NHTSA Complaint #10504850 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WELL WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE WHEEL WELL. IN ADDITION, WHENEVER THE CONTACT TRAVELED OVER A ROAD BUMP, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO BE UNFIT TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER DEEMED THE VEHICLE UNFIT TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE STRUT AND WHEEL WELL WERE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WOULD DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000. KMJ *TR THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, HE HIT A LARGE POT HOLE, AND THEN HE HEARD A HUGE BANG FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. HE THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, SO AS HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE, THE NOISE BECAME WORSE. WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME, HE OPENED THE COMPARTMENT AND FOUND THE INSIDE WAS DAMP WITH WATER. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, HE NOTICED HE COULD SEE THROUGH THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE INTO THE STREET THROUGH A NEWLY FORMED HOLE IN THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL WELL. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE REAR OF THE TIRE WELL TO ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT FORD DIDN'T WANT TO CLAIM ANY RESPONSIBILITY. THE RUST WAS IN AN AREA THAT NOBODY NOTICED, AS IT WAS BEHIND THE SEALER THAT WAS OUT IN THE TIRE WELLS OF VEHICLES IN THE NORTHCAST. FORD INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER, IT WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, AS THE SUSPENSION WAS COMPROMISED. THE STRUT WAS VERY LOOSE AND HE WITNESSED THE CRACK GET EVEN BIGGER, AS HE TRIED TO DRIVE IT BACK FROM THE DEALER. ALSO, THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE REVERSE LIGHTS FLICKERING ON AND OFF. WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED A NEW SWITCH WAS NEEDED. HE DECLINED THE REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A SYMPTOM OF THE RUST AND THE WIRES GETTING WET. UPDATED 12/04/13