Problems with 2005 Ford Escape STRUCTURE

2005 ford escape limited has a safety issue so bad that it's unsafe to drive. the right rear fender well has rusted out around the shock mount, ready or close to breaking free. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while sitting inside of her vehicle, she began to smell exhaust fumes. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that the subframe had corroded and created a hole inside the rear end of the vehicle. the subframe was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Rear wheel well totally rusted away and shock was banging when tried to find part from junk yard all 2005 escape had rusted off wheel wells the other side is now going to do the same the car was not drivable. had just done many repairs was planning on keeping it but now it is not safe to drive seems to me this should be a recall if it is happening to many escapes of this year can anything be done this has been a good running car until now this problem is a real safety hazard. *tr

The passenger rear wheel carrier is completely eroded with the vehicle being deemed unsafe to drive without extensive structural/body work to repair. this issue is obviously due to faulty material used by ford as the other wheel carriers and the vehicle in general are in excellent condition. this is a very common issue on the internet but ford is not taking responsibility and recalling the vehicle. we have been told it is a miracle that we were not in a fatal accident with the vehicle's current condition and only took it in when the issue became known when a loud noise started as the frame was collapsing due to the lack of support. we bought this vehicle new and as the only owner know that no accident or issue other than faulty material could have caused the corrosion. ford is unwilling to provide any assistance because the vehicle is out of warranty and has no plans to review further or issue a recall to protect the safety of other owners. *tr

Thumping sound from right rear of cargo deck. upon interior inspection, no loose items in cargo area, no loose panels, and jack was not loose. upon exterior inspection noticed rusted out portion of wheel well. can see into interior (back of interior panel, carpeting, etc.). seems that thumping is due to wheel or suspension parts being improperly supported due to corrosion of/in area of wheel well. specifically, shock and/or large coil spring are hitting interior panel(s) of vehicle. *tr

The right rear passenger wheel well is totally defective and unseen corrosion can weaken or destroy the shock absorber tower. drivers are not aware of any issues until the shock breaks free of the wheel well and jams into the body. this issue occurs because awd suvs have the right rear wheel that always spins in snow and ice, which in turn over sprays the right rear well with corrosive material. *tr

The right rear inner wheel well rotted leaving the rear shock support unsecured making the vehicle unsafe to drive. after researching on the internet, found that this was a common issue for this year and make vehicle. does not appear that ford wants to take any responsibility for the faulty manufacturing and/or materials. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape xlt. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she could hear a loud banging noise coming from under the vehicle. the contact also mentioned that upon inspection the car was corroded under the passenger's side rear door. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the under body had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure and current mileage on the vehicle was 125,000. .... updated 10-17-13 *bf updated 10/24/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the vehicle made a rattling noise while driving. the contact inspected the vehicle and found that the rear passenger's side wheel well, struts and shocks were separated due to severe corrosion. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. the manufacturer was made of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 115,000.

My car went to shop for exhaust repair when the front y pipe was removed my mechanic saw a large hole rusted through the frame(front engine cradle).frame was repaired by welding it. the rest of car frame appeared ok. car only has 80k miles and is well maintained. this shouldn't have happened. not there has been a recall on 2004 and earlier ford escapes for the same problem i feel the 2005 should be included in this recall as its obvious to me they have the same problems. *tr

This safety issue requires immediate attention by both the nhtsa and ford: 61 nhtsa complaints filed to date: '04- 16; '05- 45. vehicle taken to ford dealership for service. service notified that a forward lower ball joint was failing, no other defects were noted in the detailed visual inspection. it was replaced two days later. the following day of the repair, on a daily commute between tol to dtw, the right rear shock tower separated while driving at 70 mph. vehicle began dog-tracking. initial inspection did not reveal the hidden damage caused by corrosion at the welded seams of the inner wheel well due to an underbody coating. upon removing the undercoating, very easily by hand, two large sections removed, revealed the shock was penetrating the interior of the vehicle and was no longer being structurally supported by the vehicles uni-body frame. the large sections removed would have caused tire failure at highway speeds by puncture or hazard to other following vehicles. the separation of the shock tower from the body, did cause the vehicle to jerk at the time of failure, creating a loud popping sound and causing potential hazard as the vehicle steered into other lanes of traffic at highway speeds (70 mph). the vehicle is rendered inoperable due to the catastrophic nature of the failure. local ford dealership states they are uncomfortable repairing the structure and not aware of any manufacture recalls. in contacting their sister dealership, they have previously repaired this defect, and continued on stating this failure is a known issue with 2004 - 2006 escapes. the failed panel is available, p/n:part 7l827827886a. a reinforcement piece is also available. see example picture here: http://imageshack.us/a/img854/6430/wheelwell2.jpg facebook site concerning this safety issue: www.facebook.com/pages/2005-ford-escape-2004-2006/397923900236108. *tr

