CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2005 Escape has problems where the engine shuts down while driving. Ford finally issued a September 2014 recall. Time will tell if the recall fix really solves the problem.
However the 2005 Escape also has a defect where the PCM (Power Control Module) fries at around 100k miles. Ford extended the PCM warranty to 80,000 miles, but only after most owners were past the mileage limit. Now owners are on the hook for the average repair cost of over $2,000 (!!)
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
111,019 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
While driving the vehicle, there was a noise in the back passenger side of the vehicle when going over bumps only. We could not locate the noise inside the vehicle. (it sounds like the glass or the tire jack, were not secure.) the auto shop explained, that the vehicle is not attached to the shock, and it along with exhaust is coming in through the truck area. Explained that the vehicle was a 'death trap' if hit from behind, the vehicle that hit this one would go right though this vehicle. Accorded to the auto shop, the issue is not fixable.
My passenger rear end is all rusted out and the shock has come thru my vehicle. It sounds horrible, and was told it was very unsafe to drive, as the shock isn't connected to the body of the vehicle now. It will cost more then it's worth, and this is the only vehicle that I have to drive me and my family around in.
After hitting pothole a loud banging sound was heard coming from rear storage area on passenger side. Vehicle was taken to service shop and was shown that rear passenger wheel well was completely rusted out leading to shock tower breaking loose from body and protruding into the rear cabin area. Service manager said this was likely due to catastrophic failure of body integrity in that area and stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. He also stated that he had seen this on other 2005 Ford vehicles (Windstar van). Given the construction of the body the service manager stated that the affected portion would need to be cut out and custom fabricated to replace the cut out area, likely costing nearly as much as the vehicle is worth.
When I was driving down the interstate at 70 mph, I began to hear a clunking sound from the rear passenger side. It happened every time I hit even a small bump or crack. When I took it to the body shop, they discovered the passenger side rear wheel well is corroded; rust/rot has caused the shock mount to become nearly completely detached from the frame. It is unsafe to drive, and body shops won't even provide an estimate for repairs as the deterioration is too extensive, and they can't fix it. A quick online search shows this is an ongoing issue with 2005 Escapes, and must be addressed for safety. The body shop owner told me not to take the car on the interstate because if I were to hit a bump at 65 mph, I would be "asking a lot of this car to hold together." The clunking sound is now consistent no matter what speed or surface I am driving on.
- Papillion, NE, USA
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Wheel well rotted out causing shock to break loose and create unsafe vehicle. I was driving down the street when it finally let go and saw debris fall all over road and heard a loud bang from passenger side rear of car.
Our 2005 Ford Escape has rusted through behind the right rear tire. We heard like a loud bang when driving it and found the wheel well is rusted and broken as is the shock tower and the right rear tail light has its wires cut due to the broken frame. We owe money on this vehicle and we cannot drive it right now. This is definitely a safety issue and we have contacted Ford with all the pertinent information.
2005 Ford Escape, have had a lot of clunking in back of car, and the rear right wheel well is falling/rusting apart (other wheel wells are not, just rear passenger side) right where shock absorber is mounted. Large rusted out hole in wheel well, and if I press around the wheel well, the black coating crumbles revealing crumbling rust behind it. Many other 2005 Escape owners with same issue. I have no money to fix this; this is a dangerous flaw should it break through while driving at high speeds. Should be recalled and fixed by Ford. It can't be said this is just "normal wear and tear" when only the one wheel well is consistently the one that is rusting while the other wheel wells do not. I have 125K on my Escape, but who knows how long the hole has been there.
Passenger side rear wheel well is completetly rotted/rusted and involves shock mount. It is unsafe to drive and research shows that this is an ongoing problem with this model. I heard rattling when I went over a bump and when I looked at the rear carriage of the vehicle I saw that the wheel well was totally destroyed by rust.
While driving down the road, heard a load bang in the back of the car on the right side. After inspecting the vehicle I noticed that the inner wheel well was rusted out and the shock was no longer connected to the vehicle. Looks like the frame may be cracked under the attach point of the upper strut mount.
When traveling at 40mph, a thumping noise could be heard in the rear of 2005 Ford Escape. Upon visual inspection, the passenger side rear wheel well was completely corroded, exposing the interior of the car. The mount of the shock suspension is corroded so badly that the shock is nowhere attached to the body and is what causes the thumping sound as it pushes up into the car interior. No other wheel wells on the car have anywhere near that level of corrosion.
Right rear shock absorber punched through horribly rusted wheel well into passenger compartment. I didn't hit anything. It just rusted through and totally failed. Very dangerous situation.
The contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape. While driving at any speed, the rear of the vehicle made a loud abnormal noise. The contact noticed that the strut was on the inside of the vehicle and the shocks entered the passenger compartment. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The sub-frame rusted through causing both front wheels to toe out and also to camber in at the top. The ABS warning light also triggered. The steering now pulls to the left and there is tire squeel even on gradual right hand turns. There is a recall for this exact problem for the Ford Escape model years 2001-2004. It is obvious that this same problem exists for this model year 2005 Ford Escape. I verified that my VIN was not covered in the recall. I then called Ford to see if they would remedy the problem as it was obvious that this was the same problem as in their other recall - they said they couldn't help. This is a low mileage, well maintained vehicle so it should be obvious that the sub-frame is faulty.
Ford Escape 2005 passenger rear tire wheel well rusted away where the shock absorber mount bolts onto frame and now the shock absorber mount has nothing to bolt onto anymore. Shock absorber mount is not attached to frame anymore and now hits the frame of the SUV make very loud knocking sounds.
Driving to work on Aug 3, 2015, I heard loud rattling and clanking from the rear of my 2005 Ford Escape. Thinking that it was my tools on the back, I remove them the tools, but the rattling persisted. I walked around and did a visual inspection, and saw nothing wrong with the driver side suspension or wheel well area. The passenger side wheel well, however, had a large hole where the shock mount should have been attached to the body. This seems to be a problematic area for many owners of my year make and model vehicle and I find it interesting that Ford will verbally admit that this is an issue, though will not explain in writing why nothing has been done to correct the problem and make their vehicles safe to be driven. Ford will be notified by way of their internal complaint forms of this issue.
Why is it that NHTSA is ignoring all the complaints about the Ford Escape vehicles from 2003 to 2007 in regards to the right rear fender well and shock mounts that are rusting out in which this is a safety issue where as the shock could hit the inner wheel of the right rear tire" no recalls from Ford or NHTSA on this issue, but you can clearly see from the attached video that there is a major concern for safety of these vehicles on the right rear side. Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=9_ozk8igk5S repairs are costing the consumers on these vehicles nearly $2000 dollars or more at the auto body repair shop. How can Ford do this on these vehicles and current models. I have a 2011 Ford Escape and it is starting to rust out in the same place. Why?????????????????" make Ford recall these vehicle and pay for these repairs. Instead of the consumer having to get raked over the coals from the auto body shops or your local Ford dealer.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Tallahassee, FL, USA