The right rear shock tower rusted through the wheel well into the rear compartment breaking a hole through the interior compartment. There is currently no parts in stock to repair this as we are told they are on nationwide backorder and this is a huge safety issue. The other rear shock area has a significant amount of rust also. Approximately 1 week later both break lines broke from severe corrosion while moving at approximately 10 mph (pulling in my driveway). I was fortunate this happened there and not on the highway as I could have been in a very serious accident along with my 3 year old son. These two things should not be happening with the age of this vehicle. The body should be holding up better than this. I just saw there was a recall for model years 2001-2004 for severe rust issues one resulting in a crash. The manufacturing date of my vehicle is 09/2004.

- Escanaba, MI, USA

While driving at 35 mph on uneven pavement, I noticed banging in the right rear area of the vehicle. All doors and hatch were secure and the jack wasnt loose. After a day or two of searching I took the Escape to a local auto repair shop I trust. They found the whole inner quarter wheel house snapped off the rail. The banging was the shock hitting inside the passenger cabin. He immediately took my keys and said the car is undrivable. Online if you google this same issue it is a common problem with the 2005 Escape model rusting please Ford do the right thing and recall and repair my 2005 Ford Escape.

- Milford, OH, USA

I noticed the smell of exhaust fumes in the vehicle and a few weeks later heard load banging noise coming from rear cargo area. I look and saw the rear wheel well was rusted threw into the cargo area and the rear shock mounts were rusted off.

- Franklin, WI, USA

Right rear wheel house is rusted so bad the shock is about to come loose and cause loss of control or could rub the tire and cause it to rupture. I have been advised by a mechanic that it is unsafe to drive.

- Gahanna, OH, USA

The right rear body panel in the wheel well completely rusted through causing the top of the shock to detach from the body and almost penetrate into the inside of the passenger cabin.

- Petersburg, MI, USA

Original owner of a garage kept, 2005 Ford Escape with 105K miles. I noticed a loud banging sound coming from the right rear wheel well which was very loud inside the car. I had the service tech replacing the tires on my other Ford vehicle take a look and he said the wheel well was rusting away and the shock mount was falling away from the frame of the car. This is a serious and dangerous hazard which needs to be fixed asap. Every service tech I show says they've never seen anything like it. The undercoating was sprayed directly on to the vehicle and no other method of protection in the wheel well was used by Ford on this make/model. My vehicle was top of the line, loaded, when purchased. I'm concerned for the safety of my family and myself. Ford needs to address this problem asap and take responsibility for the poor design.

- Tinley Park, IL, USA

Took my 2005 Ford Escape to multiple body shops to acquire quotes due to body rusting at both the right and left rear wheel wells. All body shops stated this is a common problem on Ford Escapes, and that it wasn't worth fixing due to cost. They stated it was a safety issue/concern, and I should rid myself of the vehicle as soon as financially possible. I searched this and found 100S of vehicles with the same problem and concern. I have two vehicles much older than this, and have no rust issues.

- Mount Vernon, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, a sudden bang was heard from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear wheel housing panel was perforated due to rust and needed to be replaced. The manufacture was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 86,000.

- Crown Point , IN, USA

While driving begin to experience a loud rattling sound, from the rear passenger side. Became very loud with the movement of the vehicle. Sounded as if small pieces had fallen off the back tire. As soon as I got home I looked and there was a large rusted out tear in the wheel well, located right above the mount for the shock absorber. I did contact my service advisor at village Ford in dearborn Michigan. I took the vehicle up to be checked, he sent me over to their body shop.. I was told this was definitely a "safety issue" and he had seen this before on other Ford Escapes. This is a flaw in the body.

- Dearborn Heights, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side of the frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who advised the contact that the frame would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,124. Uupdated 05/06/14 MA updated 05/09/2014

- Wyoming, MI, USA

The passenger rear wheel well has excessive rust which has caused the shock to come through the inside of the vehicle. I have researched this problem and it appears that others with the same model have had the same issue. I do have pictures.

