651 of the 10,502 complaints filed about the Ford Ranger are about the suspension — 6% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2001.
651
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
26
Crashes
2
Fires
SUSPENSION
Weak steel from connection point of rear leaf springs failed, leaving the springs unconnected at front eye of connection point
NHTSA complaint #11752638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2019 Ford Ranger because I discovered what I believe to be a serious safety defect involving the rear leaf spring mounting system. My vehicle has approximately 55,000 miles and has been used primarily as a commuter vehicle for driving to and from work in the city. The truck is originally from Virginia and has very minimal rust exposure. While replacing my rear brake pads, I noticed that the area where the rear leaf spring connects to the body/frame of the truck had broken away and was no longer properly attached. This was completely unexpected. A critical suspension component such as the leaf spring mounting point should not fail on a relatively low-mileage vehicle with only 55,000 miles, especially one that has not been subjected to severe corrosion or extreme use. Had I not been performing brake maintenance myself, I likely would not have discovered this defect. I fear that many other Ford Ranger owners may be driving their vehicles unaware that they could be experiencing the same dangerous condition. A failure involving the leaf spring mounting system has the potential to affect vehicle stability, handling, braking, and overall control. This creates a significant safety risk not only for the driver and passengers of the affected vehicle, but also for everyone sharing the roadway. I respectfully urge your agency to investigate this issue and determine whether a broader defect exists involving the rear leaf spring mounting components on 2019 Ford Rangers. If warranted, I ask that Ford be required to issue a recall to inspect and repair affected vehicles before a catastrophic failure results in serious injury or loss of life. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your efforts to protect the safety of the driving public.
NHTSA complaint #11745640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Newly purchased truck, less than 3 weeks old, with 987 miles. A few blocks from my home, the driver's side front control arm broke while going over a speed bump at approximately 4 miles per hour. The vehicle was towed to Walker Ford in Clearwater, Florida. Notes on the repair order stated that it looks like the control did not cure all the way, leading to the weakness. The vehicle was repaired. The tire was hanging off the vehicle, and hopefully did not damage any other components. The dealership stated that Ford requested the part back for inspection.
NHTSA complaint #11738798 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Rear rear leaf spring broken/cracked completely and disconnected from vehicle. The vehicle was unsafe to drive as the axle was not not connected to the vehicle on one side. The defective component was inspected by Firestone Auto and submitted and approved by SilverRock automotive for warranty replacement and is currently at a Ford Dealership completing repairs because Firestone Auto failed to complete the repair properly. There were no warning lamps or messages and it the problem was only noticeable when the vehicle was on a lift or floor jack. The incident is unknown and it the broken part was poor design/materials.
NHTSA complaint #11733822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
JULY 2024 THE RIGHT SIDE BACK LEAF SPRING WAS BROKEN. WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. APRIL 2026 THE LEFT SIDE BACK LEAF SPRING IS BROKE. WAITING TO HEAR FROM FORD IF IT WILL BE COVERED OR NOT. LEAF SPRINGS SHOULD NOT BE BREAKING. I DO NOT HAUL THINGS OR EVEN GO OFF ROAD WITH MY 2019 RANGER. IT HAS 74012.10 MILES ON IT NOW.
NHTSA complaint #11732372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
On friday, march 27th, 2026. My 2019 ford ranger began shaking before the engine stalled. Warning lights for an engine check came on and my vehicle would not go above 20 mph after restarting. When pressing on the accelerator the engine would rev but the vehicle would not accelerate. I took the 2019 ford Ranger to a local Ford Dealership service center and they diagnosed the following problems (listed in full below).The cooling fan was at issue and multiple wires connecting my engine to the rest of the vehicle were melted off. The ford dealership said that this issue is extremely rare and they have never seen it before. After receiving this information from the dealership I discovered that the 2019 ford ranger has had several recalls with the areas at issue in my vehicle. The recalls are under number 25V685000 (Engine block heater), and 20V137000 (Fan). Here is the full diagnosis from the ford dealership attached below: VERIFIED CUSTOMER CONCERN FOUND VEHICLE TO HAVE CEL LIGHT ON, AND MULTIPLE WARNING LIGHTS PERFORMED DIAG AND FOUND SHORT CIRCUIT PRESENT. TRACED SHORT FOUND COOLING FAN CLUTCH FAILED AND HARNESS RUBBING IN CLUCH ASSEMBLY FOR COOLING FAN The fan lowers the temperature of the engine. The cooling fan motor is an electric motor that turns the fan blades. When the vehicle is in traffic or under heavy load, the engine relies on the fan to cool itself. Some vehicles may use multiple electric fans for better control of the cooling system. For the most part, electric cooling fans are controlled by the same computer that controls the engine. However, in some engines, the fans are turned on and off by a temperature-sensitive switch mounted in either the radiator or elsewhere in the cooling system. Spark Plug Replacement 4 Cylinder: 4 Cyl Tune Up The platinum spark plug is a type of spark plug. The platinum is a precious metal that is used in the composition of the spark plug. The center electrode is made of platinum.