After a recent road trip, i heard a clunking noise coming from the rear passenger side of vehicle. checked items in cargo area, spare tire, jack and even checked to make sure back seat was secure. clunking noise was the shock hitting the underside of vehicle. the shock assembly was no longer attached, it was rusted under the wheel well around the shock assembly. so with every bump in the road, it was clanking around. vehicle was not safe to drive for fear that the shock would break and cause a tire blow out or worse cause an accident. i took it to a private auto body shop which cost me $900 to repair the damage. the drivers side wheel well is doing the same thing and i may not have a fuel tank eventually. this needs to be addressed and taken care of. i love my vehicle and love not having a car payment too. *tr

The right rear wheel well has rusted out. this makes it a huge safety factor because at anytime the shocks can break free and bust upward into my truck. i took my 2005 ford escape to my mechanic and he said that in the last 2 months he had seen 4-5 2005 ford escapes with the same problem. it is all the same right rear wheel well. there is a facebook page with 195000 members following it so i know that i am not alone. problem is that half of the country is not in an area that has rust. so southern ford escape owners are not going to be affected by this. this cannot be ignored because not all 2005 ford escape owners have this problem. environmental conditions would show you that all 2005 ford escapes would have this if put to the same environmental factors. this needs a recall. it is an easy fix. ford already fixed it with the newer models. just weld in a new right rear wheel well. this is frustrating because i know it is a real problem with this model, but the environment is what is saving this from being a national issue. *tr

As we are driving along we hear a very loud banging coming from the rear of the vehicle.when we get out to inspect the area we find the rear pasenger side wheel well is extremely rusted thru and chunks of the well are actually falling out. we took the car to the ford dealer and they said it cannot be repaired!!!! by the ford dealer....then we took it to several auto body shops that said they cannot fix this! several places said ford used faulty metal or undercoating and that is why it rusted so badly.the car has only 50000 miles on it and has been highly maintained...i finally found an autobody shop that will replace the entire wheel well and theer will be no guarantee it wont happen again or to any of the other wheels!!! i feel totally ripped off! i read online that several other people have had this same problem.

The left passenger rear fender well has rusted out around the shock mount, ready to break free. *tr

The right rear upper shock mount completely rusted thru the trunk area&was protruding up about a foot into trunk area-very glad i wasn't going fast when this happened!!most likely would have lost control of vehicle!!!!!!!!!this is one of fords best ideas ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!very thin sheet metal with a thicker piece welded to it to support 1 side of a vehicle.yeah,that is common sense at the finest!!!!! thankyou ford engineers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!&designers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! these same common sense people hopefully put out a recall so people can get it fixed&get some money back!! i did have mine fixed right away_it's the only vehicle i have. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that there was extensive rust and corrosion on the rear wheel wells and the frame, which caused the exhaust manifold to rust prematurely. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear wheel wells, the frame and the exhaust manifold needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 55,000. the vin was not available.

2005 ford escape...the right rear fender well has rusted out around the shock mount, ready or close to breaking free. first body shop wouldn't even quote a repair. googled issue and found 100's of other owners of 2005's with same condition...photos on facebook matched my cars situation exactly. why no recall? *tr

The right rear shock mount has rusted out, and now bangs against the wheel housing. *tr

The wheel well rusted out and the shock broke loose and was banging around. basically the whole wheel well is rusted out and will not hold the shock any more. i called the local ford dealer to see if there was a recall. i was told there was no recall. when i searched online i found many with the same experience, and even a facebook page. i'm disappointed that ford isn't taking care of this. *tr

