Problems with 2003 Ford Escape SUSPENSION

Hello the car is making a noise like bearing when i drive more than 35 miles it going worse when you move a little bit the stearin weell and never end just when get less than 30 or 35 miles somtimes it doit less than 30 miles and everyday it going worse please can you doble check recall for from bearing i really appreciate

Bearing are making noise

Bearing have a wired noise on from of vehicle when i get 35 miles or more

The left front control arm broke through the subframe, causing a very expensive repair. my father was driving it at the time. when he went to accelerate on a state hi way it pulled very hard to the left into oncoming traffic, nearly ending in a bad way. i subsequently test drove it and discovered the problem. i immediately checked for any recall information and found this specific information. my father had taken it to his local ford dealership and they said it was ok as of 2014.i noticed only some models were included in the 2014 recall. the subframe in the left front is soft and rotted out, while the right front and the rear is in good condition. i contacted ford directly and found no relief or even a satisfactory explanation why my father's vehicle was not included. i'm quite appalled with ford motor company's lame explanation of how vehicle doesn't qualify for reimbursement. without being overly dramatic, my father or i could have lost our lives to to this rare type of damage. this escape has been well taken care of and is in good condition for a 2003 from the rust belt. i've owned dozens of vehicles, as has my whole family, we've never seen this type of problem and it's not subject to a recall. i am hoping others have complained as well in hopes of sparking an expanded recall. thank you for your time. i included a couple of general pictures for now as the escape is at a repair shop. 2003 xlt v6 3.0 with available full 4x4 capability. approximately 165,000 miles. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).' *pm

I was driving my car out of my driveway and the steering wheel turned off center making it difficult to correctly steer the car. i took it to a mechanic and was told the sub frame rusted and cracked in half.

Front sub frame rusted out and split half way across pulls vehicle when driving 14s02 complaint

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the subframe was rusted, which created an abnormal rubbing sound when the vehicle was turned. the vehicle was towed to the contact's home. the vehicle was taken to ricart ford (4255 s hamilton rd, groveport, oh 43125, (614) 836-6260) where it was diagnosed that a new subframe and lower control arm were needed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. the failure mileage was 196,703.

Lower control arm separated from sub frame. high corrosion area. separated at a speed of about 65 mph going over highway bridge. right front tire tipped out and sent vehicle into a uncontrolled swerve to the left and right. ford's recall 14s02 cross brace patch was installed but still almost caused a major crash. i don't believe the inspection by ford was done properly when they installed the brace. if they had they would be replacing the sub-frame also.

Control arms are in terrible condition. passenger side control arm dislocated while i was driving on a city street due to corrosion and poor manufacturing. there was a recall for it on some escapes during those years but since my vin number isnt on their recall lists for it im not covered. ford needs to be held responsible for it and do the right thing. how are only some of the ford escapes during those years covered for bad control arms? please help and hold ford accountable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while turning at low speeds, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle shook. in addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to bob chapman ford (1255 columbus ave, marysville, oh 43040, (937) 642-0015) where it was diagnosed that the control arm and subframe were fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 5 mph, a crunching sound was present coming from the front passenger side and the vehicle suddenly could not be driven properly. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the lower control arm had fractured due to corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired in 2014 per nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the contact indicated that the vehicle later experienced the same failure listed in the recall. the local dealer was not notified. the failure mileage was 53,000.

The front sub frame is rusted and the vehicle is unsafe to drive.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving 35 mph, a loud noise was heard coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle and the vehicle swayed back and forth. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact was able to drive the vehicle home and, upon inspecting underneath the vehicle, noticed corrosion and separation of the lower control arm from the frame. the vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the contact researched online and found nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer confirmed that the vin was not included in a recall. no further assistance was offered. the failure mileage was 153,207.

