Problems with 2005 Ford Escape STRUCTURE

Driving under normal conditions, heard a loud banging sound.was getting worse and looked at rear passenger tire side. noticed the entire shock mount rusted and broken loose from undercarriage. very dangerous if traveling at higher speed. have owned over 20 cars and never had this happen. what is going on ford???? *tr

As i was driving home from work i started hearing a thumping sound from the right rear when i would hit a bump at first i thought maybe the back door wasn't closed all the way, so when i got home and parked my vehicle i checked the door and it was closed all the way. after i saw the door was closed all the way i decided to look at the right rear wheel since that is where the noise was coming from. when i looked into the right rear wheel well that is when i discovered that it had rusted out and i could see that the top shock mount is almost completely rusted away, so now i have to leave it sit until i can afford to have it repaired. after my discovery i went online and searched and i found out that this is a common problem with the 2005 ford escape. i would appreciate it if this matter was investigated and a recall is issued, since this is a major safety issue. *tr

Severe rust out of right rear wheel well, top of shock absorber mount rusted free from the car. appears to be a major safety issue that the rear suspension could come down onto the tire or loose control of the rear of car while driving. after checking online to see if anyone else may have a similar issue i find hundreds of same problems. we have maintained this car with service and cleaning above and beyond normal and this has happened. i feel this is a manufacture flaw and should be taken care of by ford motor company. *tr

Driving along over minor bump in road when loud bang occurred on right rear side of vehicle. looked and found right rear wheel well rusted out completely near shock tower. noise is so loud sounds like it is coming into the interior of vehicle. took to collision shop and they told me to fix it will be approximately $1000 to start but may be higher when actually investigated. parts at ford are on back order so collision shop can't do work until available which they say requires welding. not sure when or if parts are coming in to fix. there seems to be excessive rusting on the vehicle which should not have occurred. this vehicle was purchased new and taken care of. it was undercoated as well. had another make/model that a friend has and it is 19 years old with better rust protection that this car. not sure how much longer it will take for this to occur on left rear as it is showing rust signs too but not as extensive as the right. i use this vehicle to tow a camper in summer and not so sure this will be safe to do so even if fixed. i did not take car in to ford's service department and would be waiting for parts there too! i don't feel safe driving this vehicle and wonder if fixed if it will be safe to drive. i had planned on driving this car till the motor stopped...looks like the frame is going to rust out before that. *tr

The passenger rear wheel well has excessive rust which has caused the shock to come through the inside of the vehicle. i have researched this problem and it appears that others with the same model have had the same issue. i do have pictures. *tr

It started off as light rattling from the rear passenger side wheel area. as the week progressed, the rattling got louder and louder and occurred more frequently. at that point, my daughter was afraid to drive the vehicle. when we inspected the area where the noise came from, we noticed that the inside of the wheel well was thoroughly rusted out and we could see through it, into the interior of the car. also, the shock was no longer attached to the frame. the damage is so extensive that we are afraid to drive the vehicle to a repair shop. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a loud abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side of vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, who stated that the sub frame had rusted out and detached from the fender. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Driving to/from work, i started noticing a slight creaking noise coming from the rear passenger side of my 2005 ford escape. after a day or so, it became a loud thumping. upon inspection, i discovered the wheel well & shock mount were disintegrating and the shock was no longer connected to the vehicle. there are holes so large you can see into the trunk. after doing a little research, i learned this is a common problem yet ford has not issued a recall nor are they offering any kind of reimbursement for the repair. needless to say, this is very disappointing. this is my first - and most definitely last - ford. *tr

Extreme rusting of the frame on the rear passenger side wheel well above shocks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the sub frame was rusted and detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that a new sub frame was needed to repair the vehicle. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

My 2005 escape passenger side rear wheel well is rusted to the point of disintegration and the shock is close to collapsing which will allow the wheel to collapse into the rear wheel well. if that happens on the interstate i feel sure it will cause a terrible accident. i am the only owner of this vehicle, it has never been in an accident, it has less than 90,000 miles and is garage kept.i looked on the internet and saw hundreds if not thousands of 05 escapes with the same problem. my local dealer has seen multiple instances of this exact same problem. both the local ford body shop and independent body shops agree that this a manufacturing defect. the local dealership says they cannot address this problem as ford refuses to address the issue. i guess it will take someone getting killed before ford motor company admits the defect. *tr

Rear passenger side inner wheel liner completely rusted out. upper end of shock no longer attached to body of vehicle. *js

