Problems with 2004 Ford Escape SUSPENSION

I bought my 04 escape brand new, and am the original owner car garage kept, this is a severe safety issue!! rusted out wheel well and shock mount went right through the frame while driving at only 15 mph out of a parking lot. *tr

My escape has completely rusted out on the rear passenger wheel well. the strut is just hanging there. i can not believe this is not a safety issue. does someone have to die to get a recall. come on ford stand up and do something.

Rusted out right wheel well with structural collapse. we bought this car used from a local ford dealer in april of 2013. this car was being driven on a freeway on june 15, 2014 when a loud thumping started in the right rear wheel on . on inspection the right rear wheel well is rusted out. the support that the shock absorber is attached to was completely eroded and a part of it punched through the wall into the interior of the trunk area. we felt it was not safe to drive. we had it towed to another ford dealer who diagnosed the problem. the estimated cost of repair is $2259. review of the nhtsa complaint web site reveals many other owners with exactly the same problem. *tr

Rear passenger shock mount rusting out. *tr

Recall notice arrived in the mail on saturday may 31st. called local ford dealership on monday morning june 2nd at 8 am< to make an appointment and was told the earliest opening they had was december 22nd 2014- this is way too far away if there is a safety concern with my vehicle - dealership is romano ford on burdick street, fayetteville ny 13066 - (315) 637-4668 is there any way to get faster repairs??? *tr

On a family vacation, the rear passenger side upper shock mount experienced complete failure, breaking away from the rear wheel well entirely. imagine my outrage when i come to find out that rusted out passenger rear wheel wells are a common problem on the ford escapes for this year. the well-being of my family was put in jeopardy because ford has failed to issue a recall on this flawed engineering. that is shameful. this is a serious safety issue that could've ended poorly for me and my family! please address this issue. *tr

The right rear shock tower mount completely broke away from the vehicle subframe due to corrosion/rust. this caused the shock to lean outward toward the tire. this could not be seen by the undercoating as a problem previous and apparently allowed it to corrode to the point that it broke free. this exact same issue occurred in my insurance lady's ford escape, which i believe was only one model year different. also only on the right rear shock tower. in speaking with the body shop on the repair, they have also heard of this issue and state that ford has not recognized it as a recall issue. this is a costly repair, and time consuming repair as the vehicle is gone for almost a week. this is also a very dangerous issue due to how it falls apart. we are lucky we were within the city limits and only traveling about 30 mph when it occurred. *tr

2004 ford escape. consumer writes in regards to lower control arm rust recall notice. *smd the consumer stated while driving on the interstate, he heard a loud noise from the rear wheel well on the passenger side. he pulled over, and discovered the shock was hanging down. he was unable to pull it of. so he drove back home, and upon further examination, he discovered there was no fender left on the shock. also, the trunk lid was rusting. *jb the consumer he was able to remove the key from the ignition while the gear was in drive. the consumer stated he pulled into the driveway, shut the engine off and placed the keys in the console. he exited the vehicle to remove items from the back seat. soon after, the vehicle started to roll backwards. updated 06/01/16.*jb

Tl -the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that in june 2014, she received nhtsa recall campaign number: 14v165000(suspension). she attempted to have the vehicle repaired but the parts were unavailable; however, ford on numerous occasions could not provide a solid answer on when the parts would be available or how long it would take to repair the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact had not experienced the failure.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front passenger side wheel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wheel house strut mount was entirely rusted and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem, the approximate failure mileage 105,000.

