2005 Ford Escape Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE IN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCK SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL WELL. THE WHEEL WELL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND THE "SERVICE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON THEN ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER THE "STOP SAFELY" LIGHT CAME ON AND MY VEHICLE SHUTDOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT HAD TO BE RESET (SHUTDOWN WAS TO PROTECT THE HYBRID BATTERY). ONCE FORD FIXED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO GET CAR TO START AGAIN, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER HAD FULLY DETACHED FROM THE WHEEL HOUSE AND WAS BASICALLY A DANGLING PIECE. FORD COULD OFFER NO HELP "THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT OR CAPABILITY TO FIX" AND SAID I HAD TO GO TO A AUTO BODY SHOP TO HAVE THE PIECE WELDED BACK TO THE FRAME. TURNS OUT THERE IS NOTHING THERE TO WELD, THE ENTIRE CONNECTION HAS ROTTED OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. FROM WHAT I CAN FIND ONLINE THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE ON 2005 FORD ESCAPES AND FORD REFUSES TO DEAL WITH IT. CARS WITH THESE ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT I WAS ONLY DRIVING 35MPH ON A SIDE STREET, IMAGINE WHAT COULD'VE HAPPENED IF I WAS TRAVELING AT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE PIECE JUST FELL OUT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FIX THAT FORD OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE THE BURDEN OF DEALING WITH FINANCIALLY ON A CAR THAT IS LESS THAT 10 YEARS OLD. MY CAR IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS A LOT OF LIFE LEFT IN IT, BUT NOW THIS FIX IS GOING TO COST CLOSE TO $2500. THIS SHOULD BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED SO FORD HAS TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE! HAS ANYONE CONSIDERED FILING A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR DEFECTIVE CAR PARTS??? *TR

I WAS EN ROUTE TO A REPAIR SHOP TO CHECK A POSSIBLE U-JOINT NOISE, AND HIT A REPAIR BUMP IN THE ROAD WHEN MY CAR MADE A VERY SCARY CLUNK AT THE RIGHT/REAR WHEEL. IT CONTINUED TO MAKE A BANGING /CLUNKING NOISE. I CONTINUED ON TO THE REPAIR SHOP TRAVELING AT 25MPH WITH MY FLASHERS ON. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A SHORT TEST DRIVE AND CONFIRMED THE BANGING/CLUNKING NOISE. THEY THEN PUT THE VEHICLE ON A HOIST FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION AND FOUND THE UNDER-BODY FRAME AROUND THE RIGHT/REAR SHOCK MOUNT HAD RUSTED AWAY, AND THE REMAINING PORTION THAT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE SHOCK WAS SNAPPING AND BANGING WITH ANY MOVEMENT OF THE RIGHT/REAR WHEEL. SINCE THEN I HAVE NOT DRIVEN MY VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SEEN 5 MORE ESCAPES SINCE THEN ,AND ONLY ONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT WAS ALSO AN ESCAPE HYBRID. THEY ALSO ADVISED ME TO CONTACT YOUR WEBSITE AND MAKE A COMPLAINT. *TR

I NOTICED AN UNUSUAL SOUND FROM THE RIGHT REAR END OF MY 2005 ESCAPE HYBRID A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO LOOK AT IT TODAY. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND THE WHEEL WELL HAD RUSTED OUT AT THE ATTACHMENT POINT OF THE SHOCK AND THE UPPER PART OF THE SHOCK IS HANGING FREE. THEN I LOOKED AT THE OTHER SIDE AND IT IS STARTING TO GO. CLEARLY THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION. I WAS HOPING TO KEEP THE VEHICLE A FEW MORE YEARS BUT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WITHOUT MAJOR RECONSTRUCTION IT IS JUNK AT THIS POINT IN TIME. CLEARLY THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT IT DOES NOT SEEM TO ME THAT THE DEGREE OF FAILURE SEEN HERE IS UNEXPECTED UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY IN THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW AND IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. IN A BRIEF SEARCH OF THE WEB I HAVE FOUND THAT OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AND THAT FORD IS AWARE OF THIS. I AM CONCERNED THAT WITH A POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE FORD DID NOT NOTIFY THE OWNERS TO CHECK FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME AND SLOWED DOWN TO GO OVER SOME RAILWAY TRACKS. AS I WENT OVER THE TRACKS I HEARD A "THUD" COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND CONTINUED AS I WENT OVER BUMPS, AND I DISCOVERED ONCE I ARRIVED HOME THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE SHOCK WAS UNATTACHED AT THE TOP. SINCE THEN THE TOP OF THE SHOCK HAS PIERCED THROUGH THE INTERIOR CABIN WALL. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK MOUNT BROKE FREE FROM THE BODY OF THE SUV DUE TO ERROSION/RUST. FROM WHAT I CAN SEE FROM RESEARCH THIS IS A PREVELANT ISSUE WITH 2004, 2005, 2006 FORD ESCAPES. HOWEVER FORD HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL TO DEAL WITH AN ONGOING ISSUE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY WITH THE ISSUE, THEY CORRECTED THE SUSPENSION DESIGN IN 2007 ESCAPES. *TR

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL BODY AND FRAME HAS TOTALLY RUSTED AWAY LEAVING NO ANCHOR FOR THE SHOCK ABSORBER AND RENDERING THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE (SEE ATTACHED PICTURES). THIS DEFECT OCCURRED DESPITE THE VEHICLE BEING GARAGE KEPT, WELL MAINTAINED AND MAINTAINED ONLY BY A LICENSED FORD DEALERSHIP. HIGHLAND PARK FORD AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWINGLY AND/OR NEGLIGENTLY CONCEALED A KNOWN, MAJOR DEFECT FROM THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY SO AS TO AVOID HAVING TO REPAIR THE PRODUCT PER FORD'S EXPRESS WARRANTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING AND EXHIBITING AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER TAKE OFF UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,700 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