Original owner of a garage kept, 2005 ford escape with 105k miles. i noticed a loud banging sound coming from the right rear wheel well which was very loud inside the car. i had the service tech replacing the tires on my other ford vehicle take a look and he said the wheel well was rusting away and the shock mount was falling away from the frame of the car. this is a serious and dangerous hazard which needs to be fixed asap. every service tech i show says they've never seen anything like it. the undercoating was sprayed directly on to the vehicle and no other method of protection in the wheel well was used by ford on this make/model. my vehicle was top of the line, loaded, when purchased. i'm concerned for the safety of my family and myself. ford needs to address this problem asap and take responsibility for the poor design. *tr

I have an 05 escape that has severe rust damage to the right rear wheel well. there is so much damage from the rust that the shocks are no longer attached and continually ram into the interior panels. all other wheel wells are in great condition. from what i have read this is an extremely common problem (so much so that there is a facebook group and a message board on ford forums) the models effected ford models 2004-2006. serious consideration should be put into recalling them. http://www.fordforums.com/f59/2005-escape-shock-mount-rusted-out-177762/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/2005-ford-escape-2004-2006/397923900236108. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph over a pot hole, a loud banging noise was heard from the rear passenger's side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who discovered a hole in the rear passenger's side wheel well and a detached shock absorber. the mechanic indicated the defect was due to rusting of the wheel well. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 140,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a sudden banging noise was heard from the rear end of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was confirmed that the rear wheel housing panel was perforated due to rust and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 165,000.

Noticed a rattling sound on the right rear of the vehicle. upon inspection, found most of the rear wheel well where the shock absorber mounts to be rusted, and parts of the metal actually gone. the top of the right rear shock is basically not attached to any structure, as the metal around the mount has completed rusted. could see the backside of the vehicle interior where the metal has rusted away. *tr

On 2/20/14 i was traveling 65 mph on state route 219 in boston, ny, when a loud banging noise suddenly began to occur in the rear of my vehicle. this noise scared me and forced me to pull over on the shoulder of the expressway to inspect the rear area of my vehicle (while traffic continued at 65 mph). i could not see anything at that time so i slowly and cautiously drove my vehicle home. upon further inspection, my husband found that the right rear(passenger) side rear shock had become totally detached from the completely rusted out inner wheel well and was protruding into the inside of my vehicle. excessive rust could be seen along with several holes that had once been part of the wheel well. my vehicle is unable to be driven and is too costly to fix. after doing some research, i found that i am not the only owner of 2005 ford escape with this issue. this needs to be a recall! fortunately, this defect did not cause a serious accident because this is an integral component of my vehicles suspension. this 'defect' needs to be rectified before someone dies or becomes seriously injured. *tr

The above 2005 ford escape has rusted completely through inside the right rear fenderwell. this was brought to my attention during a recent inspection. this is a serious safety issue as it affects the integrity of the shock absorber which could fail and cause an accident resulting in injury or death. i have contacted ford but have not received a reply. i noticed that there are many online complaints about this same issue. i would like to see a recall to address this serious problem. *tr

Noticed a loud noise coming from the rear of the vehicle while traveling on a rural road about 50 mph. when arrived at destination, noticed severe rust in wheel well near shock mount and through to storage compartment. online research indicates that this problem is common and that ford is aware of the problem but not doing anything for owners yet. *tr

While driving, i hit a pot hole that caused my right rear strut tower to break through the inside of my vehicle, rendering it undrivable. my collision repair man has informed me that the pot hole was not the only culprit and that the wheel well was so rotted and rusted that it compromised the structural integrity of that area of the vehicle, and had the area not been rusted, the pot hole would not have caused the damage. he advised me that the issue is due to poor design in the 2005 and 2006 model year ford escapes and that this is a widespread safety issue that ford has not taken responsibility for. they have recalled 230,000 of their minivans for over rust issues (in 2011), but not any of the escapes. because the damage was due to a design flaw, and not just a pothole, my insurance may not cover the $1500 in repairs. i have only owned the vehicle for a year and the dealership did not notify me that there may have been an issue, and the lemon law period has passed. *tr

My right rear fender has rotted out and my vehicle is undriveable. i contacted a dealer and he informed me the right inner fender is not available and on back order by ford with no eta. i have been waiting now 7 weeks and have to get rides to work. in this state my vehicle will not pass inspection and i have no transportation. i can't even sell it with the issue it has. it is parked in my garage. please assist me in contacting ford to resolve the problem. i have read several online complaints about ford escape drivers having this issue. there should be a recall!!!! *js

I have a 2005 ford escape that got a severe shock damage to the right rear wheel well. there is so much damage from the rust, inside the insulation, that the shocks are no longer attached to the frame and continually ram into the interior panels. i purchased this car new in 2005. all other wheel wells are in great condition as well as the car. this is a clear manufacturer problem. this is a major safety issue. if the shock would have came off while i was driving at 60mph and hit the road or something under the vehicle it could have caused a major accident and people could have been injured. there should be a recall issued for it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed a noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed that the rear wheel well needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired due to the part not being available. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed that the rear wheel well needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the noises recurred. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that both rear wheel wells needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the failure mileage was 135,000.

