Eight problems related to rear suspension shock absorber have been reported for the 2004 Ford Escape. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2004 Ford Escape based on all problems reported for the 2004 Escape.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. While driving over a bump in the road at any speed, a thumping noise emitted from the vehicle. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and noticed that the rear passenger side wheel well was rusted and the shock absorber had loosened. The contact notified the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. While driving approximately 50 mph, the shock absorber entered the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the shock mount needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.
Right side rear shock absorber tower rusted out.
Right rear wheel well rusted through and the shock and spring punched through the body of the car. Highly dangerous, as our children and my wife drive the car, but the only indication that this occurred was an occasional loud noise (mimicking a shock absorber bottoming out). Until I inspected the vehicle, nothing else, such as handling or other factors warned of the dire situation. For instance, my wife travels back and fourth to her parents via a busy highway covering about 50-60 miles multiple times a week and this could have caused a fatal crash. My guess if we have been driving on this based on the occasional noise for 2 months.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving various speeds he heard an abnormal sound coming from the right rear passenger side of the vehicle. The contact discovered that right rear wheel well was covered with rust causing the shocks to fail. An independent mechanic discovered that the shock absorber needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Rusted out right wheel well with structural collapse. We bought this car used from a local Ford dealer in April of 2013. This car was being driven on a freeway on June 15, 2014 when a loud thumping started in the right rear wheel on . On inspection the right rear wheel well is rusted out. The support that the shock absorber is attached to was completely eroded and a part of it punched through the wall into the interior of the trunk area. We felt it was not safe to drive. We had it towed to another Ford dealer who diagnosed the problem. The estimated cost of repair is $2259. Review of the NHTSA complaint web site reveals many other owners with exactly the same problem.
Right rear suspension shock absorber mount detatched and pushed through body of vehicle. Vehicle now is unstable and dangerous.
I have a 2004 Ford Escape (6 cyl. , front wheel drive) that now has over 110,000 miles. At 108,465 miles, the #2 catalytic converter blew and was replaced (along with all 6 ignition coils). A second mechanic found debris in the #3 catalytic converter, cleaned it and the exhaust system. (the engine was not getting enough air passing through the exhaust system and would barely make it up a hill. ) then he discovered the right rear wheel well was rusting out posing a severe threat that the shock absorber will punch through into the body of the car making the Escape totally inoperable. A recall is already out for Ford minivans for the same issue but apparently not for the Escapes. Why not? this can be repaired at a cost of nearly $2,000. With the catalytic converter and ignition coils, I've already spent over $2500 and don't have the $2,000 for this necessary repair due to poor materials used to make this vehicle.