The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving over an uneven road surface at various speeds, he noticed a loud banging sound. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed that the rear wheel well shock tower was corroded. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.

- Deerborne Heights, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that the passenger's side rear shock assembly was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Muskego, WI, USA

After a recent road trip, I heard a clunking noise coming from the rear passenger side of vehicle. Checked items in cargo area, spare tire, jack and even checked to make sure back seat was secure. Clunking noise was the shock hitting the underside of vehicle. The shock assembly was no longer attached, it was rusted under the wheel well around the shock assembly. So with every bump in the road, it was clanking around. Vehicle was not safe to drive for fear that the shock would break and cause a tire blow out or worse cause an accident. I took it to a private auto body shop which cost me $900 to repair the damage. The drivers side wheel well is doing the same thing and I may not have a fuel tank eventually. This needs to be addressed and taken care of. I love my vehicle and love not having a car payment too.

- Blue Grass, IA, USA

A loud, startling bang occurred. The right rear shock absorber mount had rusted out, leaving the vehicle with no right rear shock absorber. There is also a gaping hole produced that exposes the interior of the vehicle to dangerous accelerated road debris.

- Berkley, MI, USA

Right side (pass) shock mount/inner fender area completely rusted out. Upper shock mount disengaged with the vehicle causing loud banging noise while driving. Unstable driving as shock is no longer attached to vehicle.

- Tarentum, PA, USA

Thumping sound from right rear of cargo deck. Upon interior inspection, no loose items in cargo area, no loose panels, and jack was not loose. Upon exterior inspection noticed rusted out portion of wheel well. Can see into interior (back of interior panel, carpeting, etc.). seems that thumping is due to wheel or suspension parts being improperly supported due to corrosion of/in area of wheel well. Specifically, shock and/or large coil spring are hitting interior panel(s) of vehicle.

- Ann Arbor, MI, USA

The right rear wheel well has rusted out. This makes it a huge safety factor because at anytime the shocks can break free and bust upward into my truck. I took my 2005 Ford Escape to my mechanic and he said that in the last 2 months he had seen 4-5 2005 Ford Escapes with the same problem. It is all the same right rear wheel well. There is a facebook page with 195000 members following it so I know that I am not alone. Problem is that half of the country is not in an area that has rust. So southern Ford Escape owners are not going to be affected by this. This cannot be ignored because not all 2005 Ford Escape owners have this problem. Environmental conditions would show you that all 2005 Ford Escapes would have this if put to the same environmental factors. This needs a recall. It is an easy fix. Ford already fixed it with the newer models. Just weld in a new right rear wheel well. This is frustrating because I know it is a real problem with this model, but the environment is what is saving this from being a national issue.

- Amherst, OH, USA

This safety issue requires immediate attention by both the NHTSA and Ford: 61 NHTSA complaints filed to date: '04- 16; '05- 45. Vehicle taken to Ford dealership for service. Service notified that a forward lower ball joint was failing, no other defects were noted in the detailed visual inspection. It was replaced two days later. The following day of the repair, on a daily commute between tol to dtw, the right rear shock tower separated while driving at 70 mph. Vehicle began dog-tracking. Initial inspection did not reveal the hidden damage caused by corrosion at the welded seams of the inner wheel well due to an underbody coating. Upon removing the undercoating, very easily by hand, two large sections removed, revealed the shock was penetrating the interior of the vehicle and was no longer being structurally supported by the vehicles uni-body frame. The large sections removed would have caused tire failure at highway speeds by puncture or hazard to other following vehicles. The separation of the shock tower from the body, did cause the vehicle to jerk at the time of failure, creating a loud popping sound and causing potential hazard as the vehicle steered into other lanes of traffic at highway speeds (70 mph). The vehicle is rendered inoperable due to the catastrophic nature of the failure. Local Ford dealership states they are uncomfortable repairing the structure and not aware of any manufacture recalls. In contacting their sister dealership, they have previously repaired this defect, and continued on stating this failure is a known issue with 2004 - 2006 Escapes. The failed panel is available, P/N:part 7L827827886A. A reinforcement piece is also available. See example picture here: imageshack.us/A/img854/6430/wheelwell2.jpg facebook site concerning this safety issue: www.facebook.com/pages/2005-Ford-Escape-2004-2006/397923900236108.

- Luna Pier, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated excessive rust on the shock mount on the rear passenger side tire was causing the wheel to knock against the frame. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer who stated the entire quarter panel and inside wheel well needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 93,000.

