2004 Ford Escape SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN I STARTED HEARING A LOUD THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION I DISCOVERED THERE WAS RUST INSIDE THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL AND THAT THE SHOCK MOUNT WAS UNATTACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

DRIVING AND SOUNDS LIKE A SQUARE BOWLING BALL IS ROLLING AROUND IN BACK. LOOK TO FIND A RUSTY MESS FROM SHOCK MOUNT GOING THROUGH WHEEL WELL. ASKED AROUND AND SEEMS TO BE COMMON PROBLEM. THANK GOODNESS I WASN'T FAR FROM HOME. VERY DANGEROUS, WHY IS THIS NOT RECALLED YET! *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. THE BODY/FRAME PART OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL BROKE LOOSE AROUND THE REAR PASSENGER SHOCK. SO THERE IS NOTHING HOLDING THE SHOCK IN PLACE. IT IS CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE AREA. THE BODY/FRAME HAS DETERIORATED IN THAT AREA. I CANNOT DRIVE MY VEHICLE. FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE FRONT END RUSTING PREMATURELY AND CAUSING DAMAGE. BUT, I THINK THIS IS THE SAME REASON. *TR

I HAVE A HOLE AND RUST FORMING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THIS IS BEGINNING TO EXPOSE THE SHOCK AREA. I LIVE IN A HIGH SALT AREA. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HOUSING WAS TOTALLY CORRODED AWAY. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE FOUND MANY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE OTHER THREE WHEEL HOUSINGS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION WITHOUT RUST. I TOOK SUV TO WOLTZ & WIND FORD IN HEIDELBURG, PA WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THEIR SUPPLY OF THIS PART WAS USED UP AND FORD WAS NOT MAKING ANY AT THAT TIME. THE REAR HOUSINGS SUPPORT THE REAR SHOCKS AND "COULD HAVE" CAUSED A SEVERE ACCIDENT. IT TOOK 3 1/2 MONTHS BEFORE PART WAS REPLACED. OF COURSE FORD DOWN PLAYS THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM AND I WAS GIVEN A TOTAL RUN-A-ROUND BY THE DEALERSHIP AND WITH FORDS CUSTOMER SERVICE. I AM 78 YEARS OLD WIDOW WHO DREADS TO THINK WHAT "COULD HAVE" HAPPENED. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS KILLS TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY. YOU MAY SPEAK TO MYSELF OR MY SON-IN-LAW [XXX] WHO HAS BEEN HELPING WITH THIS MESS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK TOWER MOUNT COMPLETELY BROKE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE SUBFRAME DUE TO CORROSION/RUST. THIS CAUSED THE SHOCK TO LEAN OUTWARD TOWARD THE TIRE. THIS COULD NOT BE SEEN BY THE UNDERCOATING AS A PROBLEM PREVIOUS AND APPARENTLY ALLOWED IT TO CORRODE TO THE POINT THAT IT BROKE FREE. THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE OCCURRED IN MY INSURANCE LADY'S FORD ESCAPE, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS ONLY ONE MODEL YEAR DIFFERENT. ALSO ONLY ON THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK TOWER. IN SPEAKING WITH THE BODY SHOP ON THE REPAIR, THEY HAVE ALSO HEARD OF THIS ISSUE AND STATE THAT FORD HAS NOT RECOGNIZED IT AS A RECALL ISSUE. THIS IS A COSTLY REPAIR, AND TIME CONSUMING REPAIR AS THE VEHICLE IS GONE FOR ALMOST A WEEK. THIS IS ALSO A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE DUE TO HOW IT FALLS APART. WE ARE LUCKY WE WERE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN IT OCCURRED. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR FENDER WELL HAS RUSTED OUT AROUND THE SHOCK MOUNT CAUSING THE SHOCK MOUNT TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING SERVICED, IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS EXTREMELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORTH REPAIRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V165000 (SUSPENSION FRONT) HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NO LONGER OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF MY PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 FORD ESCAPE. I HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE CAR. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION I SAW THAT AROUND THE RIGHT REAR STRUT IT'S COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE STRUT IN NEARLY FREE. I DID RESEARCH AND NOTICED THAT I AM DEFINITELY NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE IT FIXED OR POINTED IN THE DIRECTION AS TO WHERE I CAN GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR PULLED REALLY HARD TO THE RIGHT SIDE AND STARTED MAKING A LOUD HORRIBLE NOISE. EVERYTIME I WOULD HIT A BUMP, IT PULLED THE CAR. I MADE IT HOME AND HAD IT LOOKED AT. MY REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT MY SHOCK WENT RIGHT THROUGH IT. ALL OF THE OTHER WHEEL WELLS ARE JUST FINE AND APPEAR TO STILL BE COATED. *JS