While driving on interstate, hit a bump and heard loud sound on right rear side of vehicle. after i stopped to inspect, found that the right rear strut had no support as the right rear inner panel was corroded all the way through with very thin metal around the entire area. luckily the strut did not come up through interior. seems very unsafe and likely to cause accident if driven. this appears to a manufacturers defect as the corrosion protection was not applied correctly. i called ford motor customer service and they just indicated that there we no recalls yet on this problem. this seems to be a problem on the 2004-2005 ford escapes on the right rear. i took to body shop and have estimates from $1,400 to $1,700 to repair. the vehicle is in very good shape except for this one obvious defect. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that upon inspection it was found that the driver's side rear suspension tower was completely rusted and rendered the vehicle inoperable. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was confirmed and the contact was informed that the part was no longer manufactured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that rear passenger's side wheel well exhibited extensive rust. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the entire rear panel would need to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the diagnosis was confirmed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 122,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, he heard a loud thump from the rear passenger's side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the failure was contributed to rust corrosion near the rear end of the frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 166,000. updated 8/19/13 *cn

I had been hearing some loud noises from the back end of my car for a week or so, we had thought the spare tire and equipment hadn't been put back properly so we re-adjusted it and thought we had fixed the problem. a few days later the sound started back up. then it got really loud and there was a loud pop. upon further investigation, we found out the entire wheel well had rusted out in a perfect circle around the shock. the shock was no longer attached to the car. i took it to ford and they told me this had been recalled on their mini-vans for the same year. ford body shop staff informed me that this was the only rust on my vehicle and this rust would not be caused by mis-treatment of the vehicle nor normal wear and tear of any car. ford is currently unable to get the wheel house to fix the car and it will not be available for "months". once i researched this a little more, it appears to be a highly common problem in the 2005 ford escapes. the car is not currently fixable or drive able. *tr

While driving my vehicle home from work, i heard a clanging sound coming from the rear passenger side. thinking the shock needed to be replaced, i drove it until the end of the week and made an appointment to get it serviced. while the technician was checking out my car he noticed the inner wheel house and shock were completely rusted. the shock was detached from the vehicle and the frame is rusted and cracked. he recommended me to take it to a body shop to see if it could even be fixed. i then took it to a very reputable body shop in my town and they have never seen anything like this before. they work on all make and models of different years and said this is not normal wear and tear to a vehicle. they said underneath the vehicle is made to sustain any type of condition and this vehicle was poorly made. there is barely anything holding the back end of the vehicle together and for this reason i was told the vehicle is unsafe to drive because if i am in any sort of accident there will be no protection to me and the vehicle will probably be split in two. due to the location of the defect who knows how long my vehicle has been dangerous to drive and it makes me sick to think about what could have happened if i was in an accident and i have had my two young children in my backseat. the estimate from the body shop was over $13,000 to fix. i have had this vehicle since 2005 and it has been a great, reliable car until all this has happened. it has not been in any accidents or had any other major repairs. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, a loud thumping noise emitted from the passenger rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was stated the unibody was completely rusted. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 106,000. mah *tr

Right rear wheel housing rusts completely through allowing the shock to detach from the vehicle. after an online search this is a very common incident. after contacting the local ford dealer, there is a back-order on the right rear wheel housing with no expected date of delivery. this is the only wheel housing on the vehicle that is rusting out and causing issues. the only time you start to realize that there is an issue is if you start the hear a "clunk" coming from the car, however; there is a rubberized undercoat that prevents you from seeing the damage until it is too late or a knowledgeable mechanic with the issue looks specifically at the wheel housing. *tr

We were driving our escape on city roads when all of a sudden we heard a banging noise coming from the right rear side of the vehicle. after inspecting what was causing the noise, we found that the shock had completely went through the interior of the car. we can see the pavement from the inside of our trunk. we have been noticing an enormous amount of similar complaints for this problem and would like to know why there hasn't been a recall yet. we have always bought ford cars because they have been safe for our family, however, we may have to reconsider next time. we still have not had the issue fixed and cannot drive the vehicle. *tr

The rear wheel well where the shock is located the whole frame panel is cracked, it was covered up from a previous owner or company. the car dealership i'm purchasing from would not take responsibility for it and i explained the hazard in me driving or keeping the vehicle and i took it to several body shops and was told it happens with these vehicles frequently and one shop had already done 3 of the same areas. there is no recall or information about the vehicles issues but this is a danger to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear passenger side wheel well was extremely rusted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 100,000.

