Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The spare tire stabilizing bracket rusted away and fell off. The rear shackles for the springs broke on both sides, and is coming up through the bed. The frame has rusted apart and it's not possible to bolt a new shackle for the rear springs on. The body is not rusting out. They used inferior steel on the frame and it has rusted away. They should do a recall on these like other manufacturers have. This is a serious safety issue. I bought this truck new, and it only has 98000 mikes on it.
Rear leaf-spring shackles and hangers on my 2006 Ford Ranger are rusted out, one of the shackles broke free from the frame while I was driving, made it harder to steer because the truck felt nowhere near as stable as it was before it broke, it caused me to swerve into the lane beside me which very well could have caused a serious accident if someone were to be there. The rest of my frame seems to have excessive rust which is not to be expected from a 10 year old truck, especially by the shackles and hangers for the leaf springs, and also all around the spare tire mount which I could see to become a very serious safety concern while driving. I mean who wants a spare tire in their windshield while following someone down the road? …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Ford Ranger. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle began to shift sideways abnormally. In addition, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the front passenger side wheel was emitting smoke and the wheel was partially detached from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing where the mechanic stated to the contact that the wheel bearing was fractured and would have to be replaced. After the repair, the contact noticed a whining noise coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the mechanic where the mechanic stated hat the front wheel bearing and axle would have to be replaced. The contact was not aware if the failure occurred on the driver or passenger side. The vehicle was not further repaired. …
The frame of my Ranger has rusted badly , causing the rear spring shackles to no longer be attached to the frame.also the bed of the truck has rusted away badly. I I spoke to a guy who specializes in frame / axle repair . After inspecting it , he told me that the only option to repair my truck was to replace the frame , because the frame is rusted too badly to be able to be welded , he said the only other option was to junk it . The truck has 102,000 miles on it and is otherwise in good condition . I had planned to own it for years to come . Now I am afraid to trust it . And I would not feel right about selling it to someone else . …
Was driving and the bracket and cross member that holds the spare tire bracket up broke due to the frame being all rusted/scalely and rotted out which also LED to the shackles being broken. When this bracket broke, my spare tire was hanging down and dragging on the ground which could have caused a serious accident. After the tire was taken down, this is when the deplorable condition of the frame was clearly visible. This truck should not even have been sold to me off of the wyoming valley motors dealership lot in larksville, pa. I have had the truck less than 14 months and put less than 3,000 miles on the truck. The frame and undercarriage is unfit to be on the road and should not have been sold especially at a big dealership lot. I have also contacted Ford and they will not stand behind their truck and do anything about it.
Awful banging sound while driving, inspected truck, found rear bumper hanging half off. Rear portion of both frame rails had rotten off. Rear spring shackles rotten and not attached. I pulled the bumper off with my bare hands! If it had fallen off while I was driving it could have killed someone. This is not an old beat up truck, as a matter of fact it only has 17,000 mile on it. It still looks brand new. The Ford Ranger xlt 4x4 extended cab was bought new in 2006 for $20,000, now its useless, can not even fix the spring shackles, nothing to attach them to.
Left side rear frame...where the rear spring shackle attaches to the the frame rusted away. The frame rusted away, no where else is there rust through...the leaf spring ended up being supported by the bed of truck. Spring is attached to the rear axle. Axle can become free wheeling at any time. The right side rear shackle attachment looks as if the frame is going to fail any moment ...I can not believe the frame rusts away while the rest of the body is OK.....a temporary repair has been made with a 4 x 4 bolted to the frame and spring.
Severe rust entire back half of truck. First the spare tire fell off while driving and the EVAP canister was broken. The bed rotted out and my gas tank was in danger of falling off. The cross members broke while driving on a town dirt road causing the cross member to rub against the drive shaft. I had to use a cargo strap to hold up the gas tank so I could get home which luckily was only about a mile.
The entire frame is rusted, the rust on the frame around the rear spring shackle rusted enough that the shackle is broken free. This was noticed due to the noises the shackle makes when moving. The vehicle has less than 108,000 miles. In addition the side steps rusted through and were hanging down, I had to remove them to prevent them from falling off.
The rear shackles rusted through and broke off from the leaf springs. This happened while driving home from work on city streets. When turning corners the sound of the broken shackle rolling back and forth on the back of the bumper alerted me to the situation. I am third owner and this truck has been taken care of very well
Suspension complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2006 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the suspension of the 2006 Ford Ranger, 7% of the model year's 272 complaints. The component named most often is front › wheel bearing (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Ford Ranger suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2006 Ford Ranger, though it has 12 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 2006 Ford Ranger suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to suspension 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.