2005 Ford Escape Body & Structure Problems

Rear driver's side door will not close/latch. Latch can be manually moved, but does not engage when shutting door. Currently using bungee cords to keep door closed as I have children and no other vehicle. Vehicle was parked, door was opened from inside to allow passenger to exit, but when they attempted to shut the door, it would not latch closed. No prior problems with the door and no prior warnings/lights. Since door won't close, the door ajar dash light is illuminated and I have to turn my interior lights to off so that they don't remain on while I'm driving

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. The contact stated that after her father inspected the vehicle, he made her aware that there was damage to the rear subframe. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe needed to be replaced. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V165000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.

FRONT SUBFRAME FAILED WHILE DRIVING - SLOW VEHICLE SPEED. THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE SUBFRAME, BUT THE FAILED SUBFRAME ALLOWS THE CONTROL ARM TO SWING DRAGGING THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE.

MY FORD ESCAPE HAS HANDLED POORLY FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS; A FEW DAYS AGO MY DAUGHTER (FOLLOWING ME IN HER OWN CAR) TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE LOOKED CROOKED. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC THIS MORNING WHO TOLD (AND SHOWED) ME THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. HE SEEMED SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS PROBLEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE AND CROSSMEMBER WERE CORRODED. THE CONTACT CALLED HELLER FORD (700 W MAIN ST, EL PASO, IL 61738, (309) 527-6050) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 195,772. *LN MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ASSIST BECAUSE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *DL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED CORROSION ALL AROUND THE FRAME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 169,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THE BODY OF THE CAR IS GENERALLY SOLID. I NOTICED A HARD CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL AND FIGURED IT WAS BAD SHOCKS. WHEN I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A VERY LARGE RUST HOLE SURROUNDING THE SHOCK TOWER WHERE IT MEETS THE WHEEL WELL. THE RUST WAS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SHOCK. EVENTUALLY, IF I HIT A BAD BUMP, THE SHOCK WILL MOST LIKELY FAIL AND GO UP INTO THE TRUNK, ESSENTIALLY LEAVING THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THIS FAILURE SEEMS TO BE REPORTED COMMONLY FOR THIS SPECIFIC YEAR (2005) ESCAPES. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WITH IT BEING SO CLOSE TO THE CRUCIAL SHOCK TOWER, AND IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE IF EVEN POSSIBLE DUE TO THE SEVERITY TO REPAIR. THIS ABSOLUTELY SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING FORD SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS MASSIVE FLAW AND OFFER CUSTOMERS SOME KIND OF SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

2005 ESCAPE, UNDER 100,000 MILES COMPLETELY RUSTING OUT ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE TO THE POINT OF A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOW UN-DRIVABLE. DISCONNECTION OF PIECES AND PARTS WHERE THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THEM TOGETHER IS WITH A HANGER. WAS TOLD THE HANGER WORKED BETTER THAN ANYTHING THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD DO. RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL WELL COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, HUGE HOLE NOW WHERE YOU CAN SEE COMPLETELY INTO CAR. SHOCKS BANG AND RUB AGAINST THE WHEEL COVER IN THE CAR. JACK COULD NOT EVEN STAY ATTACHED DUE TO THE RUST. DUE TO THIS ISSUE, BRAKES FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. TO KNOW FORD HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (RECALL OF 2002-2004 FOR SAME ISSUE) AND MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS CAR AT COLLEGE AND TWO HOURS BACK AND FORTH SICKENS ME. WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME TO THESE CASES BY FORD REPAIR SHOP. ALSO TOLD IT WASN'T WORTH FIXING. THE SAFETY OF ALL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE IS AT A MAJOR RISK.

ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE FENDER WELLS AND ON THE AREA AROUND WHERE YOU PUT GAS IN IT FALLING COMPLETELY APART AT A VERY RAPID SPEED, THE FENDER ON THE AREA OF THE GAS CAP IS FALLING APART LOST PART OF THE THIS WHILE DRIVING TO WORK

2005 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RUSTED SUBFRAME. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT TOWER WAS ALSO RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE. *JS

HEARD A LOUD SCRATCHING NOISE FROM REAR OF CAR. UPON INSPECTION, ENTIRE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL IS RUSTED OUT AND STRUT HAS BEEN PUSHED THROUGH INTO REAR SEAT AREA. IMMEDIATELY WENT TO FORD DEALER AND SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND COSTLY TO FIX. HE ADVISED ME TO CALL FORD, AND THEY LISTENED TO MY COMPLAINT AND ISSUED ME A CASE NUMBER. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HEARD NOTHING. I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT RUNS LIKE A TOP, LOADED WITH FEATURES, NEW TIRES AND IS WORTH ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. THE DEALER TOLD ME HAD SEEN THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER 2005 ESCAPES AND THEY ARE COST PROHIBITIVE TO REPAIR. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE 2000-2004 MODELS BUT NOT 2005. DEALER TOLD ME IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT, EVENTUALLY THE WHEEL WILL BE SUCKED ALL THE WAY INTO THE BACK SEAT-TRUNK AREA AND I COULD BE KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY.