- Toledo, OH, USA

As we are driving along we hear a very loud banging coming from the rear of the vehicle.when we get out to inspect the area we find the rear pasenger side wheel well is extremely rusted thru and chunks of the well are actually falling out. We took the car to the Ford dealer and they said it cannot be repaired!!!! by the Ford dealer....then we took it to several auto body shops that said they cannot fix this! several places said Ford used faulty metal or undercoating and that is why it rusted so badly.the car has only 50000 miles on it and has been highly maintained...I finally found an autobody shop that will replace the entire wheel well and theer will be no guarantee it wont happen again or to any of the other wheels!!! I feel totally ripped off! I read online that several other people have had this same problem.

- Bridgeview , IL, USA

The left passenger rear fender well has rusted out around the shock mount, ready to break free.

- Rossville, IN, USA

Right rear wheel well completely rusted out around shock tower and shock punched through into interior of vehicle nothing else rusted on vehicle Ford said there is no recall and everyone seems to have the same problem with the Escapes and said body shop would be $1300 to fix.

- Niagara Falls , NY, USA

The right rear upper shock mount completely rusted thru the trunk area&was protruding up about a foot into trunk area-very glad I wasn't going fast when this happened!!most likely would have lost control of vehicle!!!!!!!!!this is one of Ford best ideas ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!very thin sheet metal with a thicker piece welded to it to support 1 side of a vehicle.yeah, that is common sense at the finest!!!!! thankyou Ford engineers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!&designers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! these same common sense people hopefully put out a recall so people can get it fixed&get some money back!! I did have mine fixed right away_it's the only vehicle I have.

- Kennerdell, PA, USA

I've been hearing some loud noises/bangs from the back end of my car but couldn't figure out what it was. I found out the entire rear passenger wheel well had rusted out in a 1/2 circle around the shock. The shock was no longer attached to the car. Everytime it went over a bump - it sounds like my trunk is picking up and slamming down. I have very minimal rust on my car and the other wheel wells are in very good condition. If you open the compartment where the jack is stored in my trunk you can see my tire through a hole. I have seen dozens and dozens of online complaints for the same passenger side wheel well rusted out causing the shock to disconnect but Ford has not put out a recall and it costing $1200-$1800 to repair.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that upon inspection, it was found that the passenger's side rear shock had penetrated the body of the vehicle due to rust. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was confirmed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000. The current mileage was 90,000.

- Orchard Park, NY, USA

The right rear shock mount has rusted out, and now bangs against the wheel housing.

- Houghton, MI, USA

The wheel well rusted out and the shock broke loose and was banging around. Basically the whole wheel well is rusted out and will not hold the shock any more. I called the local Ford dealer to see if there was a recall. I was told there was no recall. When I searched online I found many with the same experience, and even a facebook page. I'm disappointed that Ford isn't taking care of this.

- Wyoming, MI, USA

Right rear wheel housing that also is the top right rear shock mount is completely rusted loose.

- Bourbonnais, IL, USA

While driving my vehicle home from work, I heard a clanging sound coming from the rear passenger side. Thinking the shock needed to be replaced, I drove it until the end of the week and made an appointment to get it serviced. While the technician was checking out my car he noticed the inner wheel house and shock were completely rusted. The shock was detached from the vehicle and the frame is rusted and cracked. He recommended me to take it to a body shop to see if it could even be fixed. I then took it to a very reputable body shop in my town and they have never seen anything like this before. They work on all make and models of different years and said this is not normal wear and tear to a vehicle. They said underneath the vehicle is made to sustain any type of condition and this vehicle was poorly made. There is barely anything holding the back end of the vehicle together and for this reason I was told the vehicle is unsafe to drive because if I am in any sort of accident there will be no protection to me and the vehicle will probably be split in two. Due to the location of the defect who knows how long my vehicle has been dangerous to drive and it makes me sick to think about what could have happened if I was in an accident and I have had my two young children in my backseat. The estimate from the body shop was over $13,000 to fix. I have had this vehicle since 2005 and it has been a great, reliable car until all this has happened. It has not been in any accidents or had any other major repairs.

- Clinton, IA, USA

While driving on interstate, hit a bump and heard loud sound on right rear side of vehicle. After I stopped to inspect, found that the right rear strut had no support as the right rear inner panel was corroded all the way through with very thin metal around the entire area. Luckily the strut did not come up through interior. Seems very unsafe and likely to cause accident if driven. This appears to a manufacturers defect as the corrosion protection was not applied correctly. I called Ford motor customer service and they just indicated that there we no recalls yet on this problem. This seems to be a problem on the 2004-2005 Ford Escapes on the right rear. I took to body shop and have estimates from $1,400 to $1,700 to repair. The vehicle is in very good shape except for this one obvious defect.

- Paxton, IL, USA