We were driving out of our subdivision and heard a loud banging noise that continued from that point. we pulled over an investigated and found the right rear shock had come loose at the top mount. upon further review by a repair shop, the wheel/fender well has corroded including the integral shock mount. the vehicle is unsafe to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that while the vehicle being serviced, it was advised that the sub frame was extremely corroded. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who advised that the vehicle was not worth repairing. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v165000 (suspension front) however, the contact no longer owned the vehicle. the approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

I was driving down the road and hit a pothole, after hitting the pothole there was a loud clunking noise coming from the rear. after inspection the entire shock mount had rusted away from the body and became separated. it was free to jolt around and cause further damage. not safe to be driving this vehicle now. *tr

I'm driving on a newly paved street when i heard a large noise, like a bomb going off, near the right rear of my vehicle. then i heard something hitting against the right rear tire. i pulled over and looked at the vehicle when i looked under the vehicle to the right rear wheel well the well was rusted out and the shock and mount was now detached from the frame. the ford escape is not drivable. the rear wheel well is so rusted out there is a hole into the storage compartment in the rear of the vehicle. when i look from inside the storage compartment/hatch area of the escape i can see the outside through the hole. *tr

Right rear suspension shock absorber mount detached and pushed through body of vehicle. vehicle now is unstable and dangerous. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that the recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) was received in may of 2014. in june of 2014, the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the subframe and the lower control arm. the remedy included installation of a newly designed reinforcement cross-brace. the recall remedy was not performed on the vehicle. in july of 2015, while driving at various speeds an abnormal pumping sound was heard coming from the front of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the lower control arm failed. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,450.

As i was driving today a began to hear a loud banging noise. i took it to my mechanic and he said the wheel well is so rusted that the struts are barely attached. he told me the car is not safe to drive. after researching this online i have came across hundreds of people with the same problem. i think ford should recall these vehicles! *tr

A rattling from rear passenger wheel area. upon investigation to see what it was i found that the upper connection point of the shock tower was completely rusted through and was barely connected to the rest of the body. within a day or two afterwards the upper part had completely separated and the shock was bouncing around freely. i removed the shock yesterday (5/1/2014) as it had pushed up (since it has no resistance or means to hold it compressed) and punched a hole through the plastic interior side wall liner in the tailgate area. there is now an approximately 10" square hole in the side of my vehicle where i can see the tire and road. i will need to seal the opening to keep road water from entering. photos can be provided. *tr

I am writing to inform you of my problem with my 2004 ford escape. i have recently noticed a loud clunking noise in the rear of the car. upon further inspection i saw that around the right rear strut it's completely rusted out and the strut in nearly free. i did research and noticed that i am definitely not the only one with this problem. i would like it fixed or pointed in the direction as to where i can get it taken care of. *tr

I have a hole and rust forming in the passenger side rear wheel. this is beginning to expose the shock area. i live in a high salt area. *tr

I have a 2004 ford escape (6 cyl., front wheel drive) that now has over 110,000 miles. at 108,465 miles, the #2 catalytic converter blew and was replaced (along with all 6 ignition coils). a second mechanic found debris in the #3 catalytic converter, cleaned it and the exhaust system. (the engine was not getting enough air passing through the exhaust system and would barely make it up a hill.) then he discovered the right rear wheel well was rusting out posing a severe threat that the shock absorber will punch through into the body of the car making the escape totally inoperable. a recall is already out for ford minivans for the same issue but apparently not for the escapes. why not? this can be repaired at a cost of nearly $2,000. with the catalytic converter and ignition coils, i've already spent over $2500 and don't have the $2,000 for this necessary repair due to poor materials used to make this vehicle. *tr

My wife noticed a clunking coming from the right rear of the vehicle. i was able to identify that the issue is a separation in the wheelhouse where the strut attaches to the wheel well. the factory-applied undercoating failed and caused the metal area beneath it to rust out. there is a visible hole in the structure, and we are able to see into the trunk area. our body shop advises that the vehicle is no longer safe to drive, and that full detachment of the top strut mount is imminent. after investigation, he also advises us that he found online nearly 100 similar incidents on similar vehicles ranging from 2004-2006, all with varying mileage. in fact, he has two vehicles on his property that share the same concern: one lost full integrity, and the strut blew through the body into the cargo space; the other shares a similar level of failure as our car. it is also his professional opinion that this sort of rust-out is not common nor expected of a vehicle this age. after extensive local research and personal investigation, i have found in my city alone a half dozen ford escape-style vehicles of the same years-range with similar issues at various stages of concern. i also have recorded over 200 complaints from several bulletin boards across the internet noting similar concerns. we have yet to personally contact ford, yet we see from the postings that the response is the same: ford does not consider this an issue. ford, however, has slated later this month to issue a recall related to a similar suspension-rust issue in the vehicle's right front wheelhouse. as the loss of an effective strut can cause serious handling, braking and suspension safety issues at any corner of the automobile, this concern from the rear of the vehicle should be no different. *tr