The first notice was that the whole base cover was rotting then once that was worn through you were able to see that the frame that connects the shock, tire and wheel well was so corroded its breaking by pieces. to date 5/29/2014 the shock with pipe attached had to be taken off. no answers to recall or being fixed by ford this prices to fix or locate parts are expensive and most of the repair shops say it is going to happen again. i financed this vehicle and was not told of the defect and by reporting a complaint regarding the car dealership i was advised to let the finance company know of the incident because the dealership didn't want to do anything to take the car back now i'm stuck owning for something that is a road hazard that i have to drive because i can not get another vehicle. ford has always been my car of chose but this is crazy and how come they are not made to take these vehicles and do something about these life of death problems. i sent pictures to ford's website and fb page and still no response as i see their are several others that have the same issues what are we the consumer suppose to do you all say take a mechanic they would not have seen these problems because of the masking. for those that cant afford to keep purchasing waiting or driving these vehicles waiting on the time when its an accident death or crash we have to put in these complaints. *tr

While traveling in virginia last summer on i-81, the body end of the rear passenger side shock-absorber came loose from the frame. we stopped shortly after we felt and heard something that was clearly abnormal and a mechanic told us the car was so rusted in that wheel well that the top of the shock had nothing to hold to. we were on a long trip, so we had the shock cut out until we got home. none of the other underbody areas showed significant rust, according to the mechanics we consulted, so we subsequently paid several hundred dollars to have a new wheel well fabricated and installed along with new rear shocks on both sides. we see no recall for this problem but on the web we quickly found several owners of the same model car describing the same problem - the passenger side rear wheel well rusting out. how can this not be a design issue? certainly it's significant a safety issue, especially since the area of severe rust was not apparent from looking at the car. now the driver side is showing significant exterior rust at the lip of the wheel well, so we will be sending it in to have our mechanic see if the same problem is happening on the rear driver side. help! thank you for anything you can do. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the contact heard a rattling and clicking sound. upon further inspection, the contact found that the passenger rear wheel well was severely corroded. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed her not to drive the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileage was 190,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated while the vehicle was parked she noticed the rear frame was corroded. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000. *tr

While driving a loud crack/pop was heard from the passenger rear wheel and then there was road noise. when we stopped there was a large hole in the wheel well around the shock mount. all the metal has rusted through. the shock has no attachment left to the upper body, only along the bottom edge. when the vehicle bounces it moves independently of the shock in that corner. i opened up the interior compartment, removed the carpet and trim pieces to get a look and found a hole that is large enough to put my hand through. this car has less than 78,000 miles. the tires and brakes were replaced in the fall and no signs of damage were present at that time due to the undercoating being in place. *tr

I heard unusual road noise and experienced looseness near the rear passenger side tire. upon inspection, i determined that the rear wheel well had corroded through, compromising the rear strut. the hole extends nearly 12 inches, exposing the passenger compartment. the extent of the corrosion was not apparent prior to this incident because the wheel well coating covered the defect. after locating this corrosion, a further inspection of the vehicle was completed, but none of the other wheel wells exhibit similar corrosion. due to the severe corrosion of this body panel, the car cannot be safely driven because the rear strut is being held in place by only a tiny portion of the structural panel. if i had not located this defect in time, it is likely that the strut would have become detached from the vehicle frame while driving and would have caused an accident. *tr

The hinge on the lift gate window rotted out and the back glass fell down on the passengers side of the vehicle in 2013. we had to replace it at a cost of over $70. currently the hinge on the drivers side rotted through and the back glass on that side fell down. we had to replace that one at a cost of over $80. this is unsafe if it were to happen on the road and fall out and onto the roadway.

Ford escape 2005 rear right wheel well rusted out. i noticed slight strut sounding noise in the rear right wheel for a week. i checked to make sure nothing was rattling in the trunk or where the jack mounts. after opening the plastic access compartment to the jack, there was a hole straight through to the ground. i inspected the rear right wheel well and saw the entire thing rusted out clear above the shock/strut mount. i contacted the manufacturer and there was no recall yet the vehicle can essentially be deemed un-drivable and a safety hazard for the road. *tr