I HAVE A 2004 FORD ESCAPE . I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A CORROSION ISSUE WITH THE SUB FRAME WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS . I HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE WITH IT YET AND WAS PLANNING ON GETTING THE RECALL WORK DONE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS . ON 8/02/2014 WHEN I PULLED IN MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAROF MY ESCAPE . WHEN I LOOK IN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL I COULD SEE AN 8 INCH AREA AROUND THE SHOCK MOUNT HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SHOCK MOUNT WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE . I'M SURE THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN IT HAPPENED . I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND AN ENDLESS LIST OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE . I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD DO THE RECALL WORK ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE REAR WHEEL WELL /SHOCK MOUNT . I CAN NOT BELIEVE THERE IS NOT A RECALL YET FOR SUCH A SERIOUS AND COMMON PROBLEM . PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION . I WORK FOR FORD AND THIS MAKES ME SICK , THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE FORCED INTO IMPLEMENTING A RECALL FOR SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM . FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THEIR OWN BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT OR DIES FROM THIS PROBLEM . THIS IS A CONTROL ITEM AND FORD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE ! *TR

REAR PASSENGER SHOCK MOUNT RUSTING OUT. *TR

A RATTLING FROM REAR PASSENGER WHEEL AREA. UPON INVESTIGATION TO SEE WHAT IT WAS I FOUND THAT THE UPPER CONNECTION POINT OF THE SHOCK TOWER WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND WAS BARELY CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE BODY. WITHIN A DAY OR TWO AFTERWARDS THE UPPER PART HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED AND THE SHOCK WAS BOUNCING AROUND FREELY. I REMOVED THE SHOCK YESTERDAY (5/1/2014) AS IT HAD PUSHED UP (SINCE IT HAS NO RESISTANCE OR MEANS TO HOLD IT COMPRESSED) AND PUNCHED A HOLE THROUGH THE PLASTIC INTERIOR SIDE WALL LINER IN THE TAILGATE AREA. THERE IS NOW AN APPROXIMATELY 10" SQUARE HOLE IN THE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE WHERE I CAN SEE THE TIRE AND ROAD. I WILL NEED TO SEAL THE OPENING TO KEEP ROAD WATER FROM ENTERING. PHOTOS CAN BE PROVIDED. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 04 ESCAPE BRAND NEW, AND AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER CAR GARAGE KEPT, THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE!! RUSTED OUT WHEEL WELL AND SHOCK MOUNT WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE FRAME WHILE DRIVING AT ONLY 15 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT. *TR

I HIT A BUMP AND THE BACK OF MY VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A BANGING NOISE AFTERWARD ANY TIME I WENT OVER THE SLIGHTEST BUMP. I TOOK IT TO THE GARAGE AND THE MECHANIC WOULDN'T EVEN TOUCH IT. THE REAR SHOCK MOUNT PLATE IS RUSTED OUT AND HE SAID THE WHEEL WELL IS BREAKING RIGHT OFF THE FRAME. THERE IS NOTHING LEFT AROUND IT - THE METAL WAS ONLY HELD TOGETHER BY UNDERCOATING IN SOME PLACES. HE SAID IT WAS PUSHING DOWN ON THE BRAKE LINE, TOO. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AND THE 2005 AS WELL. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. MY CHILDREN WERE IN THAT VEHICLE! *TR