NHTSA complaint #11728932 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
both rear springs broken at the front eye mounts. the rear leaf springs hold the rear axle in place need I EXPLAIN MORE? I have not had the truck inspected, I have been in the automotive industry for over forty years. I first heard a noise from the springs when entering a parking lot and drove over a curb. No electronics attached to the springs.
NHTSA complaint #11726465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
2020 Ford Ranger XL: Total failure of both rear leaf spring assemblies (detached from bushing). Discovered during routine maintenance at approximately 47K miles. Both rear leaf spring assemblies failed in the same location where spring meets the bushing at fwd spring attachment leaving the rear of the truck supported by the rear shock assemblies only. Technician assessment showed no damage to associated rear suspension components, minimal corrosion, and no sign of collision or impact causing failure - suspect latent manufacturing defect in original OEM part as OEM has since updated original part number. Local ford service center indicated that this is a known issue however no current recall or extended warranty covered by OEM. I am in possession of all failed parts. Happy to provide info or failed parts upon request for further analysis.
NHTSA complaint #11726096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Vehicle has around 50K miles and driver rear leaf spring corroded and broke, review of right rear leaf spring also showed corrosion and metal thinning. Truck has no off road time nor heavy loads in bed. I had to replce both springs at my cost even though Ford is aware of the 2019-2020 Ranger spring issues and refused to replace the springs. This is a serious safety issue that places the occupants and other drivers at risk. The mechanic said he’s replaced over a dozen broken leaf springs on model years 2019 and 2020. The manufacturer is being intentionally negligent and even the dealer parts counter agreed the springs are faulty, saying they sell quite a few regularly.
NHTSA complaint #11723121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Brought the vehicle to the dealer for standard 40,000 mile service. When it was raised on their lift, the rear end dropped out because both driver and passenger side leaf springs had broken at the mount bushings. The springs had been broken for some time, as there was significant rust at the broken points. The truck drove normally. This was only discovered once the truck was on a service lift. The weight of the truck was resting on the intact part of the springs, but may have completely disconnected if I had hit a large enough bump while the springs were broken. This would certainly have caused a loss of control, and likely resulted in a crash. The dealer confirmed that this was a manufacturer defect. Despite being past the warranty period, Ford agreed that this is a defect. They used the "Ford ESP" extended service plan to with the cost to perform the repair, though I did not have an extended service contract. I searched the internet, because this should not be possible on a vehicle with this age and mileage. I discovered many reports of similar occurrences on the 2019-2022 Rangers. [XXX] [XXX] I found similar reports on Reddit and other sites. This is dangerous and appears to be a common defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11706732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
During a PA State inspection, a leaf spring was discovered to be broken.
NHTSA complaint #11706172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
On November 7th. 2025, I took my Ranger to my mechanic for it's yearly emissions and inspection, to have the tires rotated and brakes changed. He called me later that day and had sent me pictures of BOTH rear leaf springs broken off from the under carriage. He stated that he could not tell how long they were like this and asked if I had any issues driving. I did not notice any noise or driving issues. He stated that he is shocked that I did not wreak the truck by loosing control because it should have caused my rear to be bouncing all over. He contacted FORD and asked if there was a recall on them and was told "No". He then instructed me to file a complaint with you. He ordered the parts and replaced fixed the issue.
NHTSA complaint #11703308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
The front eyes of both leaf springs were broke. Took truck to local shop to repair a tire leak and they called me to ask me how I drove the truck there as they never saw anything like it before. This is a major component that maintains the rear axle geometry and could have been a safety risk and should never be a concern on a 5 year old vehicle with under 100,000 miles. Vehicle has not been inspected by any other parties than the shop and myself. No symptoms were detected.
NHTSA complaint #11699749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Both rear leaf springs broke at the eye on the forward anchor bushing, leaving both leaf springs not anchored at one end. This was undetectable until the truck was lifted for an oil change. It was not detected and released back to me to drive. The rear axle was only anchored at 2 of the 3 anchor points. If one of the other anchor points was compromised the result could have been catastrophic depending on the driving conditions. I drove the vehicle locally until i figured out the clunking noise. Both leaf springs were replaced by a certified repair shop. There have been other reports of the same problem with no re-calls
NHTSA complaint #11698244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
The dri er side leaf spring broke at the fro t bushing attachment. The bushing is completely rusted and cracked.
NHTSA complaint #11682178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
There is a fluid leak in the shock absorber. The truck has less than 3k miles
NHTSA complaint #11671962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Driver side leaf spring broke
NHTSA complaint #11667557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer for routine maintenance and the dealer became aware that the driver’s side rear leaf spring at the front end where the shackle bolt passes through the eyelet on the leaf spring was fractured. The contact stated that the dealer advised that the leaf spring could be replaced; however, the contact declined the repair. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
NHTSA complaint #11666107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Leaf Spring failed at forward mount of driver side. Vehicle was never over weight nor ever towed anything.
NHTSA complaint #11656882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SUSPENSION
Right rear leaf spring was found to be broken on vehicle 2ith 70,000 miles by Ford technician during oil change. I was informed that it was not a recalled defect, repair part was on back order and was not advised as to the safety of driving the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11653091 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.