2011 Ford Escape Suspension Problems

While driving down road, vehicle suddenly pulled right and started shaking the steering wheel and started making grinding noises. The steering wheel was now off by several degrees in order to drive straight. Luckily this occurred at a low speed and not at highway speed. If this was at 70 miles per hour it probably would have resulted in accident. Pulled to side of road and noticed right wheel out of alignment. After getting vehicle home looked under vehicle and discovered the end of the subframe where lower A arm mounts has rusted thru and cracked. This had the potential to be a really bad accident. Hard to believe a 2011 Ford Escape with only 93000 miles has cracked subframe.

Top of wheel well around shock absorber broke off due to rust as well a frame disintegrating due to rust. When shock broke free part of wheel well lodged behind the tire and destroyed the brand new tire.

The front subframe on the passenger side is rusted through. I have also heard this part referred to as the engine cradle. I noticed while changing the serpentine belt and had it looked at by a mechanic. Took it to Midas and mechanic said front subframe should to be replaced but couldn't get the part. I researched this online and found it to be a common problem. People say it may be from AC water discharge due to occurring mostly on passenger side only. The uploaded images are of my own vehicle. Apparently people say these snap and the car takes a hard right turn when the wheel comes loose. I guess all the people that die don't post anything so the government isn't taking this issue seriously... Uploaded images are of my own vehicle. I'm also including youtube links of other people's similar year/make, same model issue as 2011 Ford Escape with the same issue. The first one is apparently by a Ford mechanic, fixing his mom's vehicle because he doesn't want her to die. I'm a [XXX], discovered this on Veterans Day 2024. Survived combat, but will this faulty vehicle kill me? Needs manufacturer recall, myself and many others have no choice but to drive it. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact's father owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her father was driving at an undisclosed speed, the suspension of the vehicle collapsed, and the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the front passenger's side axle had fractured and had bent the front passenger's side wheel. The independent mechanic advised that the vehicle be replaced rather than repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. No further information was provided. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Had my Escape in for an oil change and was informed that the engine cradle (Front Sub Frame) was rusting out. Took it to a second shop and was instructed that is need to be fixed in the month or it is going to drop when I am driving sometime. The estimated cast is from $1,500 to over $2,000. That is a huge cost for me and I am not sure how I am going to afford that. I look up and it seems to be happens to a lot of 2011 escape owners and need to be looked into. It could cost someone there life.

Sub frame rotted out on passenger side, causing passenger side control arm to become dislodged which resulted in lost control of car! Could have resulted in major accident and or death at higher speed! Entire family in car.

I took my vehicle to Chenango Ford to have its NYS Inspection done. After a few minutes the representative at the Ford dealership came out to tell me that the Front Subframe had a rusted hole (Rusted Out) and it would cost me $4800.00 to repair the vehicle. I was able to drive the vehicle home and have filed a complaint with Ford Motor Company the representative I spoke with is Case Number: [XXX] Patricia Johnson Phone Number: (866)631-3788 Extension: 79606 At this time I am left with a well maintained vehicle that is no longer usable due to safety issues caused by I believe faulty engineering and vehicle design. As a Disabled person on a limited income I now have lost a major means of transportation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Front sub frame rusting through that could potentially result in the control arms breaking away from the sub frame and the driver losing control of the vehicle. No incident has occurred from this, but could if not inspected and found. This was found by an independent service center. No warning lamps

Sub frame rotting out, lower control arms. Know issue with A/C leaking onto frame cause extreme rust. This can/will cause loss of control when driving. Purchased used and was not made aware of the issue and unknown history.

Subframe rusted only on passenger side front where the weld is to hold/ support the passenger front wheel. It snapped and wheel was completely free/ had no control over it and causing the front axle to snap.

I found a piece of rusted metal on my garage floor. After having both my mechanic and the man who did earlier body work on this vehicle it was found that the shock tower is rusted. To the extent that the driver's side back wheel is leaning into the fuel line. Making my Escape unsafe to drive. There are many Youtube videos that discuss this problem. So, this is not an isolated case. This is a safety concern that should lead Ford to recall and repair the Escape that this affects.