FIRST PROBLEM WAS REAR PASSENGER TIREWELL ROTTED AND SHOCK BROKE THROUGH. HAD THIS THIS REPLACED BY AUTO BODY SHOP. NOW DRIVING CAR ON CITY STREET HEARD A THUD AND CAR STOPPED. TOW TRUCK DRIVER TOLD ME IT WAS THE SUB FRAME THAT HAD RUSTED CAUSING THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. HE HAS SEEN THIS MANY TIMES. COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THIS HIS CAR. ON WAY TO LOCAL MECHANIC TO SEE QUOTE TO FIX.

I BOUGHT THIS FORD ESCAPE FOR MY DAUGHTER WITH ONLY AT 116,000 MILES ON IT HAD IT HOME FOR TWO WEEKS SINCE LIKE THE INNER FENDER WELL AND FRAME FELL APART ON THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HINGES ON THE REAR DOOR SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS ATTACHING THE HINGES TO THE BODY WAS THE DOOR RELEASE MECHANISM OR DOOR SHOCKS. THE DEALER (SUBURBAN FORD OF STERLING HEIGHTS, 40333 VAN DYKE AVENUE, STERLING HEIGHTS, MICHIGAN 48373) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,385.

DRIVING ON A SECONDARY ROAD AND HEARD A BAD RUBBING NOICE AND STEERING WENT LOOSE, PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS PUSHED IN TO THE WHEEL WELL. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW THE SUBFRAME WAS BROKE AND THE CV AXLE WAS RIPPED OUT OF THE MOTOR ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I CALLED FORD BECAUSE OF ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS I SAW FOR THIS SAME ISSUE ON 2005 MODELS, AND BECAUSE OF THE RECALL FOR THE 01 TO 04 FORD ESCAPES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR MY CAR. I EXPLAINED THAT I KNOW THIS, BUT I SAW HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR 05S HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND THAT IT'S NOT NORMAL OR SAFE TO BE DRIVING ALONG AND HAVE THE SUBFRAME JUST BRAKE LIKE THIS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 113K MILES. I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT, THEY WILL CALL FORD WITH THERE FINDINGS. I HAD TO FLAT BED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY LOOKED AT IT. THE MECHANIC CALLED FORD AND TOLD THEM THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS BROKE, THEY SAID THERE'S NO RECALLS FOR THE CAR! OBVIOUSLY!!! WE ALREADY WENT OVER THIS! SO NOW I'M IN THE BOAT I FIRST WAS, FORD TELLING ME THAT THERE'S NO RECALL ON MY CAR!!!

VEHICLES SUBFRAME RUSTED AND BROKE AT PASSENGERS FRONT CONTROL ARM WHILE DRIVING ON A SECONDARY ROADWAY IN A CITY DURING NORMAL CONDITIONS. CAR IS A 2005 WITH ONLY 55000 MILES. VIRTUALLY NO RUST ANYWHERE ELSE ON BODY. I FOUND THE EXACT PROBLEM AT THE IDENTICAL LOCATION ON 2002-2004 UNDER A RECALL AND BELIEVE THAT THE 2005 SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL

I WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN I NOTICED A LOUD BUMPING NOISE... MY BACK PASSENGER WHEEL WELL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY, WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY SHOCK MOUNTING BRACKET. EVERY LITTLE BUMP CAUSES IT TO SHAKE AND ABOUT A WEEK AGO THE BRACKET ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE PLASTIC AND THERE IS A HOLE INSIDE THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. I SEE SO MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS AND ITS VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT FORD HAS DONE NOTHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. I KNOW THAT THE FORD ESCAPE 2001- 2004 WERE RECALLED FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE AND ITS DISCONCERTING THAT THEY ARE IGNORING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR THE 2005-2008 ESCAPE. HOW MANY MORE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR THEM TO AT LEAST INVESTIGATE THIS UNSAFE, REOCCURRING ISSUE?! HOPEFULLY , SOMETHING WILL BE DONE SOON BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

RIGHT REAR SHOCK TOWER RUSTED OUT BAD

TAKATA RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE BACK OF THE FRAME/BODY METAL SNAPPED, WHEN DROVE THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD STREET WITH SEVERELY BAD POT HOLES. RUST ON CAR WAS AVERAGE FOR AGE AND WAS STILL DRIVE ABLE. BUT HAVEN'T DRIVEN IN MONTHS BECAUSE SCARED OF SAFETY RISK. I FEEL LIKE THE FRAME SHOULDN'T BE HAVING PROBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY 13/14 YEARS OLD. THE CORROSION OF THE METAL ON THE CAR IS VERY EXCESSIVE. THIS IS MY SECOND FORD ESCAPE IN 3 YEARS AND THEY ALL HAVE HAD BODY ISSUES WITH FAST METAL CORROSION. THE PHOTO ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS TAKEN TODAY AFTER MONTHS OF SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A VERY LOUD NOISE AS IF GLASS WERE BREAKING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE TOWER WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE WELL OF THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND THEN TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WOULD NOT TOUCH THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DANGER OF THE FAILURE. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF A DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING POSTED ON THE INTERNET AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OLD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000.