This is a 2005 ford escape with the same problem reported by hundreds of other people on facebook, ford forums, this agencies own website etc. the rear right inner wheel well has totally disintegrated leaving the top of the shock absorber unconnected to anything. ford have not carried out a recall for this dangerous situation though apparently the parts involved were modified on newer vehicles to prevent this happening. the problem appears worse in northern states with bad winters where salty water becomes trapped inside the waterproofing sealant and the wheel well accelerating the rusting process. updated 04/16/14

The rear right fender well (around the shock) is rusted and has deteriorated so badly that it has become detached from the body of the car. there's a banging noise when driving the vehicle --- this problem makes for unsafe driving condition -- if something breaks or the tire blow out because of this it can cause a terrible accident. *tr

Rear wheel wells rusting out as well as rear seat wells under doors rusting off in huge chunks,cruise,cd player doesnt work,radio shorts out on volume control goes louder instead of lower volume,also front axle had to be replaced at joe lake tire do they use timken products?

I was driving my 2005 ford escape and started hearing a loud banging noise from the rear passenger side of the car. after i found out what the problem was a few days later i haven't drove it since. the rear passenger side fender well/ wheel well was completely rusted away, the shock mount was not even connected to the wheel well. its unsafe to drive and there are hundreds of thousands of people who are having the same problem with the 04,05, and 06 escape. there is no recall on it yet and ford knows about the problem so i've read and are doing nothing about it. insurance will not cover this flaw from ford. *tr

Took my 2005 ford escape to multiple body shops to acquire quotes due to body rusting at both the right and left rear wheel wells. all body shops stated this is a common problem on ford escapes, and that it wasn't worth fixing due to cost. they stated it was a safety issue/concern, and i should rid myself of the vehicle as soon as financially possible. i searched this and found 100s of vehicles with the same problem and concern. i have two vehicles much older than this, and have no rust issues. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear shock mount became detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the rear shock housing was perforated due to rust. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a sudden banging noise was heard from the rear of the vehicle. the contact discovered that the rear passenger's side wheel housing panel was rusted. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was confirmed that the rear wheel housing panel was perforated due to rust and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 140,000.

I am here to write an incident about my my right rear suspension breaking away from the strut tower support bracket. it was all rusted out. the left side of the car is fine. i have seen quite a lot of these same problems on the internet. when we took our car in to the ford dealership they called it a catastrophic failure. car was unsafe too drive. we feel this is a safety concern for owners of this vehicle and, the public. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle made a loud noise when driving over a road bump. the contact inspected the vehicle and found that the rear passenger's side wheel well metal was no longer attached to the vehicle because of excessive corrosion and rust. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 150,000.

I own a 2005 ford escape 87,00 miles, garage kept. i bought it new from the ford dealer. so i hear a loud banging noise and take it into a shop to get checked out. shop calls me in awe? he said that right side inter fender wheel well and shock tower has completely rusted away and is no longer connected to the vehicle?he also said you can see to the inside of the vehicle. he said in all his years, hes never seen anything like it. he said that a 1990 car should not have this damage. so i start to google and low and behold hundreds of complaints of the same thing. it seems to be a major issue with 2004, 2005 and some 2006 ford escape models and ford will not recall or make good on their poor craftsmanship. i contacted the dealer where i bought my vehicle and spoke to a repair manager who said he will call me back?so after a few hours (he googled himself), he calls and says tough luck?have a nice day. there are all kinds of pictures on the net that look like my car?.i took my own pictures but this is appalling and ford needs to be help accountable. this is a structure problem and very dangerous. i will probably have a hard time finding someone to even attempt to repair this as the don't want the liability (especially seeing i have 2 car seats in my vehicle.) *tr

2005 ford escape made loud banging noise from rear passenger wheel area. upon inspection noticed shock mount rusted away from body. large hole that was completely rusted. nothing structural to hold shock in place. ford dealer couldn't fix. told to take to auto body shop. they ordered part and ford has it on back order..... *tr

Loud banging sound from right rear wheel sounding like loose muffler upon further inspection i found the inner wheel well with the shock mount to be completely rusted away. trying to get it fixed and no one can put a price on the repair and most body shops are afraid to do it. called ford customer service about this very unsafe problem and they don't want nothing to do with it. *tr

After seeing post from friend that her right rear well on her 2005 ford escape was rusted through, it made me go look in the garage at my same vehicle. upon review i have a large hole into my spare tire tools box. there is significant rusting and cracks in and around the shock as well. left rear well does not seem to have same issue. *tr