NOTICED A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I CHECKED THE MUFFLER AREA THINKING IT WAS LOOSE WHICH IT WAS NOT. I THEN CHECKED INSIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL AND FOUND THAT THE SHOCK THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE HAD TOTALLY RUSTED OUT LEAVING A HUGE HOLE IN THE FRAME. THE HOLE NOW LEAVES THE VEHICLE UNSTABLE AND EXPOSED TO ALL ELEMENTS OF THE WEATHER. *TR

THE RIGHT REAR INNER WHEEL HOUSING HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY CAUSING THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER TO BREAK AWAY FROM ITS TOP MOUNTING AND CAUSE SEVERE VEHICLE BOUNCING AND SWAYING WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.MANY OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS I HAVE SPOKEN TO ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND AN INTERNET SEARCH OF THIS PROBLEM CONFIRMS MY FINDINGS. *TR

THE SHOCK MOUNT ON THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL IS LOOSE BECAUSE THE METAL SUPPORTING IT IS RUSTING AWAY. WHENEVER A BUMP IS HIT THERE IS A LOUD NOISE AND SHARP JOLT. *TR

SON CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE. BANGING NOISE NOTICED WHEN SISTER RIDING WITH HIM COMING FROM RIGHT REAR OF VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION AT OIL CHANGE GARAGE IT WAS NOTICED THAT RIGHT REAR SHOCK MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY CORRODED AND BROKEN OFF FROM THE WHEEL WELL SHEET METAL. VEHICLE NOT DRIVABLE IN THAT CONDITION AS WHEEL COULD POSSIBLY BREAK OFF OR AT THE LEAST POOR HANDLING OF VEHICLE. ONLINE SEARCH CAME UP WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR 2003/2004/2005 ESCAPES. CALLED FORD BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED SO OWNERS OUT OF LUCK FOR VERY EXPENSIVE FIX. *TR

RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. DAUGHTER TOOK ME FOR A RIDE AND I SAT IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO TRY AND FIND THE SOURCE OF THE RATTLING. CHECKED THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT FOR THE SPARE, ALL OTHER PARTS AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE. THE NEXT DAY THE NOISE WAS MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED. TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY IMMEDIATELY FOUND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, THAT BEING A TOTALLY RUSTED OUT SHOCK/STRUT TOWER. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS ON MULTIPLE ESCAPES. HE REFUSED TO QUOTE THE JOB AS HE DID NOT WANT TO BE LIABLE IN CASE IT DID NOT WORK OUT. *TR

THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION WE FOUND THE SUB-FRAME UNDER THE RIGHT FRONT WAS RUSTED AND WAS SAGGING. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE FRAME COULD COLLAPSE AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE LOST. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT WAS NOTICED THAT ONLY FRAME RUSTED OUT WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS DRIPPING CONDENSATION. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE ROAD SALT USED IN WINTER. IF THAT WAS THE CASE WHY WASN'T THE WHOLE SUB-FRAME ROTTED AND NOT JUST THE SECTION WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS DRIPPING? I DON'T THINK A 10 YEAR OLD VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE THE FRAME DISINTEGRATE LIKE THIS. *JB

WHEN TAKING MY ESCAPE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANICS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SHOCK MOUNT WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I TOOK IT FOR AN ESTIMATE THAT DAY AND COULD NOT IMMEDIATELY AFFORD THE REPAIRS. WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE SHOCK HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN THROUGH THE MOUNT AND INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITH ONLY NORMAL ROADWAY DRIVING. ONLY THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL HAS THIS PROBLEM. ONLINE RESEARCH WITH OTHER ESCAPE OWNERS SHOWS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT FORD KNOWS ABOUT AND EVEN ACKNOWLEDGES AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT BUT WILL NOT COVER. *TR