My son was driving this vehicle when the front control arm snapped off from the front subframe! thankfully, he did not get killed or injured. the vehicle was towed to a local garage who informed me that ford recall # 14s02 applies to this very condition. upon calling ford's customer assist line, i was completely shut down. i told the rep that i need a tow since the car was not drivable. she told me that ford will not pay for a tow or any consequential damages. this makes no sense to me. obviously, ford has acknowledged a problem. i don't think it is fair for them to take no responsibility & leave the consumer footing the bill. please look into this when you get a chance. thank you. *tr

My daughter was driving home from work and went over the railroad tracks and the whole front end felt like it was going to collapse the steering got thrown way off and when she went to apply the brakes at the light she almost went through them because of the front-end being way out of line. when i had a chance to look underneath it the next day it is so corroded and split and cracked where the crossmember is. and these railroad tracks she went over every day with no problems that are very smooth except for that night when they just gave out. you can tell that the metal for the vehicle is not quality

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while the contact's daughter was driving 40 mph, the driver struck a pothole and the vehicle began to pull to the right. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger side lower control arm and subframe were bent due to rust and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. a dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that they could not assist because the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

2003 ford escape xlt 4x4 rear frame rusts causing control arm bracket to rip front the frame. driving down the road came up to a stop light all of a sudden my brakes locked up got out and looked too see the frame had rusted allowing the lower control arm on the rear driver side to rip the bracket from the frame.

My 17-year-old son was driving the car home from work and after making a right turn the car severely jerks to the right. he almost went off of the road. we took the car to our local mechanic and were told that there was corrosion and separation of the control arm and we would need a brace to complete the repair. the mechanic said when he took the car for a test drive the steering wheel is out of alignment and he almost hit a mailbox when the car jerked to the right. when investigating how to get a used part i discovered that there is a recall for this exact issue (ford recall #14s02). my car fits the same model year and purchase/registration locations as indicated in the recall, but ford refuses to make the repair under the recall. currently we are completely unable to drive the vehicle because it is unsafe for my son and other drivers on the road for the car to be driven. had my son been driving faster when this happened there could have been a terrible accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. upon exiting a parking area, there was an abnormal suspension vibration near the front of the vehicle. the front subframe fractured and impacted the front passenger side tire. the contact and a mechanic inspected the fact that there had been premature rust and corrosion associated with the underbody, subframe, and the bar that was connected to the frame. the vehicle was unable to be driven and was towed by the mechanic. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no solution other than for the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 14v165000 (structure) and 15e045000 (suspension). the failure mileage was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 33 mph and attempting to turn, the front passenger side wheel failed and the vehicle became difficult to control. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact was able to pull the vehicle over to the shoulder and discovered that the front passenger wheel was rusted and twisted outward. the failure caused the rear control arm to almost fall off. the vehicle was not diagnosed. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 140,000.

While driving on highway the steering started to become unstable and loose. moments later the lower control arm (sub-frame) on passenger side separated causing loss of control almost ending in crash. never received notice of the recall below to fix this problem which was issued about two years ago. dealership contacted. they are dragging their feet on an answer as to whether they'll fix. recall # 14s02 2001-'04 ford escape recalled for rust, steering problem ford is recalling 385,762 2001-'04 ford escape suvs because a rust problem may cause the lower control arm to separate, potentially resulting in diminished steering control. | april 8, 2014 | ford motor company recall title: front subframe crossbrace installation nhtsa recall number: 14v165000 ford recall number: 14s02

While driving, the front right tire felt like it was going to fall off the vehicle. i took it to my mechanic who stated that the sub-frame was cracked and ford had a recall in place. i had it towed to the nearest ford dealership who stated that it would be covered under the recall. instead, they put a cross-bar on the cracked sub frame because they determined it was "not broken" only "cracked". the sub frame had "rusted and corroded" due to ford's own admittance of "faulty parts". i asked if the vehicle was safe and they stated "no". i asked if the vehicle would pass inspection and again they stated "no". i asked if this was a "bandaid" that they put on to make themselves feel better about the fact that anyone operating the vehicle could lose total control. i asked to speak to a manager, who told me there was nothing he could do. he did state he would makes some calls and called me a day or two later to say, that his manager said if i wanted the vehicle fixed, i could pay $1,200 for the part and an additional $600-$800 in labor to fix the vehicle, or i could trade it in. i am beyond frustrated that ford will not back up their product. the vehicle has less than 65,000 miles on it!

In may of 2016, i took my ford escape in for repair of a recall. my understanding of the recall was to prevent a failure of the lower control arm as i read the recall notice and the conversation that i had with repair center agent. a month later the lower control arm separates. after i had my vehicle towed to ford, it was expressed to me that recall was not to prevent failure but merely to stabilize the vehicle in the event of failure. had i not had the recall performed on my vehicle they would have repaired the escape at cost to them, but because i had the recall performed then i most pay for it. why would ford authorize such a ridiculous recall effort. first of all if it's know issue, why not repair the issue. secondly, had i know the ramifications, i would never have had the recalled performed. the control separated while driving and i hit a bump.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle had a recall on the frame and was repaired. while driving 20 mph, the vehicle shook and the steering wheel wobbled. the front driver side wheel was straight while the front passenger side wheel faced outward. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was completely fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 145,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 10 mph, a loud thumping sound came from the front of the vehicle and the steering malfunctioned. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe seperated due to severe rust and corrosion, which caused the lower control arm to fracture. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 167,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while the vehicle was being serviced for routine tire maintenance, the contact was informed that there was severe corrosion to the rear axles of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 150,000. updated 07/12/16*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving approximately 40 mph, a thumping noise was heard from the passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe was severely rusted and fractured. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact also stated that a brace was placed on by the dealer in the subframe as part of a recall in 2014. the approximate failure mileage was 121,000.

My ford escape had recall 14s02 completed, which was supposed to "fix" the rusting out sub-frames made of inferior metal due to salt-belt states salting of roads, by installing a flimsy brace across the sub-frame, but i'm honestly not sure what it does besides prevent your car from "completely" losing control. ford refuses to truly fix the problem and it posses a serious risk to me, my family, and others on the road. if the sub-frame does detach on my car, which it is one nasty pot-hole away from detaching, than i will lose control of my car when the control arm breaks off the sub-frame and i will be in a potentially life threatening situation. my local independent mechanic warned me of the danger of this problem just recently while it was stationary, but ford did not. ford simply brushed me off and didn't explain to me how dangerous this supposed "fix" is. i am student, and in order for me to fix this on my own the cost will be unbearable. i do not think this is fair or following federal law, and i don't know how this pathetic brace held on by a couple of bolts was considered a real fix for a very dangerous problem. the manner in which ford has handled this situation has been deplorable as well, and i have received nothing but rudeness from their service department, and customer service representatives. the danger of this particular problem is that when the car is in motion and it does detach, especially on a highway, then i, and others will be at a risk due to loss of control of steering.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving at various speeds, there were abnormal noises coming from the front of the vehicle. in addition, both front tires leaned inwards. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front control arm, sway bar, and tie rods needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the mechanic also stated that the subframe corroded and needed to be replaced. a week later, while reversing at a low speed, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the front of the vehicle. upon inspection, the contact noticed that the control arm and axle fractured. the contact was aware of nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) however, the vin was not included. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 90,470.

I was driving home from work on a highway(60mph) when my steering became loose, weaving left and right. had to slow down to 20mph until i got home. the vehicle was inspected, found that the passenger side subframe had broken in 2. ford is recalling 385,762 2001-'04 ford escape suvs because a rust problem may cause the lower control arm to separate, potentially resulting in diminished steering control. ford dealers will install a reinforcement crossbrace on the affected escapes. the subframe has broken apart due to the corrosion, and it's unsafe to drive. since ford is aware of this, they should have both subframe replace as a recall and not adding a crossbar as a recall. currently the vehicle is parked on my driveway. the estimated cost to repair was too costly.

my wife owns a 2003 ford escape. while driving it down the road she noticed the steering was getting uncontrollable. she pulled the car off the road and called aaa for a tow. the car was towed to midas where we usually have our work done on our vehicles. midas looked at the car while still on the tow truck. they said that it should be covered by the recall on the car. midas called waikem ford and was told to tell us to bring it there. we had the tow truck driver take it there. this was on 11/05/15. i was called on 11/6 and told they would not be able to look at the car that day and monday 11/9 they would look at it. this was in a message to my phone. monday i received another message from a guy named craig that he had taken pictures of the problem and sent it to ford motor company. that was all the message said. tuesday i received a message from craig that the car was done and we could pick it up anytime. i took my wife over to get the car and she drove it home which is three blocks away. she didn't notice anything wrong do to the short trip and slow speed. saturday 11/14 she took the car out and once again the steering felt uncontrollable. i went over to waikem ford and ask why the car wasn't fixed. i was told that ford motor company had denied the fix on the car. cross brace was installed which is what they do on the recall. how ever the frame rusted out where the control arms attach and the cross brace did nothing. the car was released to us without being told that the problem wasn't fixed. we were not told ford motor company had rejected the request for repair. this is a known defect in the car, and ford should have authorized the fix. ford motor companies decision along with waikem ford releasing that car to us put my wife and the public in danger. ...

I own a 03 ford escape and when driving at about 30mph my tire started rubbing the fenderwell and pulling hard to the right i had to fight to keep my car from hitting things and about 5 seconds after all of a sudden there is a very loud clunk sound from my passenger front tire. and my front end dropped and wheel locked up. causing me to lose control of my vehicle. nearly missing parked cars. i was told my lower control arm separated from subframe. which has a corrosion issue (this is a know problem with this model, recall reference number --- 14s02) .. i was advised by a private mechanic that my subframe needed replaced. i googled and found out about this recall and had it taken to my local ford dealership and so far have heard nothing.. this is ridiculous. and because of this safety recall, it damaged my car even further, broke my c/v joint. probably messed up the axel to

Steering lose with little control. mechanic states a separation of the lower control arm due to excessive corrosion in frame. matches ford recall 14s02. yet recall was performed june 2014. so safety recall failed.

I was driving along a highway getting ready to turn when the frame broke and i was barely able to get off the road when it stopped because i found out later the frame that kept the c v joint in place came apart and my tire twisted into the wheel well. the recall that was to keep this from happening had been performed but the repair did not keep this from happening to my vehicle.

Went to get car inspected and the exhaust y pipe and engine cradle subframe has corrison. called the ford recall and for some reason my vehicle did not have a recall, but there were other 2003 recalls for the control arms and corrison of the frame and members. this seems to be a problem with a lot of ford vehicles but not on the recall list and should be. vehicle has 100,078 miles. there is also noise come from an area around the tires not sure which one.

I was pulling out of my driveway and started to hear a loud clunking noise. i pulled the car back in and it has sat the past few days. i took it to my mechanic and was told that the whole front end and frame are rusted and needs to be replaced. i researched online and am now aware of all the issues that involve rust on these models. i am scared to even drive the car in the shape that it is in. i will call the recall hotline but according to what i have read i don't expect much help from ford. i will never purchase another ford and am sorry to say that as consumers we should expect these companies to stand behind their cheaply made products

The right front sub-frame is dangerously rusted through, and my mechanic says it's not safe to drive as it may collapse an any moment. i took it to the ford dealership in north canton, ohio this summer (approximately june or july) and they said the vin number wasn't on the recall list, so they refused to fix it. the situation is such that i have a vehicle that is unsafe to drive, and ford motor co. will not fix it. as of now, i am afraid to use this vehicle. the question is: why has ford recalled and repaired most of these rusted sub-frame problems, but not mine?

The lower control arm on my 2003 ford escape is rusted through and ford didn't include my vehicle in the recalls. they are obviously having a wider issue with this control arm since recall number 14so2 has affected my escape as well. they claim that my lower control arm wasn't part of the factories that was listed so they won't include me in the recall. i have had this issue for a while and if i was going down the highway my entire wheel could have disconnected and cause a horrible crash. they must include all ford escapes from 2001 through 2004 as listed in this recall since my escape is obviously included in this recall and i should not be charged for the repair or at least notified of the danger. they should not be allowed to pick and choose which car they deemed acceptable for the recall if there is obviously a defect which could cause harm to the owner and is documented as being harmful,, *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure) and the dealer installed reinforcement cross bar to the under carriage of the vehicle. the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the cross bar was not a permanent repair. as a result, the front sub frame needed to be replaced and the front passenger side lower control arm was rusted through. the contact felt that the recall remedy was not an adequate repair. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure.

A recall on our ford escape was performed last august.the recall was for rusted frame/cradle area that holds front suspension together.at the time of the recall i informed the dealer that the cradle was weak and very rusty over and above any other rust on car.the dealer installed a brace between the two rails of the frame and told me that was the extent of the recall.the other day while driving the cradle gave out and the engine,the steering gear dropped down a few inches rendering the car undriveable.i was able to maintain control and get it to the dealership. i was told they are only responsible for the brace not the weak cradle. i guess my question is how can this recall stop anyone from a wreck or damage when the entire cradle is affected by this problem. this recall had to be approved by someone im sure. this brace will not stop a car from being out of control at any givin time as the cradle rot will affect a lot more than just the lower control arm area.i understand its an old car but ford knows there is a serious rust issue with this part.if ford and the nhtsa feel this bandaid repair is good enough for safety of my family then i have my doubt on whether there is anyone in either organization that knows anything about a car or safety at all. *tr

Had my 2003 escape in to the dealer for a wheel bearing problem, while it was in the shop they did the open recall 14s02 sub frame brace installation. drove the car 2 times. the wife decided to drive to the store on a 3rd time and called me to say car was pulling hard to the passenger side. after getting the car home i remove the passenger front tire thinking that we had a sticking brake caliper and could see right away that the sub frame had ripped apart right where the lower control arm bolts up. after more investigation and many photos it appears to me that the bolt that was used to install the brace per the recall has cause the upper part of the frame to rip apart from the lower part (split it open) there is significant rust on the frame but this really looks like the bandaid caused a bigger problem. i called the dealer, they said to call ford, i called ford they said take it back to the dealer and they would evaluate it. but after reading comments here i decided against that and will probably just haul it to scrap yard. what a waste. *tr

Vehicle went in for control arm brace recall in 2014 due to poor metzl used on the subframe, march of 2015 it failed leaving limited control of steering, ford was contacted and stated that they are only responsible for the control arm recall and to contact the dealer. they said they did what they were told to do and the rotted subframe was not a part of the recall. ford needs to recall the subframe part before someone gets seriously injured or killed. *tr

Daughter driving her vehicle home from work noticed severe vibration in front of vehicle and gradual loss of control of steering. following day, vehicle brought to repair shop for inspection. discovered that right lower control arm broken. discovered that there was a massive recall for exact issue. remedy said to be support brace/cross member. vehicle brought to ford dealership for repair. recall device installed, however, dealership failed to advise vehicle owner of rotting sub frame in right front of vehicle. inspected by independent auto shop after install and severe rotting and structural defects found in right front sub frame. support brace supplied by recall essentially useless as it bolts in to rotting sub frame. independent shop advises that vehicle is unsafe to drive for both occupants and other drivers due to serious likelihood of loss of control. note that there are multiple complaints on same issue. also note that a significant number, (over 50%), of these complaints reveal severe rotting and structural failure to right front sub frame. contacted ford about sub frame issues and concerns and was referred back to ford dealership. advised to express concerns over workmanship! ford dealership installed the replacement cross member just fine. but they bolted it to a rusted defected sub frame!! come on people. do we have to wait until some young unsuspecting mother with a car load of kids loses control of her vehicle and hits a tree, or a pole, or oncoming traffic before the real issue is addressed? i can only imagine the lawsuits!! certainly have enough people for a class action.

While backing out of drive felt an unusual tug of steering wheel, and steering wheel was rotated approx. 30 degrees. drove it to repair shop where they discovered the lower control arm had rusted away from the subframe mount and the subframe was significantly rusted. also was notified of safety recall 14s02. made appointment and slowly drove vehicle to ford dealership to have recall addressed. dealership replaced only sub frame crossbrace as directed by ford motor co. subframe is still rusted in other areas surrounding newly installed crossbrace and unsafe to drive. dealership wanted over $2000 to replace subframe. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford escape. the contact heard a constant noise coming from the front of the vehicle near the wheels. the dealer stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the dealer provided the recall remedy of a newly designed cross brace as an interim repair, but the noise failure recurred. within three months, the power steering failed. the front passenger side wheel was leaning due to the fact that the lower control arm fractured. the subframe was rusted to the point of corrosion. the dealer was notified of the failures. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop for diagnostic testing. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