The engine cradle mount that holds the lower control arm failed because of severe rot but only one mount is rotted, very localized. Have picture of failed piece. The broken mount cause the passenger side front tire to move independently from the drive side wheel and makes it have hard to steer straight. Called dealer and it’s a very well known problem, you guys did a recall with early models and all ford did was put a brace in and didn’t address the extreme rot in the engine cable. Has not been inspected by anyone but picture shows the issue, problem exist on passenger side only

The contact's significant other owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where he was informed that the front passenger’s side subframe was severely corroded. The independent mechanic informed him to no longer drive the vehicle due to the failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

1.) Front suspension cradle system causing the steering wheel to cocked to one side is what failed and pictures have been uploaded for inspection. 2.) This could have been a lot worst had this happened going down the freeway as my wife and I travel a lot. 3.) Not that I am aware of 4.) No it was only inspected by the Brown Motors Dealership 5.) There were no warning lamps before the incident happened.

Our escape failed Pennsylvania state inspection due to the front subframe (engine cradle) rusting and cracking at the attachment points with the control arms. Our mechanic invited us to come into his garage and inspect the problem. Upon our personal inspection to the problem we noticed holes, cracks and bending at and near these joints. Our mechanic told us that this problem is a common occurance on the Ford escapes. This item was the first thing he checked in the inspection process. My wife had new tires put on in April. also new control arms were put on to get it lined up at another shop, so apparently they were bad at that time. I checked with one Ford dealer and they said there was no recall for this issue. My wife contacted the Ford dealer where we bought the vehicle and found out the part (subframe) was on back order for weeks. Also both Ford dealers appear to farm out this type of repairs to body shops. After reviewing this issue on line and to find a path forward for repairs I started to find out the extent of the issue with the Ford Escape front frame problems. I did see where a fix to the frame for earlier Escapes was approved for ford to just put a bar from one side of the frame to the other and we’re drilling and attaching to corroded material that should not have been allowed. I feel Ford should be held accountable for the proper repairs to our vehicle as well as the many others and not just try to cover up the fact that this is a major defect in the escapes. The major damage is to the right side frame area of our vehicle but the left side is breaking apart also. The left axil to transmission seal is leaking most likely due to the right side frame bending. We were fortunate in that we did find this before the wheel fell off and someone didn’t get hurt or worse. This repair will most likely be expensive. The part involved is a major structural part to the vehicle. The Frame that holds it together!

WHILE DOING THE LAST SEVERAL SERVICES ON MY ESCAPE, I'VE NOTICED THE FRONT CRADLE/CROSSMEMBER SEVERELY RUSTED, BUT NOT RUSTED THROUGH. ON THIS LAST SERVICE,(10/22/19) I NOTICED TWO SPOTS RUSTED THROUGH, VERY SIMILAR TO THE RECALL ON THE PREVIOUS BODY ESCAPES.

LOUD RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. BELIEVED TO BE STRUTS, SWAY BAR, OR SWAY BAR LINKS. ONLY HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION ON ALL TYPES OF TERRAIN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE FAULTY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE WHEELS SHOOK AND AFFECTED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,500.

SUSPENSIONS ON BACK WHEELS MAKES A TAPPING SOUND AND AFFECTS THE SPRINGS OF THE BALANCE OF THE SUV, CAUSING THE TIRES TO TO WEAR OUT OR DOWN INCONSISTENTLY. POSSIBLY CAUSING TIRES OR STEERING WHEEL TO CAUSE ACCIDENT.

WENT TO THE DEALER, [XXX] , TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY TOLD ME MY MAINE STATE INSPECTION WAS DUE. THE INSPECTION FAILED DUE TO CORROSION ON THE LEFT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING. THERE IS A RECALL ON EARLIER ESCAPE MODELS, BUT MY 2011 MODEL WAS NOT COVERED. IT COST ME AROUND 600 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. IF EARLIER MODELS HAD THIS PROBLEM WHY ARE CONSUMERS PAYING FOR THE SAME REPAIR ON NEWER MODELS? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,500.