Problems with 2005 Ford Escape STRUCTURE

Began hearing terrible noise from rear passenger wheel well. investigation revealed the entire wheel well and frame were rusted out. after replacing the wheel well and shock mount tower, still experiencing problems due to frame being rusted out. no longer able to drive the vehicle for safety reasons and it is headed to the scrap yard.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving 35 mph over a small bump in the road, the vehicle made a loud banging noise. the contact noticed that the passenger side wheel well was severely rusted. in addition, the shock absorber became disconnected from the frame of the well. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 120,000. the vin was not available.

Despite many, many owner complaints, ford has never been made to recall the 2005 ford escape. there are rust issues in the rear of the car that could lead to unsafe operation. one example is shock absorbers that could come loose due to excessive rust on the frame. ford has issued such a recall for previous model years, so they are well aware of the problem, but they never made any repairs to the 2005 escape models. i contacted them and they referred me to you (they were quite hateful). please help. i am on disability and we cannot afford the cost of these repairs and we believe ford should be made to take responsibility. thank you.

Passengers side wheel well has developed excessive rust. support for shock/strut assembly integrity has been compromised. vehicle is no longer safe to be driven without repair. rust damage was concealed under rust proofing material.

I was pulling out of my driveway, turned at the corner, hit a small bump and heard a loud banging sound like the rear gate door was not closed, stopped at the corner put it in park, got out and opened the rear gate and reclosed it, got back into my vehicle, turned left hit another small bump, and heard the loud banging noise again, stopped at the 4 way corner store, parked and got out and walked around my vehicle to inspect it, and noticed the rust on the passenger rear side, some of it had fallen off and i could see the styrofoam on the inside of the passenger rear tire weld.i called the dealer where i am purchasing the vehicle and they said i could take it to their guy to look at it, took it to him and he said that i had a real problem and that it needed to be welded, went back to the dealer and they said i could take it to their guy to fix, but they did not know when they could get me in for an appointment. i took it to another mechanic, and he still has it, trying to locate the rear end of another ford escape to fix it.

Passenger rear is rested shocks struts detached

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving various speeds, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. the contact discovered that the shock was not connected to the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with rust between the shock and the rear passenger side frame. the shock absorber needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 188,000.

Noticed undercoating peeling off in wheel well(rear passenger side). pulled off and also found a 3in. circle of metal loose. have seen other(300+) reports of this rust problem on this web page. i am original owner and vehicle has always been garaged when not in use and has less than 70k miles. there are no handling or noise issues yet.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle shut down without warning. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic. it was diagnosed that the subframe was rusted. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign number: 14v165000 (structure). the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 187,000.

We started to hear a very loud banging coming from the back passenger side when we drove over even the smallest bump. the rear passenger side wheel well is completely rusted though (you can see the interior) and the wheel could fall off at anytime. the car is not safe to drive with out a very expensive repair. after looking online i found that this is a very common occurrence and that 2001-2004 escapes were recalled for the same issue.

Back pasenger wheel well is all rusted out, the bo;ts even rusted out and are missing the truck is undrivable and is not safe. i was driving and noticed alot of banging, pulled over thinking the back door wasnt closed properly. but found the rusted wheel well. i can push on the well and it just crumbles! there needs to be a recall on this before someone is injured!

Almost suddenly, a loud rattling sound from the rear started last week. when inspected, to my shock, the rear wheel well was totally, totally rotted out . this vehicle has been been garaged and carefully maintained since we bought it. in fact, for the past 8 years--it has been basically driven about 16 -20 miles per day. and again--garaged day and night. and now, almost immediately, it appears very unsafe to drive. as a result, i'm now searching for another car to buy--not wanting to spend +$1,200 on this repair.

2005 ford escape. rear passenger side shock mount completely rusted/broken. wheel well and fender completely rotted out while the rest of the vehicle has no rust at all. why has ford not recalled the 2005 escape, after seeing thousands of complaints about the same issue

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while having the vehicle exhaust serviced at an independent mechanic, the mechanic would not lift the vehicle to do the exhaust servicing stating that the frame was rusted and there was a chance the frame would fracture. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacture was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 99,000. updated 01/05/2017*ct

While driving we noticed a really loud banging noise coming from the rear passenger side of the car. upon looking around we noticed significant rust inside the wheel well area. took it to a body shop and was advised that the shock mount is rusted out. i took it to my local ford dealer who said that they get a couple of these a week. the cost is at least $1.500 per shock mount. if there's a separation from the shock mount it could cause you to loose control. i don't understand why with the thousands of complaints with this "known problem " ford isn't doing a recall! apparently the rust had been happening for a while but we never knew about it until the loud noise. our mechanic advised us that it is not safe to drive.

