Ford Escape Hybrid owners have reported 16 wheel related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common wheel problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's wheel (16 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Wheel problems |
Tl the contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. While driving 25 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side wheel well. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and discovered the shock leaning against the wheel and a hole where the mounted bracket was located. The contact called loveland Ford (999 e eisenhower blvd, loveland, CO 80537, (970) 744-7101) and was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.
Drivers side rear suddenly began banging when going over bumps. Rear strut mount completely rusted out so the strut is loose and banging on the inside of the trunk. Vehicle is unsafe to drive. There is no surface rust on the vehicle and there was no indication that this would take place. Manufacturer did not attach the strut securely - only surface mounted on the inside of the wheel well.
I was never told about a recall and this car frame was cracked and was never told about it from anyone front the dealer I bought it from or the company that fixed it.
The contact owns a 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid. While backing out of the driveway at approximately 5 mph, the front wheels failed to turn without warning. The vehicle was driven back into the driveway. The failure was not diagnosed and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,820.
Vehicle has 95,000 miles on it and the entire back passenger rear well is completely rusted out, so much so that the shock is pushing up into the inside of the vehicle. The rest of the wheel wells are fine and show very little wear and the vehicle runs just fine. When doing some research on this issue, it appears that a multitude of people are encountering this very same issue with just that same specific spot. My fear is that this makes this very unsafe to drive in the event I hit a large bump or pot hole.
The right rear shock and bracket that attaches it to the car is rusting and has broken off causing a very dangerous situation. This occurred without warning and presents an extremely hazardous situation.
Passenger side rear wheel housing rot creating unsafe vehicle. . Read more...
Right rear shock absorber mounting has gotten weak and started to flex. The wheel well above it has lost the integity of its plastic coating and has caused it to rust out enormously. Shock mount and wheel well need to be replace. From doing some searching online this is a major problem for the 04-06 escape and can lead to a failure of the mounting and make the vehicle unsafe to drive.
I was driving my vehicle and the "service soon" light came on then about 10 seconds later the "stop safely" light came on and my vehicle shutdown and would not restart. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Ford dealership and found out that there was a failure with the electrical system that had to be reset (shutdown was to protect the hybrid battery). Once Ford fixed the electrical system to get car to start again, they informed me that the passenger side rear shock absorber had fully detached from the wheel house and was basically a dangling piece. Ford could offer no help "they didn't have the equipment or capability to fix" and said I had to go to a auto body shop to have the piece welded back to the frame. Turns out there is nothing there to weld, the entire connection has rotted out and needs to be replaced. From what I can find online this is a recurring issue on 2005 Ford escapes and Ford refuses to deal with it. Cars with these issues are extremely unsafe to drive. Luckily I was not involved in an accident when this happened but I was only driving 35mph on a side street, imagine what could've happened if I was traveling at 70mph on the highway and the piece just fell out. This is an extremely difficult fix that Ford owners should not have the burden of dealing with financially on a car that is less that 10 years old. My car is very well maintained and has a lot of life left in it, but now this fix is going to cost close to $2500. This should be further investigated so Ford has to fix this safety issue! has anyone considered filing a class action suit for defective car parts???.
Right rear wheel well fully rusted out, causing shock absorber to hit metal. Holes you can see through the jack compartment. Loud knocking.
Right rear wheel well completely rusted out and collapsed, exposing shock. Shock is broken. You can see through wheel well via the jack compartment. Unsafe to drive. Rough estimates are $3000-4000, replacing wheel well, shock, and right rear quarterpanel. Left wheel well intact and good.
Right rear shock became detached from underbody of car creating hazardous condition due to advanced rust through.
At 40-45 mph hear wheel bearing noise. Dealer confirmed and both right front bearings (main and carrier) replaced by Ford dealer. Still had noise after replacement. Dealer confirmed that the carrier bearing just replaced was bad. Replaced carrier bearing again but still having same noise. Dealer stated there have been many wheel bearing problems, and that faulty bearings are coming to Ford from vendor. Problem as yet not resolved. Seems Ford is unable to identify which bearings are bad without installing them. I am concerned with potential wheel lock up at speeds, especially a front wheel.
I was driving home and slowed down to go over some railway tracks. As I went over the tracks I heard a "thud" coming from the rear of the vehicle. The sound continued as I went over bumps, and I discovered once I arrived home that the passenger side rear wheel well was completely rusted out and the shock was unattached at the top. Since then the top of the shock has pierced through the interior cabin wall.
While backing out of a parking space, the right front wheel separated from the vehicle. Upon closer inspection, it appeared that the bolt sheared, dislocating the wheel from the drivetrain. This was later confirmed at the repair center--the bolt had sheared and had to be drilled out. The front lower control arm bolts (forward bolt) removed and threads had to be repaired. The right front axle also had to be replaced. This vehicle is only 6. 5 years old, and is not driven off road. Ford does not acknowledge this as an issue. As noted elsewhere on this site, we also have had issues with brake squealing, as well as the water pump issue.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle exhibited an abnormal grinding noise from the rear passenger's wheel. In addition, the contact noticed corrosion around the wheel and suspension of the rear passenger wheel. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.