The passenger side rear wheel well is rusted to the point of non-drivability. this is a sincere safety issue. no notice of the problem until the "rubberized" coating pealed away to showcase the massive rust holes. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, there was a rattling noise. the contact stopped and saw the rear passenger wheel well caved in. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and stated that the failure was caused by corrosion. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware. the failure mileage was 133,000. the current mileage was 133,250. updated 05/16/13 *bf the consumer stated there was structural damage at the shock mount and the right rear wheel well. this caused banging noise and almost cut a hole in the storage area. updated 05/28/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that the rear passenger side wheel well was completely rusted. the contact stated that there was a hole in the wheel well. in addition, whenever the contact traveled over a road bump, there was a loud bang from the rear of the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the vehicle was determined to be unfit to drive. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told that the dealer deemed the vehicle unfit to drive because the strut and wheel well were detached from the vehicle. the dealer stated that it was only a matter of time before the rear passenger side wheel would detach from the vehicle. the current mileage was 97,000. kmj *tr the consumer stated while driving, he hit a large pot hole, and then he heard a huge bang from the rear of the vehicle. he thought nothing of it, so as he continued to drive, the noise became worse. when he arrived home, he opened the compartment and found the inside was damp with water. upon further inspection, he noticed he could see through the inside of the vehicle into the street through a newly formed hole in the passenger rear wheel well. the crack started at the rear of the tire well to about the middle of the tire. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, but ford didn't want to claim any responsibility. the rust was in an area that nobody noticed, as it was behind the sealer that was out in the tire wells of vehicles in the northcast. ford inspected the vehicle, and informed the consumer, it was not safe to drive, as the suspension was compromised. the strut was very loose and he witnessed the crack get even bigger, as he tried to drive it back from the dealer. also, the consumer had problems with the reverse lights flickering on and off. when he took the vehicle to the dealer, he was informed a new switch was needed. he declined the replacement. the consumer believed that may have been a symptom of the rust and the wires getting wet. updated 12/04/13

There was banging in the right rear. the shock mount rusted off the inner fender . the inner fender has severe rust and part of the frame is rusted through. the inner fender had to be replaced. a portion of the frame had to be replaced. a new shock was needed. the floor in the rear of the car had to be repaired from the shock hitting into it. all in all $1,373.55 in repair. i have pictures. i contacted a local ford dealer who explained that the car is 8 years old and we have salt on the road in winter. i also contacted ford customer service who explained there were no recalls for such an incedent. after looking on line i found numerous similar experiences which leads me to believe this is not caused by normal use. the affected parts must not have been properly treated or coated or sealed or something. *tr

I had been hearing rattling from the rear passenger side for about 3 weeks. on around january 28th i was driving home from work and heard a loud noise. i later discovered a large crack and hole on the inside passenger panel. after further inspection i discovered the passenger side rear wheel well had a whole section missing and the shock i can move with my hand. after doing some research online i have discovered that several 2004/2005 escapes have had the same issue. this is clearly a defect. it needs to be addressed and a recall needs to be done. *tr

Right rear wheel housing that also is the top right rear shock mount is completely rusted loose. *tr

The rear passenger wheel well corroded completely through the metal and encompasses the entire upper shock absorber mounting point. nothing is holding the upper shock absorber attachment in place. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that he was driving 40 mph over a road bump when the rear passenger's side of the vehicle collapsed and the tire penetrated through the frame and into the interior cabin of the vehicle. the contact exited the vehicle and noticed that the frame was rusted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 169,447.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. the contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the rear passenger's side door opened independently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer to determine if there were any recalls for the vehicle. the contact was informed that there was no recall for the failure. the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 165,319.

Took escape to mechanic after loud banging heard. right wheel well has large hole in it and the shock mount has rusted through, source of the banging. mechanic stated that this problem most likely began prior to purchase of car. ford failed to inform us of this problem after multi-point inspection 5 months ago. car has had two owners within same family. ford quoted $2500 repair will not reimburse and stated that the repairs would not even be covered by factory warranty, because it is not the "body" of the car. *tr

My daughters 2005 escape started making a pounding noise when going over bumps. not being a mechanic i thought it was a shock absorber. after a closer inspection i saw the top shock mount was rusting away from the frame. i could actually move it slightly by hand. the structural damage is a hole on the inside of the storage area inside the vehicle. after checking the driver side upper shock mount there is also a hole in the body in the rear storage compartment right next to the gasoline filler neck tube. this is a potential tragedy waiting to happen.please do something to remedy this unheard of problem before someone gets hurt.this type of damage surely took a few years to progress this bad.saw a lot of owners of same vehicle with similar complaints. *tr