Body problems of the 2006 Ford Escape - part 1

Sunroof on the vehicle just shattered. No impact related cause. Maybe heat.

The rear shock tower has rusted out and broken away from the frame which was conformed at a local body shop. The passenger side went first then the driver side went about a year later. There was no warning that this was happening until it broke while driving which made us lose control of the car. When we took it to a repair shop and said it was 2006 Escape they responded what side did the shock tower break on this was before we told them it was a shock tower they said it's always that part on a Escape I personally know 2 other people who have had the same problem all different years of Escapes.

Both rear shocks, mounts, wheel wells, entire length of body door panels passenger seats are just absolutely rusted beyond repair. I've gone to a couple different shops and each one said that there is nothing they can do to fix the issue. Now the vehicle when ridden in just bounces horribly wearing out bearing springs and tires are being worn out. There is only 110759 miles on it and bought this for my wife/ kids cause I've had 3 other Escapes in the past so since I work on the road this is prefect sized for then not to big or too small. I've had so many issues this last year with repairs parts and now worried about safety issues.

This 2006 Ford Escape hybrid, and all first and second generation (2001-2012) Escape models, were designed and built with a significant, known defect in the mating area and materials used for the rear floor pan, rear sub-assembly/rails, and rear inner fender liners/upper shock absorber mounts, all made of pressed steel. The design of the components renders them subject to trapping road debris/salt/contaminants, and the inferior steel used oxidizes quickly, resulting in perforated areas of substantial rust. In our 2006 model, the right rear inner fender liner was completely replaced, and the rear subassembly/rails were welded, in 2013 with new Ford parts. By may, 2018, it had to be repaired and welded again. As of may, 2013, five years almost to the day, it has again rusted and separated. As this hybrid Escape carries a 600 pound battery between the rails in the rear of the vehicle, this is a substantial, dangerous defect affecting potentially millions of cars manufactured over a decade. The current status of the oxidation, corrosion, rot and decay affecting our Ford Escape has rendered it incapable of being repaired per the auto mechanic shop we visited first, followed by the body shop we visited next. Both indicated that the poor design combined with the steel used contributed to the dangerous vehicle it has become.

The rear shock mount rusts out not long after manufacture and we the consumer are left with the pile of poop. Ford is highly aware of this problem, and as I transport my children daily I wonder if this will be the day we die. Upon the shock mount rusting out, hope youre religious and god is your CO pilot because as that point the spring is what you're left with! its so horse crap Ford leaves this to the little guy (the consumers) to rectify their problem due to their inferior manufacturing. I was going over the i280 bridge in oregon ohio when it decided it was time to fail.

Tl- the contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds a banging noise was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who discovered the rear wheel well had experienced severe rusting around the shock mount and a rusted hole exposing the interior of the vehicle was present. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 57,000. Jft.

Passenger side wheel well rusted out, impacting shock mount also.

Heard a banging noise as I was driving that sounded from trunk. Nothing in trunk, rear passenger wheel well the shock tower had fallen through the wheel well which appeared to have rusted out.

Right rear wheel well totally rusted out, no repair shop will fix. Loud knocking when driving, can not drive afraid wheel will fall off.

Similar to earlier models 2001-2004/5. Took the car in to be checked out for cross country trip and daughter was told the sub-frame supporting the engine was rusted and car was unsafe to drive.

Our 2006 Ford Escape began making a rattling noise in the rear passenger side whenever we hit a bump. I initially thought it was a loose panel until I looked under the rear-passenger wheel well and noticed the massive amounts of rust and corrosion around the shock absorber. After doing some research, it appears that this is a fairly widespread issue that Ford has done little to remedy. It has since become a consistent issue anytime we are driving, there is at least a rattle--even on smooth roads. While we have tried to reduce the amount of driving as much as we can, making only necessary trips and completely eliminating any extraneous use of this car, the damage only seems to be getting worse, and at an alarmingly fast pace. This is our only vehicle and we are not in a position to buy a new car right now. If there was a recall on a similar issue for 2001-2004 models, why hasn't there been a recall on later years? the vehicle is a liability on the road--we cringe every time we have to take it out (again, it is our only vehicle) and we don't know which bump is going to completely ruin the car. An investigation into this widespread corrosion issue needs to be performed and all necessary steps need to be taken to ensure that the safety of everyone on the road is maximized despite shoddy construction of this vehicle.

The rear passenger wheel well is completely rotted around the connection for the shock absorber. No body shop will repair as it is too costly and too much of a liability they claim. Driving along and suddenly the car got loud in the back. Shock absorber had come through the interior of the automobile. Car has rust on back "trunk" door and a on the edge of the wheel well exterior on the same side, but remaining parts of the car have very little or no rust. But when you look inside the wheel well you see all the rust around the shock absorber. Google search shows I am not alone with this issue - others report same issue with passenger side rear and people are considering sueing Ford. 2001-2004 Escapes had a corrosion recall on the front suspension, but there is nothing for years 2005 and newer. This is should be looked at.