Rear passenger side shock tower disconnected to frame. rusted out fenderwell. *tr

The passenger side rear wheel well rusted through causing the shock absorber to float freely. there is a section aprox 24 inches long by 2-6 inches wide where the metal has rusted out and is completely gone. this vehicle makes a hard slam whenever driven over small bumps. the shock has come through the plastic panel and put a large crack/hole in it. this vehicle has become unsafe to drive and excessively expensive to repair. this vehicle is from michigan. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, a loud noise emitted from the rear end of the vehicle. the failure recurred intermittently and became worse. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who noticed that the passenger's side rear fender well rusted. the vehicle was not repaired. the mechanic recommended that the vehicle not be driven due to a potential safety hazard. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 122,000. updated 05/28/14*lj updated 06/02/2014 *js

The rear shock mount went through rusted wheel well and into trunk. *tr

The right rear shock tower rusted through the wheel well into the rear compartment breaking a hole through the interior compartment. there is currently no parts in stock to repair this as we are told they are on nationwide backorder and this is a huge safety issue. the other rear shock area has a significant amount of rust also. approximately 1 week later both break lines broke from severe corrosion while moving at approximately 10 mph (pulling in my driveway). i was fortunate this happened there and not on the highway as i could have been in a very serious accident along with my 3 year old son. these two things should not be happening with the age of this vehicle. the body should be holding up better than this. i just saw there was a recall for model years 2001-2004 for severe rust issues one resulting in a crash. the manufacturing date of my vehicle is 09/2004. *tr

Right back shock came through wheel well and broke through interior of car. car is in excellent condition with no rust. *tr

2005 ford escape. i have noticed rust on rear fender wells in the past. in summer 2013, i found a hole into the passenger area from the rear passenger side wheel well. filled hole and attempted to undercoat to prevent additional rust. december 26, 2013, while driving i hit a bump and heard a loud banging noise in back right hand side of the vehicle. driving became difficult after the bump, so i stopped to investigate the issue. the shock had separated from the uni-body/wheel well due to corrosion. the noise was the shock hitting the plastic interior of the vehicle. i did some research on a replacement panel and i found this is an ongoing issue with the ford escape with numerous examples of this same issue. it appears that the right passenger side wheel well of the ford escape has a design flaw causing the shock to separate from the uni-body. driving become difficult during this failure as the vehicle is riding on the spring and the shock is not able to reduce the tire bounce. *tr

The rear passenger side tire-well rusted out. it rusted where the shock is attached. this entire piece rusting caused the shock to no longer be attached to my vehicle. we later discover the accelerated corrosion was from faulty drains in the vehicle. ford acknowledges the drain problem but will not take responsibility for the expedited rusting. with faulty drains it is only a matter of time before the other tire-well also rusts out. luckily i discovered the problem when i did, i had been planning on towing a uhaul cross-country two days out. if i had been towing and the shock gave out, the mechanic at the dealership said my vehicle would have started to roll. *tr

I noticed the smell of exhaust fumes in the vehicle and a few weeks later heard load banging noise coming from rear cargo area. i look and saw the rear wheel well was rusted threw into the cargo area and the rear shock mounts were rusted off. *tr

When i opened the rear hatch on my 2005 ford escape i noticed the plastic molding was cracked, after looking at it closer i noticed that the whole right rear shock mount was rusted out ant there was a hole in the top of the wheel well. i have contacted many body shops that say the problem is fixable but do to liability they can not fix it. after researching it online on the ford forum i found out that this a common problem with this vehicle. one post on the forum says that the engineers of the escape said it is a design flaw causing the problem but they won't put it in writing for fear of losing their jobs. this is a major safety issue and there should be a recall issued for it. if the shock would have came off while i was driving and hit the road or something under the vehicle it could have caused a accident. i would to know why there is no recall issued for this problem ? *tr

Front end k sub-frame rusted through. this vehicle is too new and is not included in the current recall, but already has a hole rusted through the sub-frame. this is a structural issue and could cause the lower control arms to separate leading to loss of control. the vehicle will not pass state inspection...updated 06/25/14 *bf updated 07/1/2014 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, he noticed a loud knocking noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis where the technician stated that the rear passenger's side inner quarter panel and wheel house panel were corroded. the technician also stated that the shock had become completely detached from the frame. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 83,000. . ..updated 01-10-14 *bf

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact was driving approximately 10 mph over a speed bump when a loud noise came from the rear of the vehicle. the contact stated that a three inch hole was discovered on the passenger's side rear wheel well, exposing a damaged shock absorber. the vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the defect was not repairable. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the failure mileage was 160,000.