2005 Ford Escape

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING NOISE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL AND STRUTS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE REAR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000.

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE HAS 112,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE 2010 AND PURCHASED IT FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX.. 30MPH DOWN A CITY STREET I NOTICED A LOUD BANGING SOUND IN THE REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE EVERY TIME I WENT OVER A BUMP. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I LOOKED OVER THE ENTIRE REAR INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO REASON FOR THE SOUND. I CHECKED THE REAR LEFT WHEEL AND IT WAS FINE. I THEN CHECKED THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE LARGE SECTIONS OF THE WHEEL WELL WERE MISSING AND THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUSTING TO THE POINT THAT I CAN SEE THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TAN INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE REST OF MY VEHICLE IS PRETTY MUCH RUST FREE, SURPRISINGLY SINCE I LIVE IN MICHIGAN. THE OTHER 3 WHEEL WELLS SHOW MINIMAL EVIDENCE OF RUSTING. APPARENTLY FORD RECALLED THE 2001-2004 ESCAPES DUE TO "EXCESSIVE CORROSION". MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS HIS 4TH REAR RIGHT WHEEL WELL REPAIR ON A 2005 FORD ESCAPE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS! IF YOU EXPERIENCE THIS SAME ISSUE PLEASE FILE A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT. FORD MUST RECALL THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD EXTENSIVE RUST TO THE POINT OF CORROSION. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD RATTLING NOISE, WHICH WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE FORD MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS EMITTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING MAINTENANCE PERFORMED TO REPAIR A CORROTION PROBLEM ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL AND SHOCKS WERE CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT DUE TO THE CORROSION BOTH THE WHEEL WELL AND SHOCKSNEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92, 000.

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN I STARTED HEARING LOUD BANGING NOISES FROM THE REAR OF MY ESCAPE WHENEVER I WENT OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP. ONCE HOME, I LOOKED AROUND AND DISCOVERED THAT THE WHEELHOUSE PANEL ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ESCAPE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND DETERIORATING. THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE HOLES IN THE METAL. THE WHEELHOUSE PANELS AROUND THE OTHER THREE WHEELS LOOK FINE WITH MINIMAL TO NO SIGNS OF RUST. I TOOK MY ESCAPE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE DAMAGE WOULD COST ME $2,350 TO HAVE THEM FIX IT, BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT GET TO WORK ON IT FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. I CHECKED AROUND ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2004 - 2006 ESCAPES. I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT NO RECALL IS UNDERWAY TO FIX WHAT, TO ME, IS A PROBLEM DUE TO SOMETHING THAT FORD WAS DOING WRONG FROM 2004 TO 2006, AND THAT FORD SHOULD STEP UP TO FIX FREE OF CHARGE. I'VE TAKEN MY ESCAPE TO SEVERAL BODY SHOPS TO RECEIVE OTHER ESTIMATES ON THE COST OF THE WORK. SEVERAL OF THOSE BODY SHOP EXPERTS SAID THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT A NINE YEAR OLD AUTO SHOULD HAVE AS MUCH RUST AND DETERIORATION AS MINE HAS, FURTHER STRENGTHENING MY BELIEF THAT THIS DUE TO A SCREW UP BY FORD. I'VE MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH ONE OF THOSE BODY SHOPS TO HAVE THE WORK DONE THIS WEEK FOR ABOUT $800, ABOUT A THIRD LESS THAN FORD WANTED ME TO PAY TO FIX THEIR SCREW UP. BEFORE THIS, I WOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED A FORD TO ANYONE. IN ADDITION TO MY ESCAPE, I'VE ALSO BOUGHT A FORD EXPLORER AND A FORD ESCORT FOR MYSELF AS WELL AS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE FOR MY DAUGHTER. BUT, IF FORD IS THE KIND OF COMPANY THAT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS MISTAKES AND WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER OF THEIR AUTOMOBILES. *TR

(CASE# [XXX]) (FORD ESCAPE 2005 SUB-FRAME DEFECT) I WISH TO REPORT AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION THAT HAS OCCURRED WITH MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, I HAVE NOTICED A LOUD METAL-SOUNDING BANGING NOISE WHENEVER THE CAR GOES OVER EVEN A SLIGHT BUMP/CRACK IN THE ROAD. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TWICE TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CHECKED OUT. FIRST TIME, FORD REPLACED THE LINKS (?), WHICH DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME, I POINTED OUT TO SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED THROUGH. SERVICE TECHNICIAN REMOVED INTERIOR COVERING TO FURTHER INSPECT DAMAGE, AND DISCOVERED THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS STICKING UP INTO THE VEHICLE. SERVICE TECHNICIAN REFERRED VEHICLE TO THEIR (FORD DEALERSHIP) BODY SHOP, WHO'S TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE SUB-FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND WOULD COST AT LEAST $6000 TO REPAIR. I DECLINED THEIR REPAIR OFFER, AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE HOME. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH (VEHICLE SAFETY AND RECALL WEBSITES), I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF 2005 FORD ESCAPES ARE EXPERIENCING AND REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND ARE FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY THAT A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED BY FORD. THESE VEHICLES ARE ONLY NINE YEARS OLD, ARE NOW TOTALLY WORTHLESS, AND ARE EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FIND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE AND EXPENSE FOR ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT WHEEL WELL HAD DEVELOPED A HOLE. AS A RESULT, THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A LOUD THUMPING NOISE WAS EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED AND SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME, THE REAR BODY SIDE MEMBER ASSEMBLY AND THE INTERIOR REAR QUARTER PANEL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,247.

THE FRONT SUB FRAME IS RUSTING OUT, COULD BREAK & CAUSE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. THERE IS A RECALL TO REPLACE SUB FRAME FOR 2001 THRU 2004, MY VEH. MANUFACTURE DATE IS 12/2004, I CALLED THE DEALER & FORD MOTOR CORP. THEY STATED MY CAR DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL, I HAVE THE EXACT PROBLEM AS THE CARS UNDER THE RECALL, THEY NEED TO EXTEND THE YEAR TO COVER THERE MISTAKE. I ASK FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE THEY SAID THERE WAS NONE. *TR