NHTSA Complaint #10826154 — 2003 FORD ESCAPE

0N APR 22, 2015 WHILE DRIVING FROM SHADY SPRING WV TO PRINCETON WV ON I-77 TO A DRS APPT, MY WIFE AND I NOTICED A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEH WHEN VEERING OR TURNING RIGHT. I HAD TO WORK THAT DAY AFTER I RETURNED FROM THE DR AND HAD PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEH TO A MECHANIC AFTER I GOT OFF TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON PLUTO ROAD IN SHADY SPRING, I ROUNDED A CURVE TO THE RIGHT AT 20 MPH AND SOMETHING BROKE CAUSING THE VEH TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I HAD THE VEH TOWED TO A&R SERVICE CTR IN SHADY SPRING AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT AFTERNOON THAT THE SUB FRAME BROKE/ LOWER CV JOINT HAD CAME LOOSE AND THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION COVERING THE WHOLE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEH. I NOTIFIED KC PREOWNED AUTO WHOM I HAD PURCHASED THE VEH FROM IN SEPT 2014. HE WENT TO THE MECH AND LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND CALLED ME AND STATED THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SUB FRAME THAT HAD BROKEN AND COULD BE TAKEN TO MOUNTAINEER AUTO IN BECKLEY WV FOR REPAIR. THE VEH WAS TAKEN ON APR 27 2015, AND AFTER BEING SENT TO A BODY SHOP FOR A RUSTED AND BROKEN BOLT, A NEW SUB FRAME WAS PLACED ON THE FRONT. MY WIFE PICKED IT UP ON JUN 20 2015 AND NOTICED DRIVING HOME A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT AND A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE MIDDLE OF IT. I TOOK IT BACK TO MOUNTAINEER AUTO THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD BY THE SVC REP (J T) THAT FORD WAS NOT GOING TO PUT ANYMORE MONEY IN TO THIS VEH AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. I NOTIFIED THE WV ATTY GENERAL FOR HELP AND AFTER TRYING TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE RECEIVED A LETTER THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE VEH SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY UNTIL FEB 3, 2016, WHEN I SAVED UP MONEY TO FIX IT MYSELF. I TOOK IT BACK TO MOUNTAINEER AUTO AND WAS TOLD THE CARRIAGE BEARING WAS BROKE, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION. TOOK IT TO 2 BROTHERS AND RECEIVED THE ATTACHED STATEMENT.