CarComplaints.com Notes: With solid trends of engine failure — $4,500 to fix at 85,000 miles avg — AND transmission failure — $3,000 to fix at 75,000 miles avg — we can't recommend the 2006 Ford Escape to anyone except your worst enemy.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
88,044 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.
Went change the shocks and the whole bracket system had rusted out on the passenger side rear. They have recalled these from 2001-2004. It is fine on the drivers side but the passenger side it totally rusted thru it is going to cost 3000 to fix. I have only had this vehicle a year. It made a clunk noise twice so I took it in to the shop, I am driving two kids around I am a single mom suck crap.
Rear passenger wheel well completely rusted out. Suspension not mounted to vehicle now, and hammers bottom of interior when going over any bump in the road. Every other wheel well is fine. All mechanics I have spoken with, including a Ford certified body shop will not touch the issue and advised me to scrap the vehicle.
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.
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.
The contact owns a 2006 Ford Escape. While driving at approximately 5 mph, there was a loud bump from the rear passenger side. The contact observed rust on the rear tire. The failure recurred continuously, causing the vehicle to become inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the shock absorber needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 85,000....updated 02/03/16; updated 4/6/18 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired.
- Blairstown , NJ, USA
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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.
My rear passenger wheel well is completely rusted out. This is the only one affected. The strut mount is lose and is going to fall off. I can no longer drive my vehicle. It is very unsafe for my son and I to drive and ride in. There has been numerous complaints and there needs to be a recall before someone is seriously injured or killed.
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.
We heard a loud bank noise coming from the rear passenger side. Upon inspection by an independent dealer the rear shock absorber had become detached from the body due to body rust. This is a recurring issue with Ford Escapes and a recall was issued on the 2000 to 2004 models. There were several similar complaints noted on the NHTSA website for 2005. Our vehicle is a 2006 model but has the same issue. When will Ford act with integrity, step up and fix this issue.
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 rear wheel well of my 2006 Ford Escape has rusted completely away, where you can see into the inside of the car from the outside. It is causing a constant rattling and a horrible clunking noise every time I go over a bump.checking online, I see that this has been a problem for some time now and the shock has completely separated from the vehicle. Ford has always been a company to stand behind their vehicles, so I imagine it will only be a matter of time before a recall is issued, but someone needs to do something about this now before there are fatalities involved.
My right wheel well has rusted out completely and the inside compartment is now open to the outside. There is a terrible, constant rattling noise and a horrible clunking noise every time I go over a bump.
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.
The rear shock mount failed due to rust. This appears to be a common problem with Ford Escapes built in the years 2005 and 2006. It seems this failure is a design flaw. Ford refuses to pay for the cost of repair. When the failure occurred the vehicle was no long operable. I had to have the car towed to the repair shop.
I was driving home going about 45mph and all of a sudden I hear a loud noise coming from the left rear of the vehicle. Though it could have been the tire, so I pulled over to check and the shock is completely rusted and apart.
The right rear fender wall has totally rusted out to the point the shock is not even attached to the frame. Internet search has shown this is happening on many many of these 2004-2006 Ford Escapes. We we're lucky to discover the defect before someone was hurt.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Cadillac, MI, USA