I was driving down the road when i hit a pot hole. the body/frame part of the passenger side rear wheel well broke loose around the rear passenger shock. so there is nothing holding the shock in place. it is causing further damage to the area. the body/frame has deteriorated in that area. i cannot drive my vehicle. ford has issued a recall for the front end rusting prematurely and causing damage. but, i think this is the same reason. *tr

I was driving home on the highway and all of a sudden my car pulled really hard to the right side and started making a loud horrible noise. everytime i would hit a bump, it pulled the car. i made it home and had it looked at. my rear passenger wheel well was rusted so bad that my shock went right through it. all of the other wheel wells are just fine and appear to still be coated. *js

The right rear fender well has rusted out around the shock mount causing the shock mount to separate from the body of the vehicle. *tr

Passenger rear wheel well has completely rusted out and shock and mount have rusted off of frame. *tr

These was a loud bang when driving over small bumps in the rear passenger side wheel. when i was home i checked the wheel well and the top shock mount was totally rotted through to the truck area. the mount house in the body had broken off and destroyed the inner wheel well. *tr

When driving home on 12/30/14, i heard a loud rattle coming from the right rear of the vehicle. i looked in the rear passenger wheel well and noticed that there was a lot of rust. i did not drive it again until i took it to my mechanic to have it inspected on 1/6/15. he informed me that the wheel well was rusted and the strut could break loose. he also informed me that he had never seen a vehicle do this. i was also informed that it is a safety issue and i should not drive the vehicle until it is fixed. he also checked to see if anyone in the area would be able to fix it since he is not equipped to do so. no luck with that. after seeing how many people are having this same issue with their ford escape, i would expect that the ford company would do the right thing, take responsibility for the defect and make it right. i am prepared to follow through to have this matter taken care of, even if i have to take it to lansing and washington. *tr

The right rear wheel housing was totally corroded away. after researching online found many with the same problem. the other three wheel housings were in good condition without rust. i took suv to woltz & wind ford in heidelburg, pa where they told me that their supply of this part was used up and ford was not making any at that time. the rear housings support the rear shocks and "could have" caused a severe accident. it took 3 1/2 months before part was replaced. of course ford down plays the severity of the problem and i was given a total run-a-round by the dealership and with fords customer service. i am 78 years old widow who dreads to think what "could have" happened. please do not wait until someone gets kills to make this a priority. you may speak to myself or my son-in-law [xxx] who has been helping with this mess. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Was driving on the highway and noticed a loud noise coming from the rear of my vehicle and noticed the noise was getting louder. i took my vehicle to my mechanic thinking i needed shocks. my mechanic stated to me that i could not put new shocks on my escape because my inner fender well was rusted out and my shock was no longer bolted to the frame. i then had to take it to a body shop to be repaired. my shock was just bouncing around and could have broken through the back seat or broken off all together. once i took it to the body shop i was told i would also have to replace the shocks because my right passenger side shock was cracked in half. i just purchased this "used" vehicle in november and my husband really likes ford products but after this happening to us and finding out that ford hasn't done anything about this problem for anybody who has had the same issue it is very disappointing. luckily nobody in my family was injured due to this problem. i realize this problem has happened to most vehicles where there is snow and ice has to be used on the roads, i feel ford should issue a recall for the vehicles that have had this problem. *tr

Rattling noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. daughter took me for a ride and i sat in the rear of the vehicle to try and find the source of the rattling. checked the storage compartment for the spare, all other parts and could not determine the source. the next day the noise was much more pronounced. took it to a body shop and they immediately found the source of the problem, that being a totally rusted out shock/strut tower. the body shop manager said he has seen this on multiple escapes. he refused to quote the job as he did not want to be liable in case it did not work out. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a loud noise was heard from outside the rear passenger's side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis where the technician stated that the shocks and strut mount were completely corroded. the vehicle was scheduled for repairs. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000. updated 12/4/13*cn the consumer stated the right rear side of the shock strut mount rusted away. updated 12/12/13