Rear wheel wells where the shock mounts is rusted through causing ride and control issues. I noticed clunking while driving caused by the rust and lack of shock stability. I talked to other owners and found this is a common issue. Being that my vehicle is not rusty and is cared for regularly this is bad and I am no longer going to invest my money into it. This is a safety concern and I feel with as common as the issue seems it should be taken care of by Ford as the shock being loose coming into the interior is another safety concern, and the wear and tear from the tire ride causes premature tire wear not to mention wear and snapping the break line causing the brakes to fail.

Driving this morning when I heard a banging noise when I hit any bumps in the road. I was fimiliar with the Escapes wheelwell rust issue. I liked under the passenger side and found the undercoating was falling off and the shock absorber was barely hanging on. I have a 173000 miles on it. I know Ford will not do anything about this on their own. Fixes are expensive, like a new wheelhouse , which has to be welded in, according to dorman or an l bracket for about 200 dollars, or cob something up myself. I'm 60 and live here in upstate NY, and no way should this be happpening. Salt or rain, there should have been something to prevent this. Something changed after 2006 by Ford. Unless there is a recall , no one is going to help you. You know the term. . . S. O. L. . . . .

My daughter was alerted to a problem when loud banging noises started recently when driving under normal driving conditions. Upon inspection by a mechanic, he discovered that the passenger side and driver side rear wheel wells body parts and shock absorber mounts have significant rust damage. Our vehicle is well maintained according to the manufacture's schedule and as recommended by the Ford dealership service department. I do not understand how we could not have been made aware of a potential issue before during previous tire replacements, shock replacements, and other services that would have had the opportunity to see the problem. The passenger side rear wheel well is so bad that the dealership service department indicated that it is not repairable and referred us to their body shop. The attached pictures show that the interior of the cabin is now exposed. I also have an audio recording of the noise inside the vehicle when driving under normal conditions. My daughter was also cautioned by the mechanic about an imminent failure of the suspension. This is a safety hazard that has been widely reported on the internet. There was a recall by Ford for 2001-2004 for the same issue on the same model. I contacted Ford motor company customer service line and they indicated there was no recall for our vehicle. Based on our experience and the issues reported by others with the same problem for later model years, there should be a recall and action by Ford to repair these later year models such as ours as well.

While driving my vehicle on a highway, I could here a loud clunking sound coming from the rear. After investigating, it was visibly noticeable that the shock tower on the rear passenger side rusted completely off the vehicle. This allowed the wheel to bounce freely and the shock to jam up into the wheel well repeatedly. The vehicle is unsafe to drive.

Significant rust through in right rear wheel well where shock absorber attaches to frame. While driving, shock came detached from frame of car.

The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving, the vehicle shook severely. The contact inspected the vehicle and could visibly see the rear passenger shocks. The contact also noticed damage from where the rear tire was hitting the rear wheel well and caused pieces of the well to detach. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnoised that the passenger side rear wheel well was severely corroded. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14v165000 (structure); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

Bought vehicle for 17yr old son first car. While he was driving, he noticed a loud banging sound from the back. After investigation, found that rear wheel well had totally corroded away and rear shock was poking into the interior. Reported to Ford who said no recalls and would do nothing. When researching problem on the web, it turns out that many people have had the same problem. The Ford dealer advised me not even to drive it home as it is a safetly hazard and that the wheel might fall off. If this was a one off situation, I might be able to accept it, but how can Ford continue to allow people to drive around in a car with an obviously known defect and that their dealers tell you is deadly. I cannot continue to support an american company with such an attitude.

There is a clunking sound coming from the rear passenger side. It happens every time I hit a bump. Upon inspection I see that the passenger side rear wheel well is completely rotted and rusted and involves shock mount. It is unsafe to drive and research shows that this is an ongoing problem with this model. I was told not to take my truck on the highway because if I were to hit a bump at 65 mph, I would be "asking a lot of this car to hold together. " I reported the damage to the Ford dealership. I was told to contact Ford directly and if they were to write up a work order then I was to come back for repairs. So the Ford customer relationship hotline informed me that no recall had been issued for this vehicle, and that they were unaware that this was a common, frequent, or widespread problem. They did not consider it a defect. I am unemployed at the moment seeking disability so that mean no income. What am I suppose to drive now?????.

Premature rusted out wheel.

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.

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.

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.

Tl-the contact owns 2006 Ford Escape. The contact states while driving approximately 5 mph, the contact stated there was a loud bump from the rear passenger side. The contact observed rust on the rear wheel tire. The failure recurred continuously causing the vehicle to become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the shock absorber needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000. Ng.

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.

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.

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.

Tl-the contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph there was a loud noise in the passenger's side rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed as a fractured rear body. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,000. Ah.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.