- Hinsdale, NY, USA

As I was driving home from work I started hearing a thumping sound from the right rear when I would hit a bump at first I thought maybe the back door wasn't closed all the way, so when I got home and parked my vehicle I checked the door and it was closed all the way. After I saw the door was closed all the way I decided to look at the right rear wheel since that is where the noise was coming from. When I looked into the right rear wheel well that is when I discovered that it had rusted out and I could see that the top shock mount is almost completely rusted away, so now I have to leave it sit until I can afford to have it repaired. After my discovery I went online and searched and I found out that this is a common problem with the 2005 Ford Escape. I would appreciate it if this matter was investigated and a recall is issued, since this is a major safety issue.

- Kankakee, IL, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a sudden banging noise was heard from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was confirmed that the rear wheel housing panel was perforated due to rust and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 165,000.

- New Hartford, CT, USA

Driving under normal conditions, heard a loud banging sound.was getting worse and looked at rear passenger tire side. Noticed the entire shock mount rusted and broken loose from undercarriage. Very dangerous if traveling at higher speed. Have owned over 20 cars and never had this happen. What is going on Ford"??"

- Stow, OH, USA

It started off as light rattling from the rear passenger side wheel area. As the week progressed, the rattling got louder and louder and occurred more frequently. At that point, my daughter was afraid to drive the vehicle. When we inspected the area where the noise came from, we noticed that the inside of the wheel well was thoroughly rusted out and we could see through it, into the interior of the car. Also, the shock was no longer attached to the frame. The damage is so extensive that we are afraid to drive the vehicle to a repair shop.

- Springfield, PA, USA

I was driving my 2005 Ford Escape and started hearing a loud banging noise from the rear passenger side of the car. After I found out what the problem was a few days later I haven't drove it since. The rear passenger side fender well/ wheel well was completely rusted away, the shock mount was not even connected to the wheel well. Its unsafe to drive and there are hundreds of thousands of people who are having the same problem with the 04,05, and 06 Escape. There is no recall on it yet and Ford knows about the problem so I've read and are doing nothing about it. Insurance will not cover this flaw from Ford.

- Akron, OH, USA

The above 2005 Ford Escape has rusted completely through inside the right rear fenderwell. This was brought to my attention during a recent inspection. This is a serious safety issue as it affects the integrity of the shock absorber which could fail and cause an accident resulting in injury or death. I have contacted Ford but have not received a reply. I noticed that there are many online complaints about this same issue. I would like to see a recall to address this serious problem.

- Honesdale, PA, USA

Extreme rusting of the frame on the rear passenger side wheel well above shocks.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

I have a 2005 Ford Escape that got a severe shock damage to the right rear wheel well. There is so much damage from the rust, inside the insulation, that the shocks are no longer attached to the frame and continually Ram into the interior panels. I purchased this car new in 2005. All other wheel wells are in great condition as well as the car. This is a clear manufacturer problem. This is a major safety issue. If the shock would have came off while I was driving at 60mph and hit the road or something under the vehicle it could have caused a major accident and people could have been injured. There should be a recall issued for it.

- West Saint Paul, MN, USA

While driving, I hit a pot hole that caused my right rear strut tower to break through the inside of my vehicle, rendering it undrivable. My collision repair man has informed me that the pot hole was not the only culprit and that the wheel well was so rotted and rusted that it compromised the structural integrity of that area of the vehicle, and had the area not been rusted, the pot hole would not have caused the damage. He advised me that the issue is due to poor design in the 2005 and 2006 model year Ford Escapes and that this is a widespread safety issue that Ford has not taken responsibility for. They have recalled 230,000 of their minivans for over rust issues (in 2011), but not any of the Escapes. Because the damage was due to a design flaw, and not just a pothole, my insurance may not cover the $1500 in repairs. I have only owned the vehicle for a year and the dealership did not notify me that there may have been an issue, and the lemon law period has passed.

- Cattaraugus, NY, USA