2009 Ford Escape: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed Dec 30, 2021 · Body · IL

The front sub frame rusted out on the passenger side. The is a 1inch by 5 inch hole in the sub frame. The lower control arm could have come off and the whole spindle and tire could have come off the vehicle while driving. Haggerty Ford iin West Chicago, Il noticed the large hole while doing an inspection for an oil change.

Filed Dec 28, 2021 · Acceleration, Suspension · CA

I started to hear a grinding and cracking and popping sound I checked the vehicle and the front left ball joint is bad there is an obvious crack in the joint that is easily visible when inspecting the area of the front left wheel and it’s components

Filed Sep 7, 2021 · Steering, Suspension · MI

Subject vehicle was a 2009 Ford Escape with 74,123 miles. Driving the vehicle the front passenger lower control arm separated from the k-frame/cradle causing the vehicle to lose control. Loss of steering was experienced as well as tire lock up from the front tire lodging against the back of the fender. The CV shaft also separated during the failure resulting in loss of transmission engagement. There was no warning prior to the event, the failure was sudden and immediate. The loss of vehicle control was extreme. Failure is identical to RCRIT-14V165-9596 for the 01-04 Escapes. The reason the recall was only isolated to the 01-04 Escapes is unknown. In my opinion, whatever PCA actions or supplier related issues identified by Ford Motor Company during the prior recall investigation to support the recall only affecting 01-04 model years was either incomplete or inaccurate. The frame rust through condition extends beyond the model years listed in the recall and was not resolved as shown by subsequent failures on vehicles outside of the recall model year window. No mechanism was put in place to prevent the control arm separation in the later model year Escapes to prevent the same safety issue from occurring. I was unable to obtain a front cradle from a local salvage yard that did not exhibit perforation present or starting supporting this condition is occurring on all model year Escapes from 2001 to 2012 in corrosion prone areas. The recall should be extended to all model years involved to prevent potential accidents.

Filed Sep 7, 2021 · Steering, Suspension · MI

Subject vehicle is a 2009 Ford Escape with 74,123 miles. Driving the vehicle the lower control arm separated from the front frame otherwise known as the engine cradle or subframe. The failure is identical to the subframe failures on the 2001 - 2004 Ford Escapes currently under recall. The failure was immediate with no prior warning. The vehicle exhibited loss of steering control, wheel lock up from the front tire contacting the back of the wheel opening, and loss of transmission engagement from cv joint separation. In my opinion, whatever PCA actions or quality root cause was identified by Ford Motor Company during the prior recall investigation isolating the condition to 2001 - 2004 Escapes was either incomplete or inaccurate. This is supported by the same failure occurring in Escapes outside of that model year window. No mechanism was added after the 2004 Escapes were produced to prevent this failure from occurring. Images attached show the failure that was experienced. I was unable to obtain a good used frame locally that did not exhibit signs of corrosion with perforation present or starting. This further supports the failure mode is beyond the scope of the initial recall. The recall should be expanded to prevent future accidents that could have the potential for injury or death.

Filed Oct 5, 2020 · Suspension · 138,000 miles · NJ

The frame/engine cradle has rusted out by the passenger side lower control arm. The rusted area is currently about six inches wide by 2+ inches in height. Luckily, this was noticed while I was changing the oil.

Filed Feb 26, 2013 · Transmission · 500 miles · NY

My first incident with my 2009 ford escape happened shortly after I bought it. After just starting my truck and driving a short distance, the truck would not accelerate but the RPM's were roaring to over 6000 and my truck finally shot out into traffic. Luckily on a very busy street, no one was coming at the time. After that the truck had multiple incidents of not accelerating in traffic and a roaring and rapid rise in RPM's. I learned to immediately turn my car off (in the middle of the road) and then restart and it would usually work properly. It can be very scary. It would often slam into gear when this happened which I know was not good for my transmission. This happened intermittently so I knew it might be hard for a technician to replicate. When I took it to the dealer for 3 years they said everything was fine. When my warranty was up I went in and insisted that they fix my truck. They replaced a tie rod, fixed the sway bar linkage and said it was fine. It started making really loud noises a month later and I took it to my mechanic who again fixed the linkage. I called ford and they kept the truck for a couple weeks and did extensive transmission work. It has had 2 problem since but not as bad. I still worry about front end issues after 3 years of slamming into gear with the engine revving. I bought this vehicle(usually I leased my truck) because I was retiring and now I feel I must get rid of it because of anticipated mechanical trouble.

Filed Aug 29, 2009 · Body, Steering · 1,113 miles · CO

2009 ford escape (rental car) I received this new rental car from a major rental car company at the seattle/tacoma airport with only with 83 miles on the odometer. I rented the car on approximately 7-7-09. On 7-13-09, with approximately 1,100 miles on it, the front (passenger side) wheel separated from the lower control arm (I believe that is what it is called). I do know it came off the spindle. My wife and children were on vacation with me when the incident occurred. I had exited the highway and near the end of the exit lane, I was driving around a sharp, left hand, banked, hairpin corner that crosses over the highway. The exit lane was extremely long and I believe I was going about 20-25 miles per hour, when the wheel separated halfway through the hairpin turn. I heard a clunk clunk and the tire skidding. It was hard to keep the ford escape from leaving the roadway on the right, but because of my low speed, I was able to move over to the shoulder under control. I am extremely thankful the wheel did not separate from the chassis when we were traveling at 70 MPH on the highway. There were no injuries and no damage to the fender or fender well and from what I could see no damage to the wheel. It looked like a bolt was missing from the collar (I don't know what you call it) that surrounds the spindle. Don't these bolts have cotter pins? The tire went flat after three hours. The policeman asked me if I had run over something. I didn't think so, but we walked the roadway before the skidmarks anyway. Neither the policeman nor I found anything. I never abused the rental car. I have pictures.