2006 Ford Escape

The rear shock tower has rusted out and broken away from the frame which was conformed at a local body shop. The passenger side went first then the driver side went about a year later. There was no warning that this was happening until it broke while driving which made us lose control of the car. When we took it to a repair shop and said it was 2006 escape they responded what side did the shock tower break on this was before we told them it was a shock tower they said it's always that part on a escape I personally know 2 other people who have had the same problem all different years of escapes.

Both rear shocks, mounts, wheel wells, entire length of body door panels passenger seats are just absolutely rusted beyond repair. I've gone to a couple different shops and each one said that there is nothing they can do to fix the issue. Now the vehicle when ridden in just bounces horribly wearing out bearing springs and tires are being worn out. There is only 110759 miles on it and bought this for my wife/ kids cause I've had 3 other escapes in the past so since I work on the road this is prefect sized for then not to big or too small. I've had so many issues this last year with repairs parts and now worried about safety issues.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently merged into the right lane without warning. As a result, the contact decelerated to approximately 10 MPH, when the CV axle detached from the vehicle. The contact was able to navigate the vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front passenger’s side subframe had rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

This 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, and all first and second generation (2001-2012) Escape models, were designed and built with a significant, known defect in the mating area and materials used for the rear floor pan, rear sub-assembly/rails, and rear inner fender liners/upper shock absorber mounts, all made of pressed steel. The design of the components renders them subject to trapping road debris/salt/contaminants, and the inferior steel used oxidizes quickly, resulting in perforated areas of substantial rust. In our 2006 model, the right rear inner fender liner was completely replaced, and the rear subassembly/rails were welded, in 2013 with new Ford parts. By May, 2018, it had to be repaired and welded again. As of May, 2013, five years almost to the day, it has again rusted and separated. As this hybrid Escape carries a 600 pound battery between the rails in the rear of the vehicle, this is a substantial, dangerous defect affecting potentially millions of cars manufactured over a decade. The current status of the oxidation, corrosion, rot and decay affecting our Ford Escape has rendered it incapable of being repaired per the auto mechanic shop we visited first, followed by the body shop we visited next. Both indicated that the poor design combined with the steel used contributed to the dangerous vehicle it has become.

THE REAR SHOCK MOUNT RUSTS OUT NOT LONG AFTER MANUFACTURE AND WE THE CONSUMER ARE LEFT WITH THE PILE OF POOP. FORD IS HIGHLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND AS I TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN DAILY I WONDER IF THIS WILL BE THE DAY WE DIE. UPON THE SHOCK MOUNT RUSTING OUT, HOPE YOURE RELIGIOUS AND GOD IS YOUR CO PILOT BECAUSE AS THAT POINT THE SPRING IS WHAT YOU'RE LEFT WITH! ITS SO HORSE [XXX] FORD LEAVES THIS TO THE LITTLE GUY (THE CONSUMERS) TO RECTIFY THEIR PROBLEM DUE TO THEIR INFERIOR MANUFACTURING. I WAS GOING OVER THE I280 BRIDGE IN OREGON OHIO WHEN IT DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO FAIL. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon the depression of the accelerator pedal, the front passenger’s side subframe collapsed without warning. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that severe corrosion on the passenger’s side subframe had caused the collapse. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE DUE TO NEEDING TO COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY BRAKE. INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT TOWARDS THE CONCRETE BARRIER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO COUNTER STEER THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, THE VEHICLE STOPPED JUST BEFORE HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL THAT RELATED TO THEIR FAILURE WAS NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V165000 (STRUCTURE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 139,000. *LN *JB*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A BANGING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AROUND THE SHOCK MOUNT. ALSO, A RUSTED HOLE EXPOSING THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS PRESENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE HOOD COVER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND SUGGESTED THE CONTACT USE HOOD PINS WHEN HE REPLACED THE COVER. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER THAT HE WOULD REPLACE THE COVER WITH A PART FROM THE JUNK YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.