2005 FORD ESCAPE Complaints

THE REAR WHEEL WELLS ARE SO RUSTED OUT THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO HOLD THE SHOCK AND SHOCK ABSORBER IN PLACE. THE AREA YOU PUT FUEL IN THE VEHICLE IS ALSO RUSTED OUT. WHEN WILL FORD START BACKING UP THEIR PRODUCTS???

VEHICLE DEVELOPED LOUD BANGING NOISE IN REAR OF VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SEVERE CORROSION HAS OCCURRED IN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL, SEPARATING THE TOP OF THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK ASSEMBLY FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, AFFECTING HANDLING OF THE CAR. AFTER SEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE WEB, IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THIS CORROSION IS A WIDESPREAD AND ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, AND A KNOWN ISSUE TO FORD MOTOR CORP. WHO HAS TO DATE DECLINED TO TAKE ANY ACTION TO RECTIFY THIS MAJOR STRUCTURAL AND SAFETY ISSUE.

THE RIGHT REAR FENDER WHEEL WELL HAS RUSTED THROUGH ALSO AFFECTING THE SHOCK MOUNT CREATING A LOUD BANGING IN THE CABIN. MY LOCAL FORD DEALER HAS NEVER SEEN THIS AND DID NOT WANT TO ATTEMPT THE REPAIR BECAUSE OF THE COST. THEY ALSO REFERRED ME TO A REPUTABLE BODY SHOP IN TOWN AND HE ALSO NEVER SAW THIS BEFORE. HE SUGGESTED THIS WEBSITE TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I HAVE NOW RESEARCHED THIS AND SEE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TOO. HAS FORD DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM?

FORD CUSTOMER CARE CASE #CAC-4150994-B2G8C6 & #4151017-N07B9 THIS WAS THE 2ND MAJOR INCIDENT; THE FIRST OCCURRED IN 1/2009. THE SECOND MAJOR OCCURRENCE WAS 2/2014, WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE VERY QUICKLY LOST ALL POWER AND ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES ALSO DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND HAD TO BE TOWED A FORD DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER STATED THE PCM HAD FAILED CAUSING THE COILS AND SPARK PLUGS TO ALSO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 2 WEEKS WAITING FOR A REPLACEMENT PCM; DEALER STATED THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF PCM AVAILABILITY DUE TO AN EXTREMELY HIGH NATIONWIDE DEMAND FOR THE PART. DEALER REPLACED THE PCM, AS WELL AS ALL COILS AND SPARK PLUGS IN MID MARCH 2014; THE TOTAL COST OF WAS, $2,875.70. THE PCM, COILS AND PLUGS HAD ALSO BEEN REPLACED IN 1/2009 FOR THE SAME FAILURES. COILS AND PLUGS WERE ALSO REPLACED AN ADDITIONAL 2 MORE TIMES BETWEEN 2009-2014. WHEN THE PCM FAILS, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOOSES ALL POWER, STEERING AND BRAKES, AND STOPS DEAD IN ITS TRACKS AND CANNOT BE RESTARTED CAUSING A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC SITUATION. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC, A MAJOR COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN EMINENT AND A FATALITY PROBABLE. WHEN I CONTACTED FORD ON 3/19/2014, THEY STATED THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND ASSIGNED 2 CUSTOMER CARE CASE NUMBERS; BUT THEY REFUSED ANY REIMBURSEMENT OR COMPENSATION OF ANY KIND. THE MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF DEFECTIVE PCM FAILURES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE.

MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL CRACKED. THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS HARDLY ATTACHED AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF IT FALLS OFF IT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR WHEEL WELL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE NOISES RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL WELLS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE RED TRIANGLE CAME ON AND THE LCD READ HIGH TEMPERATURE WARNING. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WASN'T HOT AND THERE WAS PLENTY OF COOLANT FOR THE RADIATOR IN THE RESERVOIR. STARTED VEHICLE AFTER 5 MIN AND DROVE HOME.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN ENGINE STALL AND RED TRIANGLE LIT UP ON DASH. MESSAGE ON LCD SAID TO STOP SAFELY NOW. PULLED OVER AND SHUT CAR OFF, RESTARTED A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER.

THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR BEGAN CAUSING PROBLEMS. OCCASIONALLY, IT DOES NOT OPEN, PERIOD. ADDITIONALLY, THE LOCK MECHANISM IS INOPERABLE. I REMOVED BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT DOOR PANELS TO INSPECT, COMPARE AND FINALLY DETERMINE THE ISSUE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM, WHICH A FRIEND TEMPORARILY FIXED. IT--THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE--AFTER TWEEKING, WORKED FOR A WHILE. FAST FORWARD, 2015, I CANNOT OPEN NEARLY 3 OF MY DOORS. ONE WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL (REAR PASS.) THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR IS DOING THE SAME THING THE REAR DOOR HANDLE--IT LOST TENSION AND WON'T OPEN AT ALL. AFTER LOOKING IT UP ON YOUTUBE, I DETERMINED THE LOCKING SYSTEM IS THE CULPRIT. IN ORDER TO REPAIR THIS INOPERABLE DOOR HANDLE SITUATION, APPARENTLY I NEED TO PULL THE INTERIOR PANELS, REMOVE THE EXTERIOR HANDLES AND REPLACE THEM ENTIRELY. CURRENTLY, I HAVE THE DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL REMOVED BECAUSE IN THE EVENT THE HANDLE DOESN'T WORK AT ALL, I'D HAVE TO CLIMB OVER FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE JUST TO DRIVE MY 2005 FORD ESCAPE.

THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A CLUNCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. AFTER INSPECTION, I FOUND NOTHING WRONG. CONTINUING WITH THE CLUNCK NOISE, I HAD TO REMOVE THE JACK TO ELIMINATE THAT AS THE SOURCE. THE NOISE CONTINUED. I REMOVED THE REAR PANEL AND FOUND THE ENTIRE REAR WHEEL WELL RUSTED SO BADLY I COULD SEE STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE TIRE. IT LOOKED LIKE, AT ANY MOMENT, THE ENTIRE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COULD DISINTEGRATE AND CAUSE HAVOC ON THE OTHER COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE SUSPENSION AND NEWER TIRES. IT COST ME NEARLY $700 TO HAVE THE WHEEL WELL REPLACED.