Premature rusted out wheel.

- Berlin, PA, USA

Purchased new 2006 Ford Escape, maintained and garaged no rust on car anywhere..last week noticed loud noise right passenger wheel.brought to my shop he said unrepairable rusted wheel well.when I brought to Ford dealership they confirmed that this was the problem and the cost to repair was more than car was worth. I feel 10 years is not acceptable for the life of a car.

- Wilbraham, MA, USA

Escape wheel well rust caused strut to detatch from vehicle. I was driving down the highway when I heard loud thumping noises, I checked and didn't see anything that it might be so I took it to a mechanic who showed me the excessive wheel well rust that caused the strut to detatch from the body. He said it was not safe to drive and that it must be fixed by a body shop as he couldn't fix it. I got estimates from body shops as well as Ford and they all said it would be around $4,000 to $5,000 this is no other rust on the vehicle other than the excessive passenger rear wheel well rust and is has only 130-140K miles on it. Now I cannot drive it without risk of a major accident due to the problem so it is sitting in my garage. I have photos but am unable to upload them to this site at this time.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact heard a loud banging noise coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle when driving over a bump in the road. Additionally, the odor of exhaust fumes was present in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear passenger side wheel well was rusted and corroded, which caused exhaust fumes to enter the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

- Wellsburg, WV, USA

The right wheel well of my 2006 Ford Escape (limited) is completely rusted out. I can no longer drive this vehicle because the shock is about to break through the interior of the vehicle. The rust has caused exhaust to pour into the vehicle. Before knowing about this, I took my vehicle to several different mechaincs because I could smell exhaust. They couldn't find anything. A Canadian auto body person (I love on the border) told me that it was coming from the holes in the right wheel well and showed me the large hole where exhaust is leaking in. This is a serious safety issue that all Escape owners (2006 at least) need to be made aware of!!! I can't take and attach photos at this time due to the weather but can provide them another time, upon request. I should note that I live in northern Michigan and that I have taken meticulous care of this vehicle.

- Sault Ste Marie, MI, USA

Right rear wheel housing completely gone. First indication of any issue was when shock no longer properly supports. Rust and total de-lamination of metal housing supporting shock. Fear of shock punching through - into cargo hold in the area of the jack storage.

- Henryville, IN, USA

When a driver was travelling down the highway, the hood flew up on this vehicle that we use for the company. This happened to another Ford Escape the company has, year 2010, that I am also going to file a complaint on as it is a major safety issue with no current recall.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 45 mph, the rear passenger side of the vehicle started shaking violently. The contact observed rust on the rear passenger side tire. The failure recurred continuously causing the vehicle to become inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

- Ypsilanti , MI, USA

The left quarter (dog leg only metal patch) severily rusted and I had it repaired, my vehicle was only 6 years old and should not have been rusted out. Only the left side is affected and no water rest in that area. Now here I am 3 years later and that same area on the left side is rusting again and eventually it will be rusted out just like before. It's like the rust came back with a venegence the guy at B& K collision where I had my vehicle repaired advised me he couldn't guarantee me that the rust wouldn't resurface, well it's happening again. My issue is why is it only affecting the left side and I can't afford to keep paying for what obviously is a defective pain and/or part!!! I've seen other Ford Escape with the same issue, same side, etc!!!

- Inkster, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving 45 mph, there was a loud noise in the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear body fractured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,000.

- Highland, IN, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 55 mph, the contact heard a bumping sound under the vehicle. The contact noticed that the rear passenger side wheel well rusted at the shock mount. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The mechanic stated that the wheel well needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 159,000.

- Glendale Heights , IL, USA

There is excessive corrosion in the passenger side rear wheel well and the shock absorber has broken since there is nothing to connect to causing a safety issue. Research on the internet shows this is a common problem with this year and 2005. It was taken to the dealer and they and Ford will do nothing stating the vehicle should be scrapped.

- Hastings, MI, USA

When driving I started noticing a loud banging sound starting when driving over small bumps in the road. In taking the vehicle to the local Ford dealer repair shop for an oil change we had them check out the sound that I heard. They pointed out the right, passenger side rear wheel well. At this time we were told the repair was not an immediate repair that was needed but would need to be repaired. We planned to wait until the local roads were repaired from the pot holes developed through winter. A month and a half later, on March 20, 2015 the sound had become extremely worse and I feared for my safety. We took it to a repair shop and they stated the vehicle was no longer safe to drive. The right side rear wheel well had rusted through and the suspension is barely attached to the vehicle. In researching online this is a prevalent problem through several year models not just the 2005. When I called the Ford customer service hotline I was told Ford was unaware and that they did not know this was a safety problem despite the numerous listings of people online saying they have reported the same kind of issues.

- Bloomington, IL, USA

While driving I heard a loud noise then shortly after heard something rubbing then very shortly after my left rear tire blew out. I stopped to look and it looks like the area where the rear strut attached to the body completely rusted away. The car is most likely not repairable.

- Flat Rock, MI, USA

The right rear wheel well of my 2006 Ford Escape has rusted completely away, where you can see into the inside of the car from the outside. It is causing a constant rattling and a horrible clunking noise every time I go over a bump.checking online, I see that this has been a problem for some time now and the shock has completely separated from the vehicle. Ford has always been a company to stand behind their vehicles, so I imagine it will only be a matter of time before a recall is issued, but someone needs to do something about this now before there are fatalities involved.

- Kenosha, WI, USA

My right wheel well has rusted out completely and the inside compartment is now open to the outside. There is a terrible, constant rattling noise and a horrible clunking noise every time I go over a bump.

- Kenosha, WI, USA

The right wheel well has rusted out completely around the shock.I can see into the car from the outside. There is a loud rattle constantly and a horrible clunking noise every time I go over a bump.

- Kenosha, WI, USA

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving over a bump at various speeds, the contact heard a knocking noise near the rear of the vehicle. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the passenger side wheel well was rusted and caused the strut mount to separate from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician indicated that the wheel well needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 94,000.

- Johnstown, PA, USA

Excessive rusting in right rear fender well, shock mount coming undone. Loud banging noise inside vehicle. Safety issue.

- Brazil, IN, USA

Began to notice a rattling noise/clunking in right rear corner of vehicle. Took the vehicle to our mechanic who told us that the right rear wheel well was completely rusted through and the shocks were exposed. Only the right rear wheel was rusted. Informed by our mechanic that the vehicle was not safe to drive and we would need to have it towed to the body shop. When we contacted the body shop and said we had an issue with the under body on our Ford Escape he new immediately that it was the right rear wheel well because it was the 3rd Ford Escape with the exact same problem in less than 2 months. We were fortunate that we only had to wait 3 days for the part as we were told that the last 2 Ford Escape owners had to wait 6 weeks because the part was on back order from Ford. Looked online and there were hundreds of complaints for Ford Escape with exact issue (always only the right rear wheel well) from 2004 on. Obviously this is a recall issue that should be address by Ford before someone is seriously injured or killed.

- Toledo, OH, USA