NHTSA Complaint #10605400 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN I STARTED HEARING LOUD BANGING NOISES FROM THE REAR OF MY ESCAPE WHENEVER I WENT OVER ANY TYPE OF BUMP. ONCE HOME, I LOOKED AROUND AND DISCOVERED THAT THE WHEELHOUSE PANEL ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ESCAPE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND DETERIORATING. THERE WERE SEVERAL LARGE HOLES IN THE METAL. THE WHEELHOUSE PANELS AROUND THE OTHER THREE WHEELS LOOK FINE WITH MINIMAL TO NO SIGNS OF RUST. I TOOK MY ESCAPE TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE DAMAGE WOULD COST ME $2,350 TO HAVE THEM FIX IT, BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT GET TO WORK ON IT FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. I CHECKED AROUND ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR 2004 - 2006 ESCAPES. I CALLED FORD AND WAS TOLD THAT NO RECALL IS UNDERWAY TO FIX WHAT, TO ME, IS A PROBLEM DUE TO SOMETHING THAT FORD WAS DOING WRONG FROM 2004 TO 2006, AND THAT FORD SHOULD STEP UP TO FIX FREE OF CHARGE. I'VE TAKEN MY ESCAPE TO SEVERAL BODY SHOPS TO RECEIVE OTHER ESTIMATES ON THE COST OF THE WORK. SEVERAL OF THOSE BODY SHOP EXPERTS SAID THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT A NINE YEAR OLD AUTO SHOULD HAVE AS MUCH RUST AND DETERIORATION AS MINE HAS, FURTHER STRENGTHENING MY BELIEF THAT THIS DUE TO A SCREW UP BY FORD. I'VE MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH ONE OF THOSE BODY SHOPS TO HAVE THE WORK DONE THIS WEEK FOR ABOUT $800, ABOUT A THIRD LESS THAN FORD WANTED ME TO PAY TO FIX THEIR SCREW UP. BEFORE THIS, I WOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED A FORD TO ANYONE. IN ADDITION TO MY ESCAPE, I'VE ALSO BOUGHT A FORD EXPLORER AND A FORD ESCORT FOR MYSELF AS WELL AS A 2003 FORD ESCAPE FOR MY DAUGHTER. BUT, IF FORD IS THE KIND OF COMPANY THAT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS MISTAKES AND WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF ITS CUSTOMERS, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER OF THEIR AUTOMOBILES. *TR