NHTSA Complaint #10724921 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET AND HIT A SMALL BUMP AND HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE ON THE RIGHT REAR OF MY VEHICLE. I THEN THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD NOT SHUT THE BACK DOOR OR BACK HATCH PROPERLY. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND OPENED AND SHUT BOTH AND RESUMED DRIVING TO WORK. I CONTINUED TO HEAR THE BANGING NOISE AS I DROVE AND WAS VERY CONCERNED. UPON ARRIVING AT WORK I ASKED A CO-WORKER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT FOR ME. IT WAS THEN THAT HE POINTED OUT TO ME THE RIGHT REAR UPPER SHOCK MOUNT WAS ONLY HANGING ON BY A SMALL PIECE OF RUSTED METAL AND MY ENTIRE WHEEL WELL HAD ROTTED AWAY AND I COULD SEE THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE. WE LOOKED AT THE REST OF THE WHEELS AND THERE WAS NO RUST AT ALL ON ANY OTHER WHEEL WELL. I FEEL VERY UN-SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, AS I HAVE CHILDREN AND I ALSO AM REQUIRED TO DRIVE CLIENTS AROUND FOR WORK. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND WAS BAFFLED AT THE AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS. I WAS ALSO BAFFLED BY THE FACT THAT IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN PRIMARILY TO 2005 AND IT IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL THAT IS AFFECTED. I WENT TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP AND AS SOON AS I TOLD THEM THE MAKE/MODEL AND YEAR OF MY VEHICLE, THEY STATED "LET ME GUESS...RIGHT REAR UPPER SHOCK MOUNT" AND IT WILL COST $1200 TO FIX. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL OR NOTIFICATION ON THIS AS I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO AND AM STILL PAYING ON IT. THE SAD FACT IS THAT I AM UNABLE TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR AND DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM GOING TO DO FOR TRAVEL FOR WORK AND MY CHILDREN. I NOW AM PAYING ON A VEHICLE THAT IS JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. HAD I KNOWN OR WAS TOLD OF THIS RECURRING ISSUE, I WOULD HAVE PURCHASED A DIFFERENT VEHICLE, BUT THEN AGAIN WHY WOULD FORD DO THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THEM LOSING MONEY; INSTEAD IT IS THE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE AT A LOSE. *TR