Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My well maintained 2005 Escape Hybrid developed a rattling sound on July 26, 2016. At first the rattle in the right rear happened only on bumps in the road. I thought it was my car jack coming loose in its compartment. I checked that and the jack was all secured, not rattling. I continued driving home and the rattle became a banging sound, and the right rear inside wheel area started to rattle and move towards the interior as I drove. When I got home I looked around the right rear wheel well area and was shocked to see how extremely rusted it is. The other wheel wells show very little rust. I looked up the problem on a Ford owners website and found that many many other people have had this same problem. It is a safety issue because some people report that the rusted out shock absorber mount breaks loose and the vehicle body collapses onto the wheel, sending the car out of control. …
Last week while driving my 2005 Escape my right rear wheel well basically rotted out and has messed up the shock and strut assembly and knocked the tire loose causing to rub against the shock and smoke, and all you could smell was burning rubber. . As I am reading all the forums out there is see this is a very common problem and potently dangerous issue. My vehicle only has 115,200 miles on it, no way should this have happened. I bought this car used and purchased the warranty (hoping they cover repairs), my question is with so many complaints for the same issue why isn't Ford doing a recall this is obviously a manufacturer problem. This is totally unacceptable. I will be contacting a lawyer to see if any legal action can be taken. Very sad Ford!!!!! …
The rear passenger wheel well has corroded very severely. The shock absorber is pushing into the interior wheel cover, causing it to become dislodged. I was driving on a city street, about 35 MPH, when I hear a loud scraping sound coming from the right rear side of my Escape. I noticed that the interior wheel cover was dislodged and moving around. I pulled over into a local park to examine what was causing the very loud scraping sound. I could see that the right rear wheel well area was very rusted and flaky. I drove home about 10-15 MPH, all the time the vehicle was making a very loud bumping and scraping sound. I consulted a Ford mechanic and was told that the vehicle could not be driven safely. …
We noticed a clunking noise coming from the rear end of the vehicle. Upon inspection, we discovered the rear passenger wheel well was completely rusted out and the strut is barely attached. The rust holes are so large, that insulation is showing, and the strut is hitting the plastic piece going into the trunk space. The vehicle was deemed unsafe to drive by a mechanic. While researching this issue, I have found multiple online forums about this problem. It is always the same area (rear passenger side) and is causing safety hazards, such as ruptured tires and unstable steering. This is a safety issue that Ford needs to recall!
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. While driving 25 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the rear passenger side wheel well. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and discovered the shock leaning against the wheel and a hole where the mounted bracket was located. The contact called loveland Ford (999 e eisenhower blvd, loveland, co 80537, [phone]) and was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 162,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. While the vehicle was undergoing a routine oil change, the independent mechanic inspected the vehicle and noticed corrosion all around the frame. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000. The VIN was not available.
Rear window just exploded. Car was parked at my daughter's school. Campus security called her out of class thinking someone hit her car. Security cameras showed nothing. She had used rear defroster on her way to school. Car was parked for at least 45 minutes before window exploded. Temperature slightly above freezing.
Rear shock mounts rusted completely out. Vehicle driven in central va so winters are not that terrible, wheel wells are undercoated. The car was being driven when the right rear shock broke through the wheel well.
I was en route to a repair shop to check a possible u-joint noise, and hit a repair bump in the road when my car made a very scary clunk at the right/rear wheel. It continued to make a banging /clunking noise. I continued on to the repair shop traveling at 25mph with my flashers on. They took the vehicle for a short test drive and confirmed the banging/clunking noise. They then put the vehicle on a hoist for a visual inspection and found the under-body frame around the right/rear shock mount had rusted away, and the remaining portion that was still attached to the shock was snapping and banging with any movement of the right/rear wheel. Since then I have not driven my vehicle. The repair shop has informed me that they have seen 5 more escapes since then ,and only one had the same problem. It was also an Escape Hybrid. They also advised me to contact your website and make a complaint.
While driving on city streets, we heard a hollow thumping sound coming from the rear passenger-side wheel well whenever we went over a small bump. After externally inspecting the wheel well, we discovered that it was extremely rusted, and appeared to be in danger of completely disintegrating. Medium-sized pieces were flaking off with only a slight tug. An identical issue caused the recall of Ford Escape models from the years 2001-2004, but Ford representatives to which I have spoken have indicated that they are not considering a recall for the 2005 model year. This is an extremely dangerous situation, and could cause crashes if shock or axle supports fail at highway speeds. This is clearly a design flaw, since this model is less than 10 years old with only 111,000 miles. Others have indicated that Ford is aware of this problem, but refuses to address the safety concerns.
Body complaints in other Escape Hybrid years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the body & structure of the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid, 13% of the model year's 190 complaints. The component named most often is body (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 127,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.