NHTSA Complaint #10543596 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

THIS SAFETY ISSUE REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION BY BOTH THE NHTSA AND FORD: 61 NHTSA COMPLAINTS FILED TO DATE: '04- 16; '05- 45. VEHICLE TAKEN TO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. SERVICE NOTIFIED THAT A FORWARD LOWER BALL JOINT WAS FAILING, NO OTHER DEFECTS WERE NOTED IN THE DETAILED VISUAL INSPECTION. IT WAS REPLACED TWO DAYS LATER. THE FOLLOWING DAY OF THE REPAIR, ON A DAILY COMMUTE BETWEEN TOL TO DTW, THE RIGHT REAR SHOCK TOWER SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH. VEHICLE BEGAN DOG-TRACKING. INITIAL INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL THE HIDDEN DAMAGE CAUSED BY CORROSION AT THE WELDED SEAMS OF THE INNER WHEEL WELL DUE TO AN UNDERBODY COATING. UPON REMOVING THE UNDERCOATING, VERY EASILY BY HAND, TWO LARGE SECTIONS REMOVED, REVEALED THE SHOCK WAS PENETRATING THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS NO LONGER BEING STRUCTURALLY SUPPORTED BY THE VEHICLES UNI-BODY FRAME. THE LARGE SECTIONS REMOVED WOULD HAVE CAUSED TIRE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS BY PUNCTURE OR HAZARD TO OTHER FOLLOWING VEHICLES. THE SEPARATION OF THE SHOCK TOWER FROM THE BODY, DID CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO JERK AT THE TIME OF FAILURE, CREATING A LOUD POPPING SOUND AND CAUSING POTENTIAL HAZARD AS THE VEHICLE STEERED INTO OTHER LANES OF TRAFFIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70 MPH). THE VEHICLE IS RENDERED INOPERABLE DUE TO THE CATASTROPHIC NATURE OF THE FAILURE. LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP STATES THEY ARE UNCOMFORTABLE REPAIRING THE STRUCTURE AND NOT AWARE OF ANY MANUFACTURE RECALLS. IN CONTACTING THEIR SISTER DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED THIS DEFECT, AND CONTINUED ON STATING THIS FAILURE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2004 - 2006 ESCAPES. THE FAILED PANEL IS AVAILABLE, P/N:PART 7L827827886A. A REINFORCEMENT PIECE IS ALSO AVAILABLE. SEE EXAMPLE PICTURE HERE: HTTP://IMAGESHACK.US/A/IMG854/6430/WHEELWELL2.JPG FACEBOOK SITE CONCERNING THIS SAFETY ISSUE: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/PAGES/2005-FORD-ESCAPE-2004-2006/397923900236108. *TR