Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 16046 | 07/01/2002 | 636245 | Some vehicles may exhibit a rear shock leak and / or noise condition. *tt | 11/07/2002 | |
| 16016 | 07/01/2002 | 636204 | Some vehicles may exhibit a clicking noise heard on left or right hand turns coming from the front suspension. *tt | 11/06/2002 | |
| 16154 | 08/01/2002 | 636171 | Some vehicles with aluminum wheels may exhibit a clicking noise heard coming from the front of the vehicle during left or right hand turns. *tt | 11/06/2002 | |
| 14982 | 06/01/2001 | 622692 | Information regarding alignment specifications. *tt | 10/22/2001 | |
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||||
| 16696 | 03/01/2003 | 10001942 | Whining / propeller / helicopter type noise from front wheel / knuckle bearing area. *tt *jb | 07/28/2003 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 01/23/2013 | 56000 | ||
| 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 theat the control arm seperated 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 seperates you can have a major accident and cause injuries or even death. | |||
| 01/18/2013 | 153000 | 1 | |
| 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 a major auto collision and maybe even causing my escape to roll over. this to me seems to be a very dangerous flaw in the design and construction of the subframe and i am very fortunate this did not happen on the highway. it could have caused major damage and even death to innocent people. *tr | |||
| 01/18/2013 | 153000 | ||
| 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 a major auto collision and maybe even causing my escape to roll over. this to me seems to be a very dangerous flaw in the design and construction of the subframe and i am very fortunate this did not happen on the highway. it could have caused major damage and even death to innocent people | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 154131 | 1 | |
| 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 unuseable. 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 i had purchased at the time of buying the vehicle was no avail. i contacted ford and was told that if there is no recall then there is no problem !! sorry but it was a very expensive fix and i believe ford should make good on this. how many injuries are required before someone takes notice ?? the repair bill was $ 1160.96. i had only owned the vehicle for 7 months at that time. it still has many payments to be made before it is payed off. it would appear that the air conditioning drain runs down this area causing it perhaps ? just an observation from a running vehicle identical to mine. any help would be appreciated on this matter and hopefully it gets resolved before any fatalities happen if they haven't already !! thank you ! *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 154131 | ||
| 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 unuseable. 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 i had purchased at the time of buying the vehicle was no avail. i contacted ford and was told that if there is no recall then there is no problem !! sorry but it was a very expensive fix and i believe ford should make good on this. how many injuries are required before someone takes notice ?? the repair bill was $ 1160.96. i had only owned the vehicle for 7 months at that time. it still has many payments to be made before it is payed off. it would appear that the air conditioning drain runs down this area causing it perhaps ? just an observation from a running vehicle identical to mine. any help would be appreciated on this matter and hopefully it gets resolved before any fatalities happen if they haven't already !! thank you ! | |||
| 09/27/2012 | 49500 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 09/07/2012 | 147000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 09/07/2012 | 147000 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 79000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 05/07/2012 | 160000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated that the front passenger side wheel well and the sub fram had rusted out. the contact was informed by their mechanic that the vehicle was not safe to drive. the vehicle had not been inspected by the dealer. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 160,000. sm. | |||
| 05/07/2012 | 160000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2002 ford escape. the contact stated the front passenger side wheel well and the sub fram have rusted out. the contact was told by their mechanic that the vehicle is not safe to drive. the vehicle had not been inspected by the dealer. the vin was not available. the failure mileage and current mileages were 160,000.rl | |||
| 20000 | 3 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 12/12/2003 | 29000 | 4 | 10/01/2003 |
| 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 | |||
| 06/15/2002 | 4 | 05/01/2002 | |
| The suv vibrates at 50 plus mph. dealer attempting to correct, unable to pin point problem. considering the lemon law at this time. dt | |||
| 07/02/2002 | |||
| There is a roaring sound and a grinding in front left side. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |||
| 11/04/2004 | 2 | 05/17/2002 | |
| Front end troubles with ford escape 02 xlt. constant noises coming from the front. dealer changed stability bar, engine mounts and now need to change tie rods and fix steering wheel noise but there is no fix as of yet per the dealership. car is only driven on suburban roads and never been off road.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 06/05/2008 | 80000 | ||
