2002 FORD ESCAPE Suspension Problems

THE SUBFRAME WAS SO BADLY RUSTED THAT THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE SUBFRAME. I FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH FORD ESCAPES. AND IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN AT THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER AREA. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS FLAW, AND ONE THAT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IF THE FAILURE HAPPENS AT HIGH SPEED. I THINK THE FORD RANGER FRAMES WERE RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR RUSTING ISSUE, PERHAPS THE TWO ARE RELATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PROMPT ATTENTION. *TR

TO START OFF THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE WHEN YOU PUSH THE CLUTCH IN IT DIES AND YOU LOOSE ALL POWER , ANOTHER IS THE BUSHING IN THE CONTROL ARM SLIPPED OUT OF THE ARM MOUNT SO I HAD TO REPLACE IT AND ANOTHER THAT JUST HAPPENED IS THE GAS TANK STRAP AND SUPPORT PAN BROKE AND PLASTIC GAS TANK HIT THE GROUND ON ONE END AND THE OTHER IS GRINDING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT. AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP WONT FIX ANYTHING CAUSE IT AIN'T CONSIDERED POWERTRAIN. *TR

WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND THE TIRE FELL SIDEWAYS. CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK AND THE GARAGE CALLED AND SAID THE SUBFRAME WAS SO BADLY RUSTED THAT THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE SUBFRAME. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LITTLE MILEAGE COULD RUST SO BAD. FORD SHOULD SERIOUSLY LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IF YOUR TRAVELING @ A HIGH SPEED AND THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATES YOU CAN HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND CAUSE INJURIES OR EVEN DEATH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE SUDDENLY MADE A CLUNKING SOUND THEN SUDDENLY STOPPED. I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OR MOVE IT FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I EXITED THE CAR AND LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE AND IT SEEMED FINE . I THEN WENT OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SAW THAT MY WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY TURNED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I FIGURED THAT I PROBABLY BROKE A TIE ROD. I CALLED AAA TO HAVE THE AUTO TOWED TO A LOCAL SERVICE STATION. WHEN THE TOW DRIVER ARRIVED HE TOOK A LOOK AT MY ESCAPE AND SAID THAT MY SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT IT HAD SEPARATED IN TWO. BY DOING THAT MY WHEEL AXLE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. HIS OPINION WAS THAT IF I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND THIS HAD HAPPENED IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CAUSED...

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 FORD ESCAPE AND COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. AFTER I STOPPED, I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND ROLLED FORWARD A FEW FEET BEFORE RE-APPLYING THE BRAKES AND THE SOUND REPEATED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. UPON INSPECTION THE FOLLOWING MORNING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY HAD RUSTED OUT COMPLETELY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HAD CAUSED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO BECOME LOOSE THUS BENDING IT AND MAKING IT UNUSABLE. I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS HAPPENED AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AND FEAR THAT IF OTHER FOLKS HAVE THIS HAPPEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED IT COULD BE A VERY BAD OUTCOME ! THIS ALLOWED MY PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TO PULL OUTWARD HENCE PULLING THE CONTROL ARM LOOSE. IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX AND THE WARRANTY...

DRIVING 15MPH DOWN HOME STREET AND HEARD A CLUNK. PUT IN REVERSE TO GET BACK TO DRIVEWAY AND RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS SIDEWAYS AND DRAGGING. AFTER CALLING LOCAL GARAGE WAS INFORMED IT WAS THE SUBFRAME THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM THAT WAS RUSTED THROUGH. ABLE TO MANEUVER CAR ONTO FRONT LAWN WHERE IT STILL SITS. *TR

FORD ESCAPE WAS MAKING SHARP JERKING MOTIONS LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS WERE GOING TO FALL OFF. IT HAPPEND RIGHT AFTER I TOOK THE ESCAPE IN TO FORD DEALER TO GET THE ABS AND ENGINE COVER RECALLS. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT CASUE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK TO LOCAL MECH IN TOWN AND HE SAID ISSUE IS THE CONTROL ARM BOLT IS SEPERATED FROM THE SUBFRAME AND IS RUSTED AWAY SO IT IS MAKING THE WHEEL WOBBLE OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING THE JERKING MOTION. WONDERING IF RECALL IS ON FORD ESCAPE FOR SUBFRAME ISSUE WHERE CONTROL ARM BOLT IS ATTACHED . SEEN MANY SAME ISSUES WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET. *TR

MY CAR HAD A LOUD SQUEAK AND CREAK WHILE DRIVING THAT CONTINUALLY GOT LOUDER OVER THE PAST WEEK... I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED THE SUB FRAME ASSEMBLY ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HAS COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY. THIS ATTACHES TO THE CONTROL ARM, AND FORD HAS NO RECALL. HE IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND SAYS THIS PART SHOULD NEVER HAVE ROTTED. HE ADVISED TO CHECK WITH FORD FOR RECALL, HOWEVER FORD DENIES ANY RECALL WITH THIS PART.. SO NO ACTION FROM FORD ABOUT A ROTTED FRAME! VEHICLE IS NOW UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS OF CONTROL ARM BECOMING UNATTACHED. *TR

WITHIN ONE MONTH OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (2002 FORD ESCAPE) THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. (SEE ODI #10051805 FOR INFORMATION REGARDING 1998 FORD RANGER COMPLAINT).*MR THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THE SAME VIBRATION PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER CONTINUED TO STATE THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, AFTER ABOUT A YEAR THEY FINALLY NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPING ON THE REAR, IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE TO THE ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT AND REAR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO NEED NEW TIRES. ALSO THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *CB *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE ENGINE WAS RUMBLING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE JUMPING AND OR KICKING. THE DEALER REPLACED ONE DEFECTIVE PART AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RUMBLING NOISE WOULD NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED BY FORD ENGINEERS. FORD DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE, BUT SAY IT WAS NOT DANGEROUS. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS AND CD'S WOULD GET STUCK IN THE CD PLAYER. *SC THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT OF ROUND, THE STABILIZER END LINKS WERE REPLACED *JB

THE SUV VIBRATES AT 50 PLUS MPH. DEALER ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT, UNABLE TO PIN POINT PROBLEM. CONSIDERING THE LEMON LAW AT THIS TIME. DT

THERE IS A ROARING SOUND AND A GRINDING IN FRONT LEFT SIDE. *AK