2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID Complaints

WE NOTICED A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION, WE DISCOVERED THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE STRUT IS BARELY ATTACHED. THE RUST HOLES ARE SO LARGE, THAT INSULATION IS SHOWING, AND THE STRUT IS HITTING THE PLASTIC PIECE GOING INTO THE TRUNK SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY A MECHANIC. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ALWAYS THE SAME AREA (REAR PASSENGER SIDE) AND IS CAUSING SAFETY HAZARDS, SUCH AS RUPTURED TIRES AND UNSTABLE STEERING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO RECALL!

PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL HOUSING ROT CREATING UNSAFE VEHICLE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE ESCAPE HYBRID 2005; SEE WEBSITE: WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/ESCAPE/2005/BODY_PAINT/EXCESSIVE_WHEEL_WELL_RUST.SHTML SEVERAL PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF HAVE DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THE ISSUE. IT IS ONLY THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL HOUSING, I HAVE RECEIPTS, PICTURES OF THE PARTS AND FROM THE FORD DEALER WHO DID THE REPAIRS. WHEN THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN TO THE SHOP IT WAS DEEMED A DRIVING HAZARD. WE ARE LUCKY IT WAS NOTICED BEFORE A PERSONAL INJURY OCCURRED. REPAIRS WERE $2,000.00.

HEARD RATTLING SOUND OVER RIGHT REAR TIRE. UPON INSPECTION THE SHOCK MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY CRACKED DUE TO RUST, MAKING THE VEHICLE DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. WHEN I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE I SAW THAT MANY OTHERS REPORT THIS EXACT SAME DEFECT IN THE SAME LOCATION.

THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL/SHOCK MOUNT BECAME BADLY CORRODED, RESULTING IN THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER AND SUSPENSION BEING CONNECTED TO A THIN PIECE OF METAL, AND THE TOP OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER HITTING AGAINST A PLASTIC INTERIOR BODY PANEL. HAD THE THIN PIECE OF METAL CORRODED ENTIRELY, A SEVERE ACCIDENT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE RESULTED. VARIOUS ONLINE SITES REPORT THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE (2005 FORD ESCAPE), BUT NO RECALLS, AS THEY HAVE BEEN FOR OTHER FORD VEHICLES AND OTHER YEARS OF THE ESCAPE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SEVERE PROBLEM.

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A SATURDAY MORNING WITH MY LITTLE DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT, WHEN I GOT THE SHOCK OF MY LIFE AS MY CAR, ALL OF A SUDDEN, STOPPED AND WENT DEAD. I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE NO TRAFFIC AND THAT I WAS GOING RELATIVELY SLOW, SO I GOT TO A COMPLETE HALT WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR COOLED DOWN AND THEN WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT TO DRIVE HOME, I WAS ONLY ONE BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE. I DID NOT DARE DRIVING IT UNTIL I GOT IT TO THE MECHANIC TWO DAYS LATER. THE FORD REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE MECS PUMP THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM PUMP REFILL AND RETEST FOR $304.54 IN PARTS PLUS $443.00 IN LABOR. ONLY THIS YEAR, IN MARCH 2015, DID I FIND OUT ABOUT THE SAFETY RECALL OF A PART. SINCE I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZE THE PART QUESTION, I HAD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AN INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEK AND CONFIRMED MY CAR WAS NOW FINE. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT I HAD ALREADY PAID FOR THE RECALLED PART MYSELF. I SENT A COMPLAINT LETTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY/BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR A REFUND THE SAME DAY I FILED THIS COMPLAINT WITH YOU.

THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL RUSTED THROUGH AND NOW THE SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED OFF.

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.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT WOULD EXPERIENCE A SPORADIC LOSS OF BRAKE CONTROL. THE ABS AND THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATED . THE MECHANIC THEN STATED THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.