Right side shock tower rusted out . car is unsafe to drive. *tr

I hit a bump and the back of my vehicle started making a banging noise afterward any time i went over the slightest bump. i took it to the garage and the mechanic wouldn't even touch it. the rear shock mount plate is rusted out and he said the wheel well is breaking right off the frame. there is nothing left around it - the metal was only held together by undercoating in some places. he said it was pushing down on the brake line, too. i have seen several incidents with this make/model/year and the 2005 as well. this needs to be addressed before someone gets killed. my children were in that vehicle! *tr

Noticed a loud noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. after arriving home i checked the muffler area thinking it was loose which it was not. i then checked inside of the passenger side rear wheel well and found that the shock that was attached to the frame of the vehicle had totally rusted out leaving a huge hole in the frame. the hole now leaves the vehicle unstable and exposed to all elements of the weather. *tr

The right front wheel began pulling to the right. upon inspection we found the sub-frame under the right front was rusted and was sagging. i was advised not to drive the vehicle because the frame could collapse and control of the vehicle would be lost. upon further inspection it was noticed that only frame rusted out where the air conditioner was dripping condensation. the dealer said it was the road salt used in winter. if that was the case why wasn't the whole sub-frame rotted and not just the section where the air conditioner was dripping? i don't think a 10 year old vehicle should have the frame disintegrate like this. *jb

I was driving home from the store and started hearing a loud banging noise coming from the rear of the truck. upon investigation i discovered what i believe to be a major safety concern in my 2004 ford escape. the rear passenger side wheel well over the shock tower completely rusted out and separated over the shock. i have been told and seen that this seems to be a common problem with my vehicle and other years of escapes. after speaking with an independent body shop in my area they informed me this was a common problem they have seen several times before. but when i contacted 3 local ford dealers they all claimed to have never seen it before. and wanted to charge me a hundred dollars just to look at it. i am told the vehicle is undriveable in this condition. and that in most cases can not be repaired. after doing much research online i found hundreds of other people with the same exact problem. i have also contacted ford and am awaiting a response. i would like to see a recall made on this as i can see this being a major problem that could have caused an accident. and is going to be a very expensive repair job if it is even repairable. i have photos but am not sure how to attach them. *tr

The right rear inner wheel housing has almost completely rusted away causing the right rear shock absorber to break away from its top mounting and cause severe vehicle bouncing and swaying while driving making it almost impossible to drive the vehicle.many other escape owners i have spoken to are having the same problem and an internet search of this problem confirms my findings. *tr

Heard a rattle in rear of car. thought it was exhaust system related. upon inspection found rear passenger upper shock connection had rotted completed and the shock was disconnected from the car. shock is barely hanging on the vehicle and appears incredibly dangerous. vehicle has been maintained as per ford requirements at the dealer where it was purchased from. no unusual driving conditions. *tr

The shock mount on the rear passenger wheel is loose because the metal supporting it is rusting away. whenever a bump is hit there is a loud noise and sharp jolt. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. the contact stated that the passenger rear shock mount penetrated the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the shock mount had become perforated due to rust. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 197,000. the vin was not available.

Son came home from college. banging noise noticed when sister riding with him coming from right rear of vehicle. upon inspection at oil change garage it was noticed that right rear shock mount had completely corroded and broken off from the wheel well sheet metal. vehicle not drivable in that condition as wheel could possibly break off or at the least poor handling of vehicle. online search came up with similar complaints for 2003/2004/2005 escapes. called ford but no recall has been issued so owners out of luck for very expensive fix. *tr

