Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I bought my Ranger 12 months ago. 6 months ago I noticed the bed of the truck was starting to lean to the left. Also the spare tire came up missing. I thought it was stlolen but upon inspection it had simply rusted the holder under the truck and fallen off. 3 months ago the truck started making a grinding noise upon braking. The right front a arm had rusted and broken off the frame. A mechanic had to weld a piece of metal to the frame because there was nothing to weld to. Then I finally decided to look under the truck and was shocked at what I found. The bed floor was nearly non excistant. Rusted almost completely gone. The spring shackle on the right which is attached to frame with a bracket were sticking up against the bed liner, the bracket completely gone. The tube that holds the right shock absorber is completely rusted off, the shock absorber just hanging there. …
When driving out of driveway the spare tire under the car came loose. Upon inspection there is a great deal of rust on the under carriage. The rest of the vehicle is in excellent shape and withoit rust. My frame should not be rusting like this. It is a safety issue, not only in having parts fall off but also the safety of the vehicles structure May be affected
Traveling east on interstate 10 west of indio, ca when the kumho solis k21 rear passenger tire exploded. Ranger pickup swayed back and forth until the pickup went down a 15' embankment. Rolled at least 3 times with injuries to both passengers. The pickup was a total loss. Tire was purchase 11/22/2010 and was a p225/70r-15.
On February 27,2004, I purchased four (4) new tires (hoosier tires - dot adyk 9j0037) from a k&d offroad auto accessories,702 s.collins street, plant city florida, 33563 (mike taylor-owner). Eleven months later (January 15, 2005), my vehicle showed signs of severe tire vibration in the ride and handling. I immediately took my vehicle to the nearest tire service company, long tire & auto service (authorized Goodyear dealer) and was told that both front tires showed tire separation and all four (4) tires had cracking as a result of dry rot for age. The technician indicated that the tires were originally manufactured in 1997, apparently, seven (7) years before they were sold to me as new tires in 2004.
Goodyear wrangler rt/s front tires cupping badly, recommended tire rotation caused all four tires to be badly cupped resulting in serious vibration and difficulty in control on wet or icy surfaces. Internet search shows many people have the same problem. Tires were a replacement by Ford of Firestone tires which were OEM. It seems that tire failure or accidents May well result with the cupping of Goodyear tires. Ford dealer says tires are defective but the warranty has run out and Ford is not responsible. Ford dealer (tasca Ford cranston, ri) recommended all tires be replaced at my expense! These tires have only 14,000 miles on them!
While driving at 45 MPH I slowed to make a right turn and almost went through the intersection into the woods. I thought that the truck might roll. Upon inspection, my left front tire was nearly flat. When I brought the wheel/tire to get it repaired I was told that the wheel had rusted through and the tire was okay. The folks at the wheel & tire place showed me how the wheel was designed to trap water and were very familiar with the problem. I notified Ford, who ignored the design-flaw aspect, and told me I was out of luck since there was no safety recall. I hope that changes.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Ranger. The contact has Goodyear wrangler rts tires on his vehicle. He replaced the driver side rear tire. The contact stated that the driver side front tire has a crack near the bead and sidewall. He feels that it is a safety issue because the tire can blow out at anytime. The tire has approximately 45,000 miles. The contact has pictures. The tire dot number and VIN were unavailable. The current mileage is 80,000 and failure mileage was 40,000. Updated 12/12/07 updated
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Ranger equipped with cooper cobra radial g/t tires, size p225/60r15. While driving 60 MPH, the vehicle began to shimmy and then spun out of control in circles on the highway. The police officer noticed that the tire tread was completely separated. The manufacturer stated that the failure was not related to NHTSA campaign number: 06t016000 (tires). The tires were not replaced. The tire and vehicle failure mileage was 96,405.
Consumer was driving on the free way and when exiting heard a grinding sound. When consumer looked at vehicle he noticed the entire front suspension dropped down. This happened due to the rim of the wheel breaking into pieces. This was a standard rim from the manufacturer. Brake caliper behind the rim was damaged. Consumer had the vehicle towed to his home because the vehicle's warranty expired.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle vibrated while driving 55 MPH. It was taken to the dealer who determined the tires needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact of recall campaign # 01x001000, concerning the tires. However, the dealer did not replace the tires under this recall; they suggested the contact file a safety complaint. Updated 04/11/06.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 2001 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 44 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 2001 Ford Ranger, 9% of the model year's 515 complaints. The component named most often is temporary/emergency spare tire (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Ranger wheel & tire problems?
No. NHTSA lists no wheels & tires recall for the 2001 Ford Ranger, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Ranger wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 47,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries and 1 death to wheels & tires problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.