NHTSA Complaint #10593903 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING ON A RURAL CITY STREET AT 30 MPH I DECELERATED TO PREPARE TO TURN RIGHT. WHEN I BEGAN TO MAKE MY RIGHT HAND TURN I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE CAR BEGAN TO RATTLE THE CAR CAME TO A STOP WITHIN 10 FEET OF THE POP. I APPLIED A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER TO THE ENGINE TO TRY AND GET COMPLETELY OUT OF THE ROAD, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE IT WAS FACING 90 DEGREES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE CAR, AND PUSHED TO THE BACK OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE CV SHAFT HAD COME COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A LOCAL SHOP THAT DID SUB-FRAME WORK. UPON INSPECTION AT THE AUTO BODY SHOP IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE HAD ALSO BECOME DETACHED DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST FROM THE ENGINE HEATING IT UP CONSTANTLY. ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWING PARTS NEEDING REPLACEMENT: RIGHT FRONT CV SHAFT, FRONT ENGINE CRADLE, FRONT CONTROL ARM BOLTS, CONTROL ARM BUSHING, CV DRIVE AXLE, HEAVY DUTY EXHAUST CLAMPS. THE SHOP HAD TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE ENGINE CRADLE AND THE RIGHT FRONT SUB-FRAME. IF I HAD BEEN ON A HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE, AND THIS HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE PROBABLE FLIPPED, BECAUSE THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE, AND WAS PULLING TOWARDS THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THE TOTAL COST TO GET THIS REPAIRED TO A SAFE DRIVING CONDITION WAS $1352.69. *TR