Underbody is all rusted, only 57,000 miles and stored inside, except when driving. *tr

Vehicle started making a noise in passenger rear wheel. upon inspection i observed that the well was completely rusted through where the shock is mounted. learned that this is a manufacturing defect from thousands of complaints

The back rear wheel well rusted through and the shock went through the "floor" and panel of the suv. i bought this with 65,000 miles on it and now has 89,000 and i can't drive it and no one will fix it. i paid $8500. for a suv that i only drove for 11/2 years. i driving and heard a thumping sound so i stopped and didn't see anything. i drove 1/2 mile to my house and the noise was very loud, i looked again to see that the shock broke through the panel and not any of it is connected to the body of the truck. i got on a complaint website and hundreds of people are having the same problem at the same spot on the vehicle. when we bought the suv my husband got on his back and looked at the undercoating and everything was fine. the muffler broke and the mechanic had my husband to look under the suv and everything is rusted. the mechanic said the undercoat was faulty and trapped moisture between it and the body of the suv. this thing is falling out from underneath me. the left rear is rusted out and this only started happening about 3 months ago. everywhere there is a seam, rust is forming. i blamed in on the dealer for selling me a flood car, until i did more research and found out that hundreds of other people are having the same problems. ford recalled other vehicles for the same problem, why did they keep doing the same thing? i am unemployed and this is my transportation. i have to drive it, hopefully i won't kill myself or anyone else when it falls apart on the road.

I have a 2005 ford escape that started making sounds in the back of the vehicle while driving in the town streets coming home when i hit bumps. we looked at the rear passenger side tire well and the shock mount is rusted through. the body is resting on the coil. i am afraid to drive it due to the danger of the body coming down on the wheel.

Went to replace rear shocks. rear passenger wheel well has rusted and i could move shock mount tower when truck is bounced. also have banging and bouncing going on. rides rough and have a rust hole and can see tire below. bad engineering design. the ford motor company should fess up and correct this, but they won't they got their money!!!

Right rear shock tower mount is completely rusted away. the shock has forced the tower up into the wheel well, through the plastic in the interior of the car. the car is unsafe to drive. ford issued a recall for the exact same problem for 2001-2004 escape vehicles manufactured, but not for the 2005 model which has the exact same problem.

Rust caused the separation of the lower control arm from the subframe of the vehicle. the vehicle was primarily used in a salt-belt state. the issue became evident after a small pothole caused the rear frame to puncture through the passenger rear wheelhouse into the cab of the vehicle causing a high-pitched squeal and steering difficulties..

I bought my 2005 ford escape from a local dealership 15 months, and 6000 miles ago. i noticed that it just always felt "rickety", and had it in to be looked at three times during the first four months, and new tires, an "exciter ring" and sway bars didn't seem to really do much. over the course of the llast month, i noticed a loud "knocking sound" coming from the back passenger side. i thought maybe the gate wasn't shut all the way. that wasn't it. i started driving with the seats down in the back, trying to watch and listen to where it was coming from. i looked up under the wheel well, and was shocked at the corrosion, and took it to the local muffler man. i was told that this "excessive rust and corrosion in the rear passenger wheel well is a defect in the vehicle", and that i needed to take it back to the dealership. i did. i was sent to a body shop and told to "raise hell with ford", because this is a known defect. i got a quote of $8000 to fix it. i still owe $6000... i opened a case with ford motors, and was told that they were "giving the dealership the green light to make it right", and that the dealership was obligated to take photos. no photos were taken, and the service manager told me he responded to my case, and that there was nothing else that was going to be done. and that "even if one of the body shops in town would work on it, it wouldn't be until at the earliest november". he then smirked at me, and said "so what are you going to do"? well. here we are. this was july 25, 2016. i was told that the vehicle is undriveable, and that if i were in an accident, that my insurance wouldn't cover it because of the shock tower coming up through the inside of the car ( that started july 22, the day i stopped driving it, except to drive it to the dealership) that i now knew about but cannot fix.

My 2005 ford escape has excessive fender well rust, a defect that causes the shock tower to dislodge from the frame, rendering the vehicle undriveable. it happens from the inside out, and when a thunking noise begins, it's too late. $8000 to repair a vehicle that i was told by every local body shop, wouldn't even really correct it. it's a structural defect. the shock tower is now coming through the cargo area of my car

Rust frame on wheel wells and other frame issues ...

