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.
2005 Ford Escape body complaints
Page 15 of 16: complaints 401 to 430 of 434, newest first, as owners wrote them.
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
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was found that the passenger's side rear wheel well was perforated due to rust. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that the sheet metal had also become completely corroded due to rust. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000 and the current mileage was 72,000. The VIN was not available.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
My 2005 ford escape has had a loud banging in rear passenger side for several months. I has assumed that the strut needed replaced. Upon further investigation my mechanic and I noticed a terrible amount of rust and corrosion to rear passenger wheel well that has bolts attached to strut. You can see into interior of vehicle from outside. I researched recalls of these problem and found none, although there were several other complaints for the same issue. This seems to happen only on the rear passenger side although has me worried about other complications that could arise. This is a very serious issue that the ford motor co. Should address post haste. I fear that my families and others lives are at stake if this problem is not taken care of soon.
Was driving and heard increasing noise and clunking from back of vehicle. When home, pulled the right rear inside panel in the hatch area. Found rust performation surrounding the right rear shock mount. This rust was extensive on this one entire panel but perforated surrounding the shock mount area. I could see to the outside of the vehicle. The surrounding panels appeared unaffected. The car was taken to al piemonte ford in arlington heights, il. The right rear wheelhouse panel had to be replaced at a total cost of $927.97. This is a significant structural failure for a vehicle of this age. I was glad I was not on highway when it failed.
The passenger-side rear wheel well has completely rusted through to the point where you can see into the cabin, and the shock/strut is mounted to nothing and is poking into my trunk. The metal all around the mount (or where it should be mounted) is completely corroded and rusted to the point of being completely detached, and the surrounding metal is stamped so thin to begin with that it is pliable. The shock is completely ineffective, and my car is a ticking time bomb of safety issues. I have contactedford several times, and ford canada is denying that this is a safety or quality issue and have taken no responsibility; they refuse to fix my car. I cannot find a recall at present, however there are numerous people reporting the same problem with their escapes, 6 alone on [xxx] and 5 on [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Hi- I have a 2005 ford escape. I bought it used. Just recently I started to hear a banging in the back rear of the cab part of the car. I found out the shock mounts are rusted out, and I feel like this is a safety issue due to the fact that the car could fall apart while driving or catch fire. I researched this and found it a common problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. The contact stated the vehicle made a loud noise while driving. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where the failure was located at the passenger rear well area, which was severely corroded and caused the bolts and struts to corroded and separate from the well. The contact stated that the front and rear wheel bearings were replaced but was unaware if the replacement was due to corrosion. The vehicle well was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and the current mileage was 161,000. Updated 07/27/12 *bf updated 08/02/12
2005 ford escape with a rusted out right rear wheel well around the upper shock mount. I checked with a ford dealer about any recalls, none. Ford manager said they have never seen such an issue at lasco ford fenton mi. (ford est. To repair was 3400.00) I stopped at a couple bodyshops in the area and they (knew) of this problem and could quote me the parts needed, along with the 25 hours to replace/repair it. My escape is 7 years old and has 115,000 miles, however I don't think that the body structure (in wheel well) should have rusted completely away (right side only?), leaving the top shock mount flapping back and forth, making the vehicle unsafe and (not) drivable. This problem ended up costing 2005.00 to repair. This is a safety issue that should be addressed. I called ford customer service and this was there response: I understand that you are experiencing rust issues on the right rear fender and shock mounts of your vehicle. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. I can also see why you feel this is a might be a common issue with the research you made. Please understand, we share all of our vehicle concern documentation with national highway traffic and safety administration (the federal safety agency) and ford engineering. Together, we work to further determine if a recall or customer satisfaction programs (csp) is needed for component failures. If a recall or csp becomes available for your vehicle, you will be notified by u.s. Mail to the current address we have on file. Please keep in mind that the federal safety agency, which is the federal agency responsible for motor vehicle safety is the only organization with the authority to order a recall or csp. In addition, I found there are no warranties, field service actions (recalls) / csps on your vehicle that would provide assistance for your current concern. Ford motor company.
2005 escape with a rusted out right rear fender well and shock mount. I checked with atchinson ford about any recalls, none. I called a couple bodyshops in the area. They know of this problem and could quote me the two parts needed, along with the 15 hours to replace/repair it. They said that they fixed 2004, 2005, & 2006 models with this problem. Today I went out into our work parking lot and looked at our q.c. Manager's 2005 escape. And we found the same thing happening to his. If I could attach pictures I would. My escape is 7 years old and has 115,000 miles, however I don't think that the body structure should corrode away, leaving the top shock mount ready to break free making the vehicle unsafe to drive. This is a safety issue that should be address. I email ford and this was there response: I understand that you are experiencing rust issues on the right rear fender and shock mounts of your vehicle. I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. I can also see why you feel this is a might be a common issue with the research you made. Please understand, we share all of our vehicle concern documentation with national highway traffic and safety administration (the federal safety agency) and ford engineering. Together, we work to further determine if a recall or customer satisfaction programs (csp) is needed for component failures. If a recall or csp becomes available for your vehicle, you will be notified by u.s. Mail to the current address we have on file. Please keep in mind that the federal safety agency, which is the federal agency responsible for motor vehicle safety is the only organization with the authority to order a recall or csp. In addition, I found there are no warranties, field service actions (recalls) / csps on your vehicle that would provide assistance for your current concern. Ford motor company.
The computer short, because a water leak in the computer, the vehicle stalled on the bridge.
I was driving down the freeway this morning and my sunroof exploded! The sound it made was a loud pow, and some glass shards fell onto my seats. There were no large trucks around or sight of debris flying my way. I have to wait a few days for the glass to be shipped from ford before I can have it installed, and I have to pay the deductible of $500 through my insurance, and there is no guarantee that this won't happen again. I've seen many complaints online of the sunroof exploding in fords, and it's not likely that a rock can cause this kind of damage on top of a car. Ford should be providing warranties for this type of defect.
Sunroof shattered in our 2005 ford escape for no reason. Luckily we were not driving at the time. Ford would not cover the defect. When checking on line there seems to be alot of complaints about this including times when the glass broke while driving. Ordered new glass for sunroof at my own expense.
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 ford escape. He heard a noise in the rear of the vehicle and when he examined the bumper he noticed that the base was loose, the bracket was broken, and it was made of aluminum. The dealer stated that the entire frame needed to be replaced at the cost of $1,200.00. The failure mileage was 74,000 and the current mileage was 75,000.
I bought my 2005 escape new and just recently (oct 2008) I noticed on top of the rear lift gate where both of the hinges are the paint is pealing off and getting worse all the time. It started out very small right where the edge of the gate is on top. But with time has started to peal off on top of the lift gate as well. I have since started looking at all the 2004-2006 escapes that I see parked and every single one, regardless of color, without fail has the paint pealing away in the same spot. I have spoken to ford motor co. And they refuse to handle it.
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