| No events leading to this... it just started about 2 yrs ago summer of 08. clunking noise in the front of car. can be felt by the steering wheel (which also has the squeeking problem). occurs only when the temperature outside is warm. went to the ford dealer several times complaining of this... never was able to recreate the problem. finally had both left and right arm assembly link, bolt, hex for front suspension replaced jun 09. on sept 09 noise returned and had everything tightened, lubed. problem went away until again the weather warmed up then is now back worse than ever. not only when turning the wheel but when driving straight. | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 71000 | 1 | |
| Front knocking noise. has been present since we first bought the car new. many mechanics, including the ford dealer, could not find the problem. brakes, transmission, and struts were checked or replaced. the knocking persisted. on 8/15/08, the ball joint failed as my wife was traveling at 45 mph around a corner causing the driver side wheel to flop at a 90 degree angle. steering was impossible. luckily, my wife was able to get the car stopped safely without out any life threatening consequences. ford escape 2002 xlt. *tr | |||
| 04/06/2007 | 3 | 10/01/2002 | |
| In april 2007, i took my 2002 ford escape because of constant clicking noise that i heard coming from the left front side of the car for about 3 months. i was told that it was my sway bar end link, but the right side. the left end link had been replaced in april 2006, so i had to pay for the right end link to be replaced. the clicking noise persists. now, the dealer is saying that it is the right lower control arm that is making the noise and i must have done something to it, even though it is the same noise and started only 2 days after being serviced. also, the car has stalled twice. the front brake rotors have been replaced twice and needs a third replacement. the transmission has been replaced. the air bag light comes on intermittently and remains on for months at a time; started in 2004. the windows and door locks have been serviced for intermittently not working three times before the problem was resolved. | |||
| 01/05/2007 | 45500 | 1 | 03/06/2002 |
| Tl*- the contact stated that on 01/05/06 while driving her 2002 ford escape at 10 mph. the vehicle made a loud noise. when she tried to stop the vehicle she applied the brakes, but the vehicle didn't come to an immediate stop. the contact stated that the brake pedal had to be pushed to the floor. the vehicle continued to make a loud noise that sounded like the something loose. the contact did take the vehicle to her mechanic, but before reaching the mechanic her abs light turned on. the contact stated that the mechanic told her that the reluctor ring had failed and that the vehicle needed the left front axle assembly replaced. *jb updated 03/19/07. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2002 | 1 | 10/01/2001 | |
| 2002 ford escape. while making low speed turns, clicking nosie coming from front end wheel well area. clicking nosie sounds like rotatining parts are binding. frequency of the clicking sound is directly related to vehicle speed (the slower the speed, the longer the time between each sucessive click). the sound occurs with either right or left turns, but is much more noticable while turning left. this clicking is not a healthy sound and i am worried about a failure of the affected parts.*ak | |||
| 07/05/2002 | 50 | 05/01/2002 | |
| My 2002 ford escape was less than two months old and had less than 1000 miles when i returned to the dealer for repair. i hear a loud continuous clicking noise when i turn the steering wheel to the right. ford has issued a special service message (#16016) describing this problem with 2001-2002 escapes. they have no solution and dealer will not attempt to repair car. i am concerned for my daughter and my safety when driving the car. ford needs a recall to repair these cars.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 03/14/2003 | 4 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford escape. at 15,000 miles my engine blew. two weeks earlier my sister who also has a 2002 ford escape lost her engine at 35,000 miles. since then the car has been back for three rounds of repairs to the engine, the ball bearings, the power steering, and the coolant. this car is dangerous!*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 03/14/2003 | 4 | ||
| I have a 2002 ford escape. at 15,000 miles my engine blew. two weeks earlier my sister who also has a 2002 ford escape lost her engine at 35,000 miles. since then the car has been back for three rounds of repairs to the engine, the ball bearings, the power steering, and the coolant. this car is dangerous!*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - HUB | |||
| 10/20/2006 | 88000 | 1 | 05/08/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while parked in the driveway for one day, the vehicle caught on fire. the fire extinguished itself. the vehicle was driven to the dealer who replaced the abs module and a wiring harness. updated 01/17/07. *jb the consumer stated the abs light illuminated and stayed on until the abs module was replaced. the right front wheel bearing was replaced. | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 01/18/2005 | 27000 | 2 | |
| Vehicle had a sound when being driven. consumer took the vehicle to dealer to see where the sound was coming from. dealer discovered that front wheel bearings, brakes, and rotors needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 03/30/2004 | 1 | 07/22/2002 | |
| Both of the front bearing have had to be replaced in my 2002 ford escape. i bought the vehicle with only 15,000 miles. it now only has 48,000 miles. i believe there is a defect in the bearings. my vehicle also tries to stall while i'm driving. i did not realize this was such a problem. i believe this should be addressed by ford.*ak | |||