NHTSA Complaint #10459364 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

FOR OVER A YEAR I HAVE BEEN HEARING A RATTLING SOUND BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, FIGURED A SCREW WAS LOOSE IN THE PANELLING CAUSING A VIBRATION. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD SERVICE CENTER NUMEROUS TIMES COMPLAINING OF NOISE, THEY SAID THEY WOULD BALANCE THE TIRES AND CHECK THE BRAKES, BUT NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT WHEEL WELL RUSTING THROUGH. THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL IS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND THE STRUT IS LOOSE DUE TO THE RUST DAMAGE THAT IS CONTINUING TO GROW. I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN INVESTIGATING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TRYING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SOUND, I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO AUTO BODY SHOP ON 5/22/2012 AT 11:33 AM AND THEY WERE STUNNED TO SEE THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE APPRAISER CAME OUT AND TOOK PICTURES AND LOOKED AT IT. AFTER LOOKING IT OVER HE TURNED TO ME AND ASKED ME HOW OLD THE VEHICLE IS, I SAID IT IS A 2004. HE SAID, "I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE." HE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT MUST BE A FACTORY DEFECT. HE SAID WHEN FORD WAS PUTTING THE COATING ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL, THEY MUST NOT HAVE COATED IT ENOUGH AND MOISTURE GOT INSIDE CAUSING IT TO RUST. HE WENT BACK INSIDE AND ONE OF THE GUYS FROM THE SHOP HAPPENED TO BE INSIDE, SO HE CAME AND LOOKED AT IT AND SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN BEFORE EITHER AND HE HAS BEEN DOING BODY WORK FOR 25 YEARS! HE ALSO SAID IT IS POSSIBLY BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE, BECAUSE THE STRUT IS COMING LOOSE, DUE TO THE RUSTING OUT FROM AROUND THE STRUT. THIS MOVEMENT OF THE STRUT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH HANDLING, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AROUND CORNERS. HE GRABBED THE STRUT AND IT SHOOK EASILY BY HAND. I HAVE NOTICED THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT WHENEVER I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS WIND PULLING ME, BUT IT IS HAPPENING MORE OFTEN. I CALLED FORD, BUT THEY SAID WARANTY RAN OUT, CANT HELP YOU. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT