2005 Ford Escape

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT ONLY BLEW OUT HOT AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM CALL LOT TOLLED THEM BRAKES WERE GOING OUT HE TEST DRIVE AND HE SAID THEY WERE FINE SO I TOOK HIS WORD THEN A FEW DAYS LATER MY WATER RATETERAVOTER HOSE BUSTED I HAD TO GET THAT THEM FIXED AND THEN THEY CHARGED ME TO FIX IT THEN A FEW DAYS LATER I HERE A THUMP ON THE BACK OF MY VEHICLE THE WHOLE BACK OF MY WHEEL AREA BY THE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT THERE NO PROTECTION ON THE WHEEL AND THE STRUSTS WHERE BUSTED THEY HAD STUFF STUFFED IN IT SO YOU COULDN'T TELL WENT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT THEY SAY THIS HAPPENS THERE NOTHING THEY COULD FOR ME BUT TO CHARGE ME FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX IT I DONE NOTHING BUT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST ONE I'VE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ARE SELLING VEHICLE WITH SAFE HAZARDS I PAID OUT 1000.00 OUT ON A CAR TEST DROVE IT AND GUESS I SHOULD OF TEST DRIVE IT LONGER BUT I DIDN'T I BOUGHT IT AND WAS ON MY WAY TO PUT GAS IN IT AND THE MOTOR BLOW UP. I HAD STATE POLICE WAIT WITH ME ME AND MY 16 YEAR OLD WAS STUCK IN HIGH TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE MOTOR BLOW STATE POLICE SAID HE HAD TO GET THERE AND TOLL THE CAR AND HE BOUGHT A TRAILER WITH A FLAT TIRED TO TRY AND TOLL IT OFF THE STATE POLICE MADE HIM LEAVE AND CALLED FOR A TOLL TRUCK THE CAR LOT REFUSED TO GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK SO I COULD GO SOME WHERE ELSE SO I BOUGHT A ANOTHER CAR IT WAS IN FAIR CONDTION BUT WHEN WATER STATED HITTING MOTOR IT ENDED UP GETTING TOTAL BY INSURANCE COMPANY SO STILL COULDN'T GET MONEY BACK MADE ME PAY OUT ANOTHER 600.00 OUT FOR THE VEHICLE AND AFTER I GAVE HIM THE MONEY HE WROTE OUT SOLD AS IS AND COULD NOT TRADE VEHICLE OR GET MY MONEY BACK SO I FEEL LIKE HE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WRITE THIS ON THE LAST TWO VEHICLES.

I BOUGHT MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP 15 MONTHS, AND 6000 MILES AGO. I NOTICED THAT IT JUST ALWAYS FELT "RICKETY", AND HAD IT IN TO BE LOOKED AT THREE TIMES DURING THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS, AND NEW TIRES, AN "EXCITER RING" AND SWAY BARS DIDN'T SEEM TO REALLY DO MUCH. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LLAST MONTH, I NOTICED A LOUD "KNOCKING SOUND" COMING FROM THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE GATE WASN'T SHUT ALL THE WAY. THAT WASN'T IT. I STARTED DRIVING WITH THE SEATS DOWN IN THE BACK, TRYING TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. I LOOKED UP UNDER THE WHEEL WELL, AND WAS SHOCKED AT THE CORROSION, AND TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL MUFFLER MAN. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS "EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION IN THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL IS A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE", AND THAT I NEEDED TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. I DID. I WAS SENT TO A BODY SHOP AND TOLD TO "RAISE HELL WITH FORD", BECAUSE THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. I GOT A QUOTE OF $8000 TO FIX IT. I STILL OWE $6000... I OPENED A CASE WITH FORD MOTORS, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WERE "GIVING THE DEALERSHIP THE GREEN LIGHT TO MAKE IT RIGHT", AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS OBLIGATED TO TAKE PHOTOS. NO PHOTOS WERE TAKEN, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME HE RESPONDED TO MY CASE, AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE. AND THAT "EVEN IF ONE OF THE BODY SHOPS IN TOWN WOULD WORK ON IT, IT WOULDN'T BE UNTIL AT THE EARLIEST NOVEMBER". HE THEN SMIRKED AT ME, AND SAID "SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO"? WELL. HERE WE ARE. THIS WAS JULY 25, 2016. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNDRIVEABLE, AND THAT IF I WERE IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT MY INSURANCE WOULDN'T COVER IT BECAUSE OF THE SHOCK TOWER COMING UP THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THE CAR ( THAT STARTED JULY 22, THE DAY I STOPPED DRIVING IT, EXCEPT TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP) THAT I NOW KNEW ABOUT BUT CANNOT FIX.