My daughter noticed her escape wasn't driving right it was traveling sideway`s down the highway, i noticed her front tire`s were worn, especially the passenger`s front, it was worn on the outside. i spoke with a ford mechanic that suggested new tire`s and a front end alignment, she had that service done, which did not make the vehicle drive any differently. she then took the vehicle back in for service in which now the vehicle was dog tracking when driving and was then informed that the wheel well`s were totally rusted through and that they would not replace the rear shocks because of it. there are several hundreds of other ford escape owners whom have expressed the same concern. the whole rear end has apparently shifted out of line, because of the rusted out wheel well`s that attach to the shock`s to hold the rear end in alignment. this is a huge safety issue, and ford is not doing anything about it. this issue doe`s not just include 2004 model`s , it has also been brought to my attention, that even a new 2013 model has the same problem. please have this issue investigated it is a serious safety issue. *tr

July 26,2014 in october 2013, i could not get my car inspected ( ford escape 2004 ) because the sub frame in the front was so badly rusted the steering rods was falling off and would not pass inspection. this was before the recall notice. 14502/nhtsa recall 14v-165, so i had a new subframe installed. reference # 10547199. [xxx] at clarion ford would do nothing because there was no recall at the time. i have sent all the information, and cost, to ford in june 2014 and have not heard nothing from ford. is there anything that you could do that would have ford contact me? thank you information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

When taking my escape in for an oil change, the mechanics pointed out to me that the rear passenger shock mount was almost completely rusted out. i took it for an estimate that day and could not immediately afford the repairs. within a few days the shock had completely broken through the mount and into the passenger compartment with only normal roadway driving. only the rear passenger wheel well has this problem. online research with other escape owners shows this is a common problem that ford knows about and even acknowledges as a manufacturing defect but will not cover. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 ford escape. while pulling into the driveway at a low speed, the bolt on the passenger side lower control arm rotted/rusted from the inside. the dealer stated that there were no recalls for this failure. the vehicle has a three year/36,000 mile warranty. there were no warnings prior to the failure. the failure mileage was 51,000. updated 09/09/08 *bf updated 09/09/08. *jb

My 2004 ford escape failed state inspection due to a loose wheel bearing at 21,500 miles. the dealership indicated that i should not drive the vehicle as this was a safety concern. when asked why this wasn't found during a complete suspension check 2 months prior, i was told that this defect may not be detected until there was a failure. when i asked about the other wheel bearings i was told this was an unusual event. i have since discussed this with engineers from detroit and was told these wheel bearings are a major warranty problem. i am concerned that i am driving a vehicle that may loose control without warning should other bearings become loose. should wheel bearing be replaced every 20,000 miles? *nm

Vehicle brought into repair shop and found that the engine cradle and was rotted considerably. a recall notice on this problem was sent to the customer and customer took into bright ford, inc for the recall. repair was done several months later and returned to customer may 16, 2004. three months later we again have this vehicle in the shop and upon inspection the lower control arm bracket rotted off of the cradle and caused the lower control arm to be only mounted by the rear bolt. this car is considered a hazard to drive due to the right front tire movement not being controlled by steering. brighton ford on their invoice #19744, found the front sub frame rusting through on right hand side. sent quote for new sub-frame and were denied and they were told to put this cross brace on the vehicle. this repair is not in line with the repairs that were needed. the vehicle cannot be driven at this time and brighton ford says it is your responsibility to determine repair. this was not a safe repair and knowingly told customer that it was repaired. *tr

Vehicle brought into repair shop and found that the engine cradle and was rotted considerably. a recall notice on this problem was sent to the customer and customer took into bright ford, inc for the recall. repair was done several months later and returned to customer may 16, 2004. three months later we again have this vehicle in the shop and upon inspection the lower control arm bracket rotted off of the cradle and caused the lower control arm to be only mounted by the rear bolt. this car is considered a hazard to drive due to the right front tire movement not being controlled by steering. brighton ford on their invoice #19744, found the front sub frmae rusting through on right hand side. sent quote for new sub-frame and were denied and they were told to put this cross brace on the vehicle. this repair is not in line with the repairs that were needed. the vehicle cannot be driven at this time and brighton ford says it is your responsibility to determine repair. this was not a safe repair and knowingly told customer that it was repaired. *tr