2005 Ford Escape Hybrid

THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL HAS CORRODED VERY SEVERELY. THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS PUSHING INTO THE INTERIOR WHEEL COVER, CAUSING IT TO BECOME DISLODGED. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, ABOUT 35 MPH, WHEN I HEAR A LOUD SCRAPING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SIDE OF MY ESCAPE. I NOTICED THAT THE INTERIOR WHEEL COVER WAS DISLODGED AND MOVING AROUND. I PULLED OVER INTO A LOCAL PARK TO EXAMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE VERY LOUD SCRAPING SOUND. I COULD SEE THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL AREA WAS VERY RUSTED AND FLAKY. I DROVE HOME ABOUT 10-15 MPH, ALL THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A VERY LOUD BUMPING AND SCRAPING SOUND. I CONSULTED A FORD MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN SAFELY. FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THE MANY HUNDREDS OF FORD ESCAPES THAT HAVE RUSTED OUT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELLS, THAT CAN CAUSE SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHEN THE SHOCK ABSORBER PUSHES INTO THE CAR AND THE VEHICLE COLLAPSES ONTO THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DISCOVERED THE SHOCK LEANING AGAINST THE WHEEL AND A HOLE WHERE THE MOUNTED BRACKET WAS LOCATED. THE CONTACT CALLED LOVELAND FORD (999 E EISENHOWER BLVD, LOVELAND, CO 80537, (970) 744-7101) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

DRIVERS SIDE REAR SUDDENLY BEGAN BANGING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. REAR STRUT MOUNT COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT SO THE STRUT IS LOOSE AND BANGING ON THE INSIDE OF THE TRUNK. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THERE IS NO SURFACE RUST ON THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE. MANUFACTURER DID NOT ATTACH THE STRUT SECURELY - ONLY SURFACE MOUNTED ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL.

MY WELL MAINTAINED 2005 ESCAPE HYBRID DEVELOPED A RATTLING SOUND ON JULY 26, 2016. AT FIRST THE RATTLE IN THE RIGHT REAR HAPPENED ONLY ON BUMPS IN THE ROAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY CAR JACK COMING LOOSE IN ITS COMPARTMENT. I CHECKED THAT AND THE JACK WAS ALL SECURED, NOT RATTLING. I CONTINUED DRIVING HOME AND THE RATTLE BECAME A BANGING SOUND, AND THE RIGHT REAR INSIDE WHEEL AREA STARTED TO RATTLE AND MOVE TOWARDS THE INTERIOR AS I DROVE. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED AROUND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL AREA AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HOW EXTREMELY RUSTED IT IS. THE OTHER WHEEL WELLS SHOW VERY LITTLE RUST. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON A FORD OWNERS WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT MANY MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE REPORT THAT THE RUSTED OUT SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNT BREAKS LOOSE AND THE VEHICLE BODY COLLAPSES ONTO THE WHEEL, SENDING THE CAR OUT OF CONTROL. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE ISN'T A RECALL ON THIS COMMON PROBLEM IN THE '05 ESCAPE HYBRID VEHICLES. I CANNOT DRIVE MY WELL MAINTAINED CAR BECAUSE OF THE MECHANICAL BANGING, THE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF CONTROL, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND PERSONAL INJURY. I'M ATTACHING PHOTOS OF THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL TO SHOW THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE DEFECT IN THE RIGHT REAR. PLEASE GIVE THIS COMPLAINT YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION, AND ALERT OTHER FORD ESCAPE OWNERS OF THIS IMMINENTLY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

VEHICLE HAS 95,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENTIRE BACK PASSENGER REAR WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, SO MUCH SO THAT THE SHOCK IS PUSHING UP INTO THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE REST OF THE WHEEL WELLS ARE FINE AND SHOW VERY LITTLE WEAR AND THE VEHICLE RUNS JUST FINE. WHEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE, IT APPEARS THAT A MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE ARE ENCOUNTERING THIS VERY SAME ISSUE WITH JUST THAT SAME SPECIFIC SPOT. MY FEAR IS THAT THIS MAKES THIS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE EVENT I HIT A LARGE BUMP OR POT HOLE.

WE NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, WE DISCOVERED THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE STRUT IS BARELY ATTACHED. THE RUST HOLES ARE SO LARGE, THAT INSULATION IS SHOWING, AND THE STRUT IS HITTING THE PLASTIC PIECE GOING INTO THE TRUNK SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY A MECHANIC. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME AREA (REAR PASSENGER SIDE) AND IS CAUSING SAFETY HAZARDS, SUCH AS RUPTURED TIRES AND UNSTABLE STEERING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO RECALL!