Right rear shock/strut rusted off the vehicle and is not attached anymore

- Clifton Springs , NY, USA

Driving to work on Aug 3, 2015, I heard loud rattling and clanking from the rear of my 2005 Ford Escape. Thinking that it was my tools on the back, I remove them the tools, but the rattling persisted. I walked around and did a visual inspection, and saw nothing wrong with the driver side suspension or wheel well area. The passenger side wheel well, however, had a large hole where the shock mount should have been attached to the body. This seems to be a problematic area for many owners of my year make and model vehicle and I find it interesting that Ford will verbally admit that this is an issue, though will not explain in writing why nothing has been done to correct the problem and make their vehicles safe to be driven. Ford will be notified by way of their internal complaint forms of this issue.

- Hilton, NY, USA

Why is it that NHTSA is ignoring all the complaints about the Ford Escape vehicles from 2003 to 2007 in regards to the right rear fender well and shock mounts that are rusting out in which this is a safety issue where as the shock could hit the inner wheel of the right rear tire" no recalls from Ford or NHTSA on this issue, but you can clearly see from the attached video that there is a major concern for safety of these vehicles on the right rear side. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=9_ozk8igk5S repairs are costing the consumers on these vehicles nearly $2000 dollars or more at the auto body repair shop. How can Ford do this on these vehicles and current models. I have a 2011 Ford Escape and it is starting to rust out in the same place. Why?????????????????" make Ford recall these vehicle and pay for these repairs. Instead of the consumer having to get raked over the coals from the auto body shops or your local Ford dealer.

- Arnold, PA, USA

I was driving along the highway on my way to work and hit a bump in the road. Immediately after that I heard a rattling noise in the rear passenger side quarter pane on every subsequent bump. When I was able to properly examine it I realized that the metal that connects the shock tower to the wheel well had almost completely rusted away. In August of 2012, with 154,523 miles on the car, I replaced the rear shock absorbers. There was no indication at that time of this problem developing. The metal on the vehicle seems to have an issue because it is rusting in other areas as well, such as the fuel filler neck, the bottoms of the rear doors, the bottom of the rear lift gate, the outer edges of the rear wheel openings, and at the base of the side view mirror.

- Suffern, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle would sway slightly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the shock tower on the rear passenger side had completely rusted through to the frame. The vehicle was deemed unsafe to drive. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 108,000.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

Our 2005 Ford Escape in just a matter of weeks developed a basketball-sized hole over the right rear wheel well. It completely rusted through the wheel well, and the you can see through the opening to the shock and the tire from inside the vehicle. In addition, the shock is no longer attached to the frame, which makes this vehicle unsafe for the road. We will not allow our son to drive this truck any longer, and are now unable to provide him with a safe car since the repairs to this truck are very high. This is a major issue that affects a large number of other drivers. We all have the exact same complaint on where the damage occurs (right rear wheel well) and the extent of this damage (the truck is no longer safe to drive). Ford needs to recall these vehicles and fix this problem. Thank you.

- Fishers, IN, USA

When driving on bumpy roads I started hearing a loud rattle from passenger rear area. I couldn't find anything loose in the back of the vehicle that would make that sound. I looked up inside the rear passenger wheel well and saw that the upper portion of where the shock bolts to the body is rusted out all the way around the shock connection area. I see there are many other Ford owners that have had the same problem. Come on Ford, we can't all afford to scrap a vehicle every ten years. There is a design problem here and Ford should be held responsible for fixing their shortcomings.

- Monongahela, PA, USA

The passenger side rear wheel well is rusted through so badly that the shock mount is banging in the interior panel and is about to break lose from the frame. When I bought the vehicle a month ago it still had the original undercoating on it, it was rusting from behind the undercoat. I now have to pay my mechanic to fix this safety hazard because Ford, knowing that this problem exists and is extensive, will not recall the vehicle to fix there poor design.

- Ferndale, MI, USA

Sub-frame rust problem. There was a recall on 2001 to 2004 Ford Escape for this problem. Ford Motor Company has recalled Escape crossovers from model years 2001-2004 in states that use a lot of road salt. In affected vehicles, part of the car could suffer damage from rust and even lose steering control.