Takata recall passenger back tower wheel rusted on my 2005 ford escape the meter sensor keep going off like the doors are still open the rims of the car has rusted like we had the car for 30 years in motion when i notice the wheel tower rusted out

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact heard an unusual noise near the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame was rusted out. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the dealer stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 109,475.

2005 ford escape 4x4 v6 passenger side rear wheel house rusted significantly enough to cause rear wheel shock connected to wheel house to forcefully separate and begin colliding with the inside plastic moulding in the trunk of the car. damage was initially found while in motion, noticed by a rattling noise in the rear of the vehicle. upon further inspection and removal of the plastic trunk housing, the entire top of the wheel well was very clearly rusted. the shock was still connected to a piece of the wheel house. the rear passenger shock had forcefully disconnected the piece of the wheel house it was attached to because of the overwhelming around of rust. auto-body shop quoted a $2,000 repair (for a car bought for #3,600) to order a new wheelhouse and install it. professional auto body shop teams quoted that the issue wasn't something you could patch or lightly repair, and the shock would need to be reattached to the body of the car to be driven safely. ford was contacted twice and replied with their apologies that the customer was experiencing this issue, knowingly aware that the 2001-2004 models of this vehicle were recalled for the exact same issue and that hundreds of other customers have seen this issue around 120,000 miles. the issue seems to always be on the rear passenger side with no significant rust or damage on the drivers side.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the inner fender well on the rear passenger side had rusted and fractured. the failure caused the axle to be unstable. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the shock mounting bracket detached from the inner fender. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

Entire right wheel well of the vehicle is rusting away. the shock absorber is mounted to this sheet metal, so it is no longer effective, making the vehicle unsafe to drive. i understand this is a common problem with these vehicles and ford will do nothing to compensate me. currently hearing a loud thumping at every bump, due to the shock becoming detached from the vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving 35 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the dealer diagnosed that the rear shock tower had severe corrosion, which caused the rear shocks to fracture and separate from the subframe of the vehicle. the contact also stated that the rear hatch window support was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. while driving over a hump in the road, the contact heard a loud banging noise. the contact performed a test drive and discovered that the rear passenger wheel well had a rusted hole underneath the vehicle and the shock absorber was detached from the original mount. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 70,000.

109,000 miles on my car, had a slight rumbling sound in trunk area, sound recently got much louder. brought it in for an annual nys inspection and car would not pass due to right wheel hull rust. large hole in wheel well, was advised to not drive the car and contact a body shop. quoted $600-$800 for the repair. upon research it appears this is a common problem in this model car. 2001-2004 escapes were recalled for the same reason but not the 2005.

The frame of the vehicle has rusted and the suspension broke free while it was being driven. ford has recalled up the model year of 2004 because of frame rust through in the northern states . in speaking with the repair shop he said he has seen a number of these problems. i called ford customer service and was told my car has no known issues.

Rear passenger wheel well rusting out around shock attachment. just discovered this today but through online research it appears to be a very common problem and should be a know issue to the manufacturer - they had a rust recall for 2001 - 2004 models

The rear right wheel well is rusted and the shock fell off. it is dangerous and scary. the matrrial used in building it is very poor

Rear wheel well rust out. we purchased this car new at al packers white marsh ford 11-13-04 we also opted for the complete ziebart package. the end of dec.15 my wife said thumping noise from rear heard when going over a bump in road. i checked all around and under car, found nothing. on jan.22nd 2016 when she got home from work she said get your coat you need to see this. when i got to the car i could not believe what i saw. most of the ziebart under coating was gone from the right rear wheel well and there was a huge hole that ran from the back of the wheel well forwards through and past the shock tower mount.then the blizzard of 2016 happened. i got on the net and found out we are not the only people this has happened to. i called ford usa headquarters on jan.26 and 27th. i was told there are no service bullitens or recalls on my vehicle at this time. i was given a case number, and told take the car back to a ford dealer so a certified ford person could go over the car and document the problem and give me an estimate to fix the problem. then if i get the repairs done keep my receipts, and if and when it becomes a recall i might get partial or full refund. thanks for calling ford have a nice day. after this i took the car to our local mechanic. he said he didn't do that work he sent me to a local body shop that told me it was a major job they said thousands of dollars. file a complaint and go back to ford. most of all park it do not drive the car it is not safe. the car window sticker says final assembly kansas plant. does anybody else have that same sticker? is this problem a bad batch of parts at only that kansas plant? this was not an escort, aspire, even a ranger it was a 30,000. dollar escape. they got the money they should fix this my car has 84,000 miles.

Loud banging coming from right rear of vehicle driving down city street. brought vehicle in for repair and was told the right rear passenger shock tower was completely rusted through the vehicle body to the point of entering the vehicle interior. i am told that the rear axle can tear away from the vehicle resulting in accident and possible injury or death.

My son was complaining that the back end of the car began rattling and "jumping" while driving in the city in nov of 2015. we had it checked out in dec and was told and shown how unsafe the car was to drive,due to the entire right rear wheel well and strut was completely rusted away. the only thing that was holding the wheel to the car was the plastic molding of the trunk area which was also melting away from the heat.i could not believe a car could disintegrate and deteriorate so badly. in good conscious the auto repair owner would not allow us to drive the car anymore. nor would i want to. plus, the cost to fix it was not worth the price of the car,and he couldnt fix it. he told me to list it on craigs list to sell the car in parts. the rest of the car is in great condition , after i spent $6000, to buy the car in aug of 2014, then another $2000 for 4 new tires, brake lines, and oil leaks!! who knows what else would have come up. i just glad my son did not get hurt driving home from college 21/2 hrs on the highway. i wish i knew about this exact common problem of 1000 other peoples complaints. ford needs to be accountable of the particular problem of faulty material. i do not know how many people have gotten hurt, and how many more need to get hurt before something is done,

The passenger rear wheel well and shock tower is completely rusted away and the body is coming away from the frame and the shock tower is loose from the frame. this is a common problem with the escape and should be addressed by ford before someone is killed or injuried.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while the vehicle was being inspected, the technician stated that the rear passenger side fender well was severely corroded. as result, the shock absorber was detached. the vehicle was taken to the dealer however, it was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 148,000. the vin was not provided. updated 03/10/16*lj vin invalid updated 05/10/18*jb *tr

The rear right wheel well is severely rusted. the shock mount is detached from the body and frame. the shock is loose and fell off. there is no way to weld the mount to the frame. the repair will cost thousands of dollars and teh vehicle is unsafe to drive

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the frame rail that the shock absorbers were bolted to was rusted significantly as well as the interior fenders. the vehicle was inspected, but not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 137,076.

Heard a noise near rear wheel house. upon inspection it was discovered that the wheel house on the passenger rear was completely rusted to the point that the shock was just barely hanging on. the repair would cost more than the vehicle is worth. lots of complaints on same issue that ford refuses to address or correct. should be compensation and/or a recall. also looks like the same thing is happening to the other side. nice job ford!

Total rust in rear passenger side wheel well.

2005 ford escape rear left inner wheel well rusted through and shock support broken loose it has 150,000 miles on it.

While driving on the freeway started hearing a loud sound and the car became bumpy and bouncy. pulled off the freeway, but could not identify the problem. took to a garage and told right rear inner shock mount and fender panel had rotted. ford had a replacement part for this condition, but did not have a recall. labor cost due to welding was $1300.00, total cost 1,966.00. how could ford have a replacement part, but not a recall? tried 3 garages only 1 (who had a welder) would consider the job. car could not be driven...condition worsened quickly and had to drive 10 mph to get estimates with blinkers on...hoping no one would hit us. scary! had to replace inner shock mount and fender panel, install , weld, and seal. also needed new rear shocks.

While driving the vehicle, there was a noise in the back passenger side of the vehicle when going over bumps only. we could not locate the noise inside the vehicle. (it sounds like the glass or the tire jack, were not secure.) the auto shop explained, that the vehicle is not attached to the shock, and it along with exhaust is coming in through the truck area. explained that the vehicle was a 'death trap' if hit from behind, the vehicle that hit this one would go right though this vehicle. accorded to the auto shop, the issue is not fixable.

I just bought a 2005 ford escape after getting fed up with subaru's notorious headgasket issues only to find out now my ten year old ford with only 100k miles on it has completely rotten rear wheel wells that ford knows about and doesn't care about their customers that they let down with shoddy materials. shame on them! now i have to either have the dealer fix it knowing it will fail or return it and have no vehicle and loose my job thanks ford.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the subframe had severe corrosion. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in a manufacturer's recall related to the failure. the failure mileage was 111,000. updated 1/12/16 *cn