2007 Ford Escape Body & Structure Problems

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for an inspection, the contact was informed that the subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V165000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds a clunking noise was present coming from the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who discovered that the rear passenger’s side wheel well was severely rusted causing the rear passenger’s side shock absorber to puncture the wheel well of the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 109,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while the vehicle was receiving routine maintenance by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed that underneath the rear of the vehicle was rusted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000.

AT 75,000 MILES THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY FAILED NH STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE UNIBODY AND SUBFRAME/ CONTROL ARM PASSENGER SIDE. THE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AT OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. OTHERWISE VEHICLE LOOKS DATED BUT NEW, TAKEN CARE OF WELL. EVEN THE ORIGINAL STEP BARS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH LITTLE TO NO RUST.FORD HAS A RECALL ON THE 2001-2004 MODEL YEARS FOR WHAT APPEAR TO BE THE SAME ISSUE AND WILL REMEDY BY INSTALLING AN ADDITIONAL BRACE. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A GOOD/ SAFE IDEA TO ME

PASSENGER REAR FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND THE SHOCK CAME RIGHT THROUGH THE TRUNK.

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2007 FORD ESCAPE, IT BEGAN MAKING A THUMPING NOISE IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHENEVER WE HIT A BUMP. I LOOKED UNDER THE REAR-PASSENGER WHEEL WELL AND NOTICED THE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF RUST AND CORROSION AROUND THE SHOCK-ABSORBER. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT WHERE THE SHOCK ABSORBER IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, RUST HAS CORRODED BOTH SIDES OF THE ATTACHMENT. HE DEEMED IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

I HAD PARKED MY VEHICLE BEHIND ANOTHER ON PINE CREST DRIVE, A PUBLIC STREET WITH NO DESIGNATED PARKING. THERE IS ABOUT ROOM FOR 3 VEHICLES TO BE PARKED IN THIS AREA, OR 2 VEHICLES IF ONE HAS A TRAILER. I WAS PARKED IN THE MIDDLE BECAUSE IT WAS MY CLOSEST OPTION, AND THEN HAD LEFT IT THERE FOR A COUPLE DAYS WHILE I WAS IN BED SICK, BY THEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT WAS GONE. A FAMILY FRIEND WITNESSED THE OTHER DRIVER COME BY WITH HIS 2003 GMC SIERRA, TRY TO PARK HIS VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MINE, AND BACKED INTO ENOUGH TO MOVE IT 6 INCHES. THERE ARE SOME SCRATCHES AND THE BODY IS BENT A BIT. INITIALLY AFTER TALKING TO HIM WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION HE WOULD COME BACK TO US AFTER CALLING HIS INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT APPARENTLY HE THOUGHT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE UNTIL AN ESTIMATE WAS WRITTEN UP AND CONFRONTED AGAIN. AT THAT TIME HE ADMITTED TO BACKING INTO MY VEHICLE INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE IT WAS "HIS" PARKING SPOT. AFTER CALLING THE DANE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO INVESTIGATION AND NO POLICE REPORT, BUT THAT WE SHOULD FILE HERE.

MY 2007 FORD ESCAPE IS IN MINT CONDITION. I FOUND OUT TODAY I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT'S VERY UNSAFE. THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT IN BACK OF THE REAR WHEEL AND RUST HAS BROKEN THE AREA WHERE THE SHOCK ABSORBER ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. PERFECT TUNING CAR THAT I CAN'T USE. UNBELIEVABLE.

FRAME NEAR SHOCK ABSORBER RUSTING THROUGH. NEW CHOCK CAN'T BE REPLACED WITHOUT FRAME WORK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT THE LIFTGATE ACTUATOR AND LIFTGATE MECHANISM DID NOT WORK (NOT EVEN MANUALLY). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THREE DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO DETERMINED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE LIFTGATE WINDOW SEAL. THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DUE TO REAR WHEEL NOISES. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS TOTALLY RUSTED AND COULD ONLY BE REPAIRED BY REBUILDING THE ENTIRE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL; THEREFORE, NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 206,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE LIFTGATE FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LIFTGATE, BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 1,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,030.