NHTSA Complaint #10631399 — 2004 FORD ESCAPE

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL. ARRIVED HOME TO INSPECT THE AREA OF CONCERN. FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SHOCK MOUNT HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL WELL DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUSTING. THIS ALLOWED THE SHOCK TO TRAVEL UPWARD STRIKING THE PLASTIC INTERIOR TRIM PANEL. THIS VEHICLE WAS GARAGE KEPT UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO. IT ALSO PASSED STATE INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS NINE MONTHS AGO. I AM NOT A MECHANICAL ENGINEER. HOWEVER, I DO NOT BELIEVE A CRITICAL SUSPENSION COMPONENT SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO SHEET METAL THAT IS PRONE TO RUST. I HAVE TAKEN THE TIME AND MADE THE EFFORT TO INSPECT SEVERAL OTHER VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS AND FIND THAT THEIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS CONNECTED TO A SOLID COMPONENT OF THE FRAME. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS AN ENGINEERED DESIGN FLAW OF A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT THAT POSSIBLY COULD RESULT IN UNSAFE HANDLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. WITH ONLY ONE REAR SHOCK ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE AN UNCONTROLLABLE REAR SWAY COULD OCCUR RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE ROLL OVER. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE, WHICH GIVEN KNOWN STATISTICS IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL CASES, I DO REQUEST A RECALL TO BE MADE. *TR