASS THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RUST ON A PART OF THE FRAME. THIS VEHICLE HAS UNDER 39K MILES ON IT AND IS WELL- MAINTAINED. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS PERFECT AND THE REST OF THE FRAME HAS AN EXPECTABLE AMOUNT OF RUST FOR THIS CLIMATE. I HAVE HAD FOUR OTHER FORD TRUCKS USED AND STORED UNDER SAME CONDITIONS AND NONE HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH FRAME RUST. THE OFFENDING PART IS A FRONT CROSS MEMBER THOUGH WHICH SOME BOLTS PASS. THE HOLES AROUND THE BOLTS ARE "ROTTEN".
EXTERIOR OF TRUCK IS IN MINT CONDITION, LOW MILEAGE AND MECHANICALLY SOUND. FRAME AND SUSPENSION RUSTED TO THE POINT OF ROT. FORD DEALER CAUTIONED THAT THE CONTINUED USE OF MY VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE TRANSMISSION AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ADDITIONALLY BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD TO DRIVER AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS ON THE ROAD. MY GUT FEELING TELLS ME THESE FRAMES WERE MADE BY THE SAME STEEL MANUFACTURER WHERE TOYOTA FRAMES WERE MADE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL WHO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR FRAMES. I HAVE OWNED FORD CARS SINCE THE 1970S AND NEVER HAVE HAD A PROBLEM AS SEVERE AS THIS. *TR
MY 2005 FORD RANGER TRUCK IS SEVERELY RUSTED ON THE UNDERSIDE. I HAD A 1992 RANGER PREVIOUS TO THIS ONE, AND NEVER HAD THIS AMOUNT OF RUST ON SUCH A CRITICAL AREA. EVERYTHING IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND IT APPEARS TO BE PREMATURELY FAILING, ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAS FALLEN OFF AS OF YET. THE REST OF THE TRUCK LOOKS IMMACULATE, BUT UNDERNEATH...LOOKS 100 YEARS OLD! THIS IS A PROBLEM. *TR
FORD DECIDED TO NOT INCLUDE REAR INNER WHEEL WELL SPLASH SHIELDS IN THE PICK-UP BEDS FOR THE 2005 MODEL YEAR, THE REAR WHEELS NOW 'INJECT' ROAD LIQUIDS INTO THE BED THROUGH OPENINGS IN THE BED SEAM UNDER THE CAP RAIL. IF A PERSON HAS A SHELL OR COVER ON THE BED ANY CONTENTS LIVE OR NOT ARE EXPOSED TO WHATEVER IS SPLASHED IN SEATTLE BECAUSE OF THE RAIN, I GROW MOLD IF I USE A SHELL. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD RANGER. UPON INSPECTION THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE REAR FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS COVERED WITH RUST BUT IT WAS COVERED UNDER A TEN YEAR RUST WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED NOR WAS THE DEFECT DIAGNOSED. THE RUST ON THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3000.
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING, WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AT OR ONTO A ROAD THAT ANGLES, HE CAN NOT SEE APPROACHING VEHICLES. 2005 FORD RANGER. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRUCK HAS VERY HIGH SEATS AND SMALL WINDOWS, THE SEATS BLOCK THE CONSUMERS VIEW. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEATS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESIGNED WITH ADJUSTABLE HEAD RESTS. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026