There are 13 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2009 Ford Escapein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WENT TO TRADE IN MY CAR AND WAS INFORMED THAT FRAME BEHIND FRONT DRIVER SIDE IS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH. MEANING THE BODY COULD DETACH FROM FRAME OR SOMETHING ELSE DANGEROUS COULD HAPPEN. THIS IS MY ONLY CAR AND NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT.
Driving at 40mph the front right wheel collapsed due to the sub frame failure (rusted out and separated}. I understand that Ford did not treat the frame member for rust properly causing catastrophic failure. Fortunately it did not cause an accident or personal injury. Talking to my mechanic he said it is a common problem in 2004-2012 Ford Escapes, Mercury Mariners,and Masda Tributes.
Was informed during inspection the subframe is rusted very badly and could fail. In doing research the 2009 Ford escape has had these recalled for this specific reason that the subframe components were not properly coated causing rust and failure. My VIN isn't on the list after speaking to Ford. My next step is to address you to see if it needed to get added as it is exact nature of the original 2006 subframe recall that mine is not a part of yet needs to be
I started to hear a grinding and cracking and popping sound I checked the vehicle and the front left ball joint is bad there is an obvious crack in the joint that is easily visible when inspecting the area of the front left wheel and it’s components
THE FRAME/ENGINE CRADLE HAS RUSTED OUT BY THE PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE RUSTED AREA IS CURRENTLY ABOUT SIX INCHES WIDE BY 2+ INCHES IN HEIGHT. LUCKILY, THIS WAS NOTICED WHILE I WAS CHANGING THE OIL.
AUTO CREDIT NEVER FIXED THE RECALLS. *TR
HOY EN LA MAANA CAMBI LA RUEDA DE REPUESTO Y RESULTA QUE LA GATA SE AISL, CAY, VENTAJOSAMENTE NO ESTUVE BAJO EL VEHICULO, LA GATA NO SIRVE AHORA, PUDE HABER MUERTO A CAUSA DE ESTA FALLA DE FABRICA DEL ARTEFACTO. TERRIBLE EL PROBLEMA , EXIJO UNA SOLUCION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS MAY HAVE PREMATURELY FRACTURED AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE HAS DIFFICULTY GETTING ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ACCELERATE ON THE HIGHWAY, THIS IS A DAILY STRUGGLE. YESTERDAY I WAS TRYING TO PASS AN 18-WHEELER AS IT WAS DRIFTING INTO MY LANE; AS I EAGERLY PRESSED ON THE GAS MY CAR JUMPED AND CONTINUED TO COAST AT THE SAME SPEED. EARLIER THIS MONTH, I HAD TO DECELERATE FROM 40 MPH TO A FAIRLY ABRUPT STOP AND MY CAR WAS UNABLE TO. I JUST HAD MY BRAKE PADS REPLACED SO I KNEW THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, MY CAR JOLTED A TOTAL OF 7 TIMES BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS GOING TO FALL APART, THE RATTLING COMING FROM THE SUSPENSION IS CONSTANT. I GET MY FORD ESCAPE CHECKED UP EVERY MONTH, BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD TO MY SAFETY, AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IN THIS ROLLING PLASTIC DEATH TRAP. IT'S INFURIATING THAT THE GOVERNMENT CLAIMS A DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY TO BE NOT HARMFUL ENOUGH TO HAVE A RECALL. I COULD HAVE DIED FROM IN BOTH INSTANCES WHICH I SPECIFIED IN THIS COMPLAINT, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT BRAKES EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PERMANENT REMEDY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANICS BLED THE BRAKE LINES AND REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER THREE TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15E045000 (SUSPENSION). TUSCALOOSA FORD (5801 MCFARLAND BLVD E, TUSCALOOSA, AL 35405, (205) 304-0719) STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THERE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I HAD TAKEN MY SUV IN FOR A ROUTINE, ANNUAL INSPECTION AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY ISSUES AS I HAVE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE COMPLETED ON THE CAR IN ADDITION TO TAKING IT BACK TO FORD TO FIX THE VARIOUS RECALL/SAFETY ITEMS, THE LAST OF WHICH WAS < 6 MONTHS PRIOR. MY MECHANIC CALLED TO ELL ME THE STRUTS AND SHOCKS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED AND AT THE POINT OF DISINTEGRATION; THE CAR NOT ONLY WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT A COSTLY REPAIR ($1419.08) BUT PRESENTED AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD TO DRIVE EVEN 2 BLOCKS BACK TO MY HOUSE OR A FEW MILES TO THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC FURTHER ADVISED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE HE HAS SEEN REPEATEDLY WITH FORDS AT ABOUT THE 5 MARK. HE FURTHER SHARED THAT IN THE LAST CASE WHICH HE HAD TO REPAIR, THE PARTS HAD DISINTEGRATED WHILE THE OWNER WAS DRIVING AND BLEW OUT HIS TIRES. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE DRIVER WAS INJURED OR IF THE VEHICLE CRASHED. I DO KNOW THAT I AM VERY GLAD MY VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE ISSUE IDENTIFIED BEFORE I MET WITH THE SAME FATE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT AT THE DEALER LEVEL, THE REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE BY PHONE AND HAVE EMAILED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE (GENERAL AS WELL AS REGIONAL) AND HAVE ONLY HAD ONE GROUP POINT THE FINGER AT THE OTHER IN TERMS OF WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST. BEYOND THE COST OF REPAIRS, I SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE I HOPE SOMEONE WILL INVESTIGATE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF POOR QUALITY PARTS. I AM 53 YEARS OLD; I DO NOT NOR HAVE I EVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD. IF THERE IS SNOW, I DO NOT DRIVE AN WORK FROM HOME. I DO NOT RECALL THE LAST TIME I WAS WITHIN 50 MILES OF AN OCEAN IN THE SUV SO I AM NOT CERTAIN WHAT WOULD CAUSE A FAILURE OF SUCH MAGNITUDE ASIDE FROM POOR QUALITY. *TR
REAR SWAYBAR SUBFRAME MOUNT BRACKET DETACHED FROM SUBFRAME WELDING. FAULTY WELDING IS THE DEFECT AND CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
IN FEBRUARY 2012 (MILEAGE APPROX 32900), I EXPERIENCED JERKING UPON ACCELERATING AS MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE WAS CHANGING GEARS. THE DEALER ASSESSED IT AS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH JERKING UPON ACCELERATING SINCE. THEN, ON 10/20/2012 (MILEAGE APPROX 38000), THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN MY WIFE WAS ACCELERATING TO ENTER TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THANKFULLY, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT GETTING HIT, AND SHE AND OUR 18 MONTH OLD ARE OK. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY. NOT ONLY WAS ACCELERATION A PROBLEM, THE SEALS ON THE FRONT AXLE BROKE AND SPILLED AXLE FLUID ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, SO THE DEALER IS REFILLING THE AXLE FLUID AND REPLACING THE SEALS. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026