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE HAS EXCESSIVE FENDER WELL RUST, A DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE SHOCK TOWER TO DISLODGE FROM THE FRAME, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. IT HAPPENS FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AND WHEN A THUNKING NOISE BEGINS, IT'S TOO LATE. $8000 TO REPAIR A VEHICLE THAT I WAS TOLD BY EVERY LOCAL BODY SHOP, WOULDN'T EVEN REALLY CORRECT IT. IT'S A STRUCTURAL DEFECT. THE SHOCK TOWER IS NOW COMING THROUGH THE CARGO AREA OF MY CAR

THE 2.3 LT THAT WAS IN THIS BEGAN USING OIL AROUND 75000 MILES AND THE DEALER DONE ALL THE OIL CHANGES SINCE IT WAS NEW.. THEY COULD NOT FIND WERE IT WAS GOING.. WE'LL AFTER ABOUT 3 YEARS OF CONSTANTLY WATCHING THE OIL,, IT FINALLY LET GO. THE MOTOR WAS JUNK NO GOOD. PUT A DIFFERENT MOTOR IN IT WITH AROUND 50000 MILES.. WELL THAT ONE DID NOT MAKE IT TO A 100000 MILES.. I TAKE CARE OF MY AUTOS, SO I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS.

THIS VEHICLE AND EVERY OTHER ONE I HAVE SEEN HAS HAD THE REAR WHEEL WELL RUST OUT AND HAVE THE SHOCK GO UP THROUGH THE SHOCK TOWER..IT DOES NOT MATTER THE BRAND EITHER.. FORD CHEVY OR DODGE, THEY ALL DO IT.. WHY CAN'T YOU GUYS HELP US OUT, AND MAKE THESE CAR COMPANIES STAND BEHIND THERE SHEET METAL FOR AT LEAST A 100 THOUSAND MILES.. WE PAY ENOUGH FOR THESE VEHICLES.. I AM NOT RICH YOU KNOW..

WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION FROM 14000 MILES, WE REPORTED TO DEALER AND THEY NEVER NOTED IT IN THERE COMPUTER.. WE COMPLAINED 6 TIMES WITH IT ONLY GOT PUT IN THE COMPUTER AT THE DEALER TWICE.. FINALLY AFTER IT RAN OUT OF WARRANTY, IT ALMOST KILLED OUR WHOLE FAMILY.. THE TRANY WHEN WE CAME UP TO A STOP SIGN COMING OFF THE FREEWAY STAYED INGAGED AND THROUGH US IN TO A BUNCH OF TRAFFIC, ALMOST CAUSING A HE'LL OF A ACCIDENT.. WE'LL IT ENDED UP RUINING THE TRANSMISSION CAUSE THE TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED UP AND CAUSED IT NOT TO DISENGAGE.. I ENDED UP SPENDING 3500.00 AND HAD THE DEALER PUT A OWN REBUILT IN. LATER I FOUND OUT FORD HAD 4 UPDATED TORQUE CONVERTERS.. WHY WAS THERE NOT A RECALL WHEN IT ALMOST KILLS PEOPLE.. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS WENT ON WITH THIS VEHICLE.. I AM WILL TO JOIN ANY KIND OF LAWSUIT OVER GETTING THE GOVERNMENT TO TAKE MORE AVASIVE MOVE TO HELP AND PROTECT THE CONSUMER, INSTEAD OF HELPING THESE BIG COMPANIES BEND PEOPLE OVER.. WE PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR THESE VEHICLES, AND WE GET TREATED LIKE DIRT..

ENTERING AND ACCELERATING FROM A MAIN STREET THAT TURNS INTO A FREEWAY THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER VERY SUDDENLY, ABS LIGHT ENGAGED, THEN DIED AS EXITING THE FREEWAY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WITH CHILDREN IN CAR AND NO WARNING WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED A MECHANIC TO LOOK INTO PREVIOUSLY. EXITING THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE DIED BUT RESTARTED WITH ABILITY TO DRIVE AT 10 MPH (IN A BAD AREA) WITH ENGINE LOSS AND NOISE. AT SHOP, I WAS TOLD THE SPARK PLUGS, COILS AND PCM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN THAT ORDER ($795), THEN THE COILS ($600), THEN THE PCM ($1400) NOT INCLUDING LABOR. A EX-FORD MASTER TECHNICIAN SAID FORD NEW OF PROBLEM AND REPLACED THOSE COMPONENTS WHEN THE CARS CAME INTO THE SHOP. FORD HAS A SEPARATE SOFTWARE CHECKING PROGRAM ONLY DESIGNED FOR FORD ESCAPES TO TEST THE PCM FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY FAULTY PLUGS. APPARENTLY A RECALL OCCURRED FOR SOME VINS, WHEN I CONTACTED FORD HEADQUARTERS I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT MADE AT A PARTICULAR PLANT ERGO MY BURDEN TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. RECALL WAS IN 2014 FOR ESCAPES WITH 80,000 MILES OR LESS WHILE IN WARRANTY. THIS IS A COMMON WELL-DOCUMENTED ELECTRICAL COMPONENT FAILURE WHICH OCCURS AFTER 80,000 MILES.