- Ambridge, PA, USA

Rear wheel wells rusted away allowing struts to move. Very unstable! afraid of an accident

- Cadiz, OH, USA

I heard a load banging noise coming from the rear of my truck. After stopping to look at it my passenger side rear wheel well and strut were completely crumbled and my strut was no longer attached. I know my vehicle is 10 years old, but the mechanic I took it to said he has never seen anything like that ever on a car that old. He has been a mechanic for 40 years. After researching a little it seems there are thousands of complaints with the same issue. All on the rear passenger wheel well. These complaints range from different states and even other countries. To me if many many of the same vehicle is having the exact same problem then it sounds like a defect in the parts. I just thank god I wasn't going at a high speed and hit a pot hole or something. Something should really be done about this.

- Bremen, IN, USA

I had my daughter's car in the shop and noticed that the interior of the wheel well on passenger side rear was rotting away. This affects the suspension dramatically. It appears that it will eventually deteriorate to the point that where shock absorber mounts will eventually fail and could have disastrous results. This degradation is very similar to Ford's recall #13-S-01 on select mini vans and where the rear wheel wells are rotting away. In my mind this issue poses just as serious a threat. Upon seeing my daughter's car I've had occasion to look at similar age Escapes and many have this condition on them as well.

- Gardner, KS, USA

While driving last week I heard a "rattling" I had not heard previously.I pulled over and inspected my wheels and discovered that the rear passenger wheel well above the top of the tire had rusted out.closer inspection revealed that the strut mount had completely separated from the vehicle and the strut had "speared" thru the interior plastic sidewall, thus rendering the vehicle inoperable.I shudder to think what might have happened had I had my child in the car and we were travelling on the highway.upon researching on you tube how to repair this problem, I was astounded to find out that the most common problem related to 2005-06 Ford Escapes, was very specific in stating that the rear-passenger wheel well was rusting and corroding on these particular vehicles, sometimes resulting in the strut to become disengaged.this sounds like a very serious safety issue, but Ford customer relations told me "sorry, but there is no recall for this and that there was nothing they can do for me.as a single dad, military veteran, and low-income earner, I am looking for help for myself and fellow Ford Escape owners because this sounds like shoddy car construction from the Ford Motor Company.please help me because I can't work at the moment until this vehicle is repaired, and I can't afford the repair bill until I get back to work, I am disheartened and upset about this whole ordeal.please look into this.

- Hightstown, NJ, USA

While driving my 2005 Ford Escape hybrid I heard a dragging sound in the right rear of the vehicle. I stopped the vehicle to discover a piece of the inner wheelhouse suspension mount had separated and was rubbing on the right rear tire. This is a corrosion problem that has been reported many times to NHTSA and no enforcement action to date has been made to have Ford recall these unsafe vehicles for corrective action. I guess someone will have to die when the right rear suspension separates from the vehicle before NHTSA decides to act.

- Waterbury, VT, USA

The right rear wheel well is rusted and completely rotted away. The shock spring is coming up through the back of the car. I just purchased the car "as is" last year, and had it looked at by my mechanic. No one caught the condition of the car, and then this year in April I heard a knocking noise in the back of my car. I went and had it looked at and the mechanic said the whole right rear wheel well was rusted and rotted out. The condition is so bad that my mechanic couldn't even find a way to weld a plate in there. I still owe on this vehicle, and it will cost upwards of $2000 to fix!

- Dayton, OH, USA

Rusted out shock tower. Passenger rear panel all rusted out and large hole. Took it to dealer who said it is not under warranty and would have to go to a body shop. As I looked online, I have found that this has been a huge problem with this car and am surprised that there has not been a recall. Contacted Ford who said they can do nothing for me.

- Cheektowaga, NY, USA

Noted at a local car repair shop that my passenger rear inner fender is rusted so bad that the metal where the shock is attached to is coming away. While driving on bumps, am now hearing loud clunking sound and no longer driving the vehicle for fear of the shock falling off. Car shop stated that they've seen 12 Escapes come through their place with the same issue on the same side that were 8-10 years old.

- Champlin, MN, USA

Inside the right rear wheel well where the strut/shock mounts has totally rusted away

- Hinckley, OH, USA

I started hearing a rattling noise in the rear passenger area a few days ago. Initially I thought that the jack had come loose in its compartment. Upon inspection I found that the passenger rear wheel well was completely rusted through and the shock detached from the frame. The shock was coming through the wheel well and hitting the interior of my vehicle. I am headed to the dealer today to see what repairs will cost. After getting on this site and seeing all of the complaints for the exact same issue it is apparent that Ford should be forced to recall this defect. I will never buy another Ford if this is not recalled.

- Fairfield, IL, USA

Right rear wheel well is so rusted out that the shock mount has completely detached from the body. Definite safety issue. 2005 Ford Escape XLT.

- Lorain, OH, USA