The front passenger side lower control arm failed while my son was driving the vehicle. he was going straight, and the right front side just buckled under while he was in motion. luckily he wasn't on a heavily-traveled road when it happened, because there would have been a serious accident. the vehicle, although it is a 2003 ford escape, is not part of recall #14s02. why, i don't know? no one at ford can explain this to me, as it is exactly what has been happening with this make and model/year. we had it repaired at great cost to us, with exactly the parts/labor that ford had been describing in the recall. our mechanic even got the replacement crossmember from ford! ford themselves wanted nothing to do with the repair. in addition to the lower control arm, and crossmember, the tire had to be replaced, along with the right front axle assembly, as they were severely damaged from the frame failure. i would really like an answer as to why my vehicle is not included in the recall, when the recall describes exactly what has happened to my vehicle. *tr

Seems we own a ford escape 2003 which needs a cross brace for the sub frame. the reason for the recall is that the sub frame corrodes and the brace will keep the two sides from breaking apart and splitting them into two halves. that is because it can rust and break. the top of the sub frame of the ford escape is rusted and looks very unsafe. ford would not replace the whole sub frame because it does not effect where they can attach the brace. problem solved ford will not cover the top of the sub frame only the bottom where the brace is installed. question 1: would you or the owner of the ford corp have his daughter and/or his grand daughter drive down rte. 495 doing 65 mph with a rusted-out top sub frame? question 2: i have a brand new ford escape 2014. how long are the iron frame parts of the car good? should i sell it at 5 years or 6? i know that 10 years is too long. *tr

Separation of the lower control arm from the sub-frame causing hard steering and loss of proper control. *tr

this vehicle is part of the ford recall 14s02 (nhtsb #14v165000 ). i had the recall directed cross-brace installed in june 2014 (3 months ago). i was turning a corner at about 5-10 mph, heard a pop in the right front of the car and then heard a scraping sound and had difficulty steering. i had the vehicle towed to the dealership who found that the cross-brace had failed because the subframe gave way. i was told that the brace was only to provide an envelope of safety if the subframe failed but it was not meant to prevent frame failure or correct frame weakness. i was also told that the subframe repair was not covered as part of the recall and that the repair would cost about $2000. i don't think that a quality vehicle would have a frame failure after only 10 years. i think this is a design flaw and that similar to toyota, ford is trying to say they put in a fix but not really fix the real problem. i believe that my frame was severely weakened before the cross-brace was installed and that the subframe should have been replaced instead of the patch fix designed in the recall which ford admitted to me was only to help prevent injuries, not to fix a known design problem. you would think the mechanics would want to protect customers from potentially lethal structural failures. maybe they do but management is only concerned with profits. failing to stand behind the quality of their product will cost ford; they certainly have lost me. *tr

On june 9 2014, i took my escape to the ford dealer to have recall 14s02 performed. we had recently purchased the car and had gotten the recall notice. the service writer called me to say that "the car wasn't safe to drive" because of the rust spots that had eaten through the engine cradle. he warned me that if this went unrepaired, the frame could collapse under the weight of the engine. he reassured me that he was working with ford to replace the engine cradle as part of the recall. he took pictures (twice) of the car and submitted them and a request to ford for the repair. on july 13 2014, more than a month later, the service writer let me know that ford had rejected the repair claim, saying that "they didn't think the rust was significant, it was surface rust, and the car was actually safe to drive." the dealer installed a bracket across the bottom of the rusty cradle. i understand that the bracket is part of the recall. i picked the car up on july 14 2014 and was told that it was safe and not to worry about the rust. we subsequently spent over $1,500 making other repairs to the car, believing it was a good investment. less than 2 months later, on september 5 2014, my daughter experienced a catastrophic failure of the engine cradle, bending the drive axle on the passenger side and rendering the car unable to drive. the service writer had been correct, it was unsafe to drive and it did fail. we had the car towed to the nearest dealer. on september 9 2014, i was told that ford had again rejected the claim to repair the (broken) engine cradle. this time, the reason given was "they had already done the recall" that was meant to address the cradle damage from rust. i have appealed the rejection through ford customer care and through the special services group and they continue to reject the repair. i would like ford to repair the vehicle at their expense. *tr