2006 Ford Escape HEV Problems

DRIVING ON CITY STREET WHEN "SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED AS WELL AS ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON DASH. VEHICLE HAD NO BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED TO STOP VEHICLE.

WIFE AND I WERE ENROUTE HOME FROM VERO BEACH, FL TRAVELING WEST ON FL HIWAY 60 ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF THE FL TURNPIKE AROUND 8:30 AM. TRAVELED OVER SHORT STRETCH OF REPAVED ROAD. AT THAT TIME HEARD BEEP, NOTICED RED BRAKE LIGHT AND AMBER ABS LIGHT ON. CRUISE CONTROL ON MOVING 60 MPH. TRIED BRAKES, NOTICED EXCESSIVE BRAKE TRAVEL, BUT STILL HAD SOME BRAKES. CONTINUED ON UNTIL TURNPIKE JUNCTION. PULLED OFF ROAD, STOPPED, SHUT OFF IGNITION. UPON RESTARTING (AFTER 5 SECONDS), WARNING LIGHTS STAYED OFF, HAD GOOD BRAKES. PROCEEDED 130 MILES TO HOME W/O INCIDENT. THIS HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES BEFORE AND HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. ON JULY 5TH. I AM DETAILING THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE I HAVE THE MOST INFORMATION ABOUT IT. WHEN IT OCCURRED ALL 4 TIMES, IT WAS EITHER AFTER CROSSING RAILROAD TRACKS, HITTING A POT HOLE OR IN THIS CASE AFTER A CHANGE IN ROAD SURFACE. AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME WHEN CROSSING ROUGH SURFACES. THE DEALER (NICK NICHOLAS FORD IN INVERNESS, FL) CANNOT SEEM TO FIND AND FIX THIS. I HAVE TO GROUND THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I CANNOT TRUST IT WITH MY WIFE DRIVING BY HERSELF. IT COULD COST UP TO 7K FOR FORD TO SWAP OUT COMPONETS TO TRY TO FIX IT - MY COST. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE.

***DOOR AJAR/CAR ALARM/DOME LIGHT/ ISSUES*** 5/18/15 2006 FORD ESCAPE XLT 4WD 3.0L 6 CYLINDER HAS INTERMITTENT FALSE DOOR AJAR/CAR ALARM/DOME LIGHT ISSUES ALL THREE SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY FAULTY DOOR LATCH SENSORS. THE SUSPECT PART HAS A TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT. THAT IS TO SAY WHEN YOU PARK YOUR CAR, AND GO INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, THE CAR ALARM WILL START GOING OFF IN NEIGHBORHOOD WAKING UP NEIGHBORS AND IS A HUGE ANNOYANCE TO QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE ALARM WILL FALSELY ACTIVATE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE VARIES. SOMETIMES WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES WARMS UP TO ABOUT 75-80 DEGREES OUTSIDE THE CAR ALARM SOUNDS TO INDICATE A FALSELY TRIPPED ALARM. IT SOMETIMES WILL OCCUR IN WINTER WEATHER CLIMATES ALSO. TEMPERATURE CHANGES PROVOKE THE FAULTY SYMPTOMS. FORD REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FORD ESCAPE AND MANY OF THEIR MODEL VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE CHEAP FLIMSY METAL ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WITHIN THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM THAT OXIDIZE AND LOSE SPRING TENSION OVER TIME CAUSING THESE FALSE ALARMS. WITH EACH FALSE ACTIVATION, CAR ALARM WILL SOUND, DOOR AJAR LIGHT ACTIVATES (CAN'T TELL WHICH DOOR IS FAULTY) DOME LIGHT TURNS ON AND WILL STAY ON UNTIL IT RUNS DOWN YOUR BATTERY IN YOUR CAR AND THEN YOUR STRANDED BECAUSE YOUR CAR WON'T START BECAUSE FAULTY DOOR ELECTRICAL SWITCH BUILT INTO DOOR LATCH MECHANISM ACTIVATED YOUR DOME LIGHT WHICH DISCHARGES YOUR BATTERY CHARGE. IF YOUR IN A COLD WEATHER ENVIRONMENT AND THE BATTERY DIES BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN ELECTRICAL SENSOR SWITCH, YOU CAN BECOME STRANDED BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT START YOUR CAR BECAUSE FORD REFUSES TO ADMIT THEIR IS A PROBLEM AND ISSUE A RECALL. [XXX] - SPRINGFIELD, IL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 495 BELTWAY (APPROX 55MPH) IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER AND THE FAIL SAFE MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A NEARBY EXIT OFF THE BELTWAY WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR SOMEONE BEHIND ME AND CAUSING A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION. A RED TRIANGLE ICON APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING OTHER LIGHTS AND MESSAGES SINCE THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I DID HAVE THE CAR HEATER ON DUE TO WINTER TEMPERATURES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTED IT AND DID NOT PUT MY HEAT BACK ON SUSPECTING THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR COOLANT PUMP AS THE PROBLEM AFTER RECENTLY READING A NYT ARTICLE. THE CAR STARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. I MADE AN APPT W MY FORD DEALER TO INSPECT THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM.I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST SUMMER AND WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT MY VIN DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS. I HAD THE A/C ON THAT DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL FOR THROTTLES ONLY APPLIES TO FORD NON-HYBRID CARS. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN TO FORD MECHANICS AND NO RECALL FOR THE ELECTRONICS MOTOR COOLANT PUMP. THIS INCIDENT SCARED ME AND I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESP ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE 495 BELTWAY (APPROX 55MPH) IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER AND THE FAIL SAFE MESSAGE APPEARED SAYING STOP THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A NEARBY EXIT OFF THE BELTWAY WITHOUT INJURING MYSELF OR SOMEONE BEHIND ME AND CAUSING A MULTIPLE CAR COLLISION. A RED TRIANGLE ICON APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD INCLUDING OTHER LIGHTS AND MESSAGES SINCE THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I DID HAVE THE CAR HEATER ON DUE TO WINTER TEMPERATURES. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTED IT AND DID NOT PUT MY HEAT BACK ON SUSPECTING THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR COOLANT PUMP AS THE PROBLEM AFTER RECENTLY READING A NYT ARTICLE. THE CAR STARTED ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER. I MADE AN APPT W MY FORD DEALER TO INSPECT THE CAR FOR THIS PROBLEM.I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST SUMMER AND WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT MY VIN DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECALLS. I HAD THE A/C ON THAT DAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RECALL FOR THROTTLES ONLY APPLIES TO FORD NON-HYBRID CARS. THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN TO FORD MECHANICS AND NO RECALL FOR THE ELECTRONICS MOTOR COOLANT PUMP. THIS INCIDENT SCARED ME AND I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ESP ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. *TR

"STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARS ON SCREEN WITH RED TRIANGLE: CAR GOES DEAD, COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I CAUSED A BIT OF A MESS OF THE TRAFFIC BUT NO ACCIDENTS: NO WARNING FOR A COOLING PUMP TO KEEP THE BATTERIES COOL. I FOUND THE PROBLEM ONLINE IN 5 MINUTES AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THE NEXT DAY AT FORD. "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS OVERHEATING PROBLEM. TSB 08-24-5 STATES THAT SOME 2005-2008 ESCAPE HYBRID AND 2006-2008 MARINER HYBRID VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A RED TRIANGLE LIGHT AND CODES INDICATING A TRANSAXLE OVERTEMP. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN REDUCED POWER AS THE SYSTEM ACTIVATES FAIL SAFE OPERATION. CODES P1A0E, P1A0F, P0A3C, P0A3E, P0A7A, P0A7C AND P1A0D MAY ALSO BE SET." *TR

MY SON AND I WERE LEAVING A PARKING LOT WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I GOT A WARNING CHIME AND THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE MESSAGE "SERVICE PWR STEERING" ON THE DASH. LUCKILY (I THOUGHT) I WAS NEAR A AUTO PARTS PLACE SO I SLOWLY DROVE THERE. I PULLED IN, TOOK OUT THE MANUAL AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR TO CHECK OR FILL (AS WOULD HAVE BEEN MY QUICK SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM). DRIVING WAS SLOW AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DUE TO INABILITY TO TURN (AT SPEED). THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY PURCHASED FOR MY MOM, WHO WAS 75 AT THE TIME. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FOR HER WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS.DRIVING WITH MANUAL STEERING IS DIFFICULT AND MUSCLE BUILDING. I HAD TO DRIVE 25 BACK HOME ON CURVY, MOUNTAIN BACK ROADS. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT/INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. I READ THROUGH MANY COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND REALIZED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. I PLAN ON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING, BUT AM NOT HOLDING MY BREATH FOR RESULTS. DURING A PAST ISSUE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD ONLY ONE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT WAS TRAINED ON THE HYBRID VEHICLES. THAT TIME, THEY SAID I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY! HAHA! THAT ISSUE WAS RESOLVED DUE TO A RECALL. SO MAYBE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FOR POWER STEERING ISSUES WILL FINALLY GET A RECALL TOO. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE.

PART TWO: NOTE FROM CUSTOMER: NO PARTICULAR DASHBOARD LIGHT ISSUE (EXCEPT FOR ONE) WORKED FINE UNTIL UTTER SYSTEM COLLAPSE OF CAR -- UTTER AND QUICK DEATH, LIES LIFELESS ON DRIVEWAY,LEAVING ME W/BROKEN HEART -- MY LOVE AFFAIR W/FORD ROCKED TO DEPTHS. HAD 3 PERFECT TAURUSES, & I NEVER EXPECTED A $5000 FIX ON A CAR WHEN IT'S BEEN DONE TO OTHERS WITH NO GOOD RESULTS. WE ARE AS POOR AS PICKLES. I HAVE READ SO MANY EXACT SAME STORIES ONLINE THAT I BELIEVE THERE IS A "KNOWN ISSUE" & THAT YOU ALL WILL BE (NO OFFENSE) BE HIT BY A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT OR A BUNCH OF LEMONS LAW SUITS. I'VE READ THE SAME STORY OVER AND OVER -- BATTERY FAILURE, NEW BATTERY ALSO FAILED IN DANGEROUS PLACES WITH CHILDREN CAR. ALL HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING; OUR BATTERY WAS PRETTY NEW. BUT A NEW BATTERY BOUGHT, INSTALLED & FAILED AFTER ONE WEEK, DIED AND NEVER RECOVERED - THE CAR, I MEAN.) I HAD JUST FINISHED PAYING FOR IT; IT SEEMED AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN PUT ON A "FAILURE WHEN PAID FOR" INTERNAL TIMER! TECH SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN 5 SIMULTANEOUS FAILURES AT ONCE, THOUGH I HAVE ALREADY READ OF THE MOST CRUCIAL, DANGEROUS PROBLEM MANY, MANY TIMES, DESPITE THE "LOCAL" FLORIDIAN MANAGER (I'M IN CA) WHO URGED ME, IN A SWEETLY CONDESCENDING FASHION, TO GO BACK TO FORD FOR THE FIX BECAUSE "THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE ON THE INTERNET". [XXX] STRAIGHT, & MANY OF THEM ARE RIGHT. SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO, WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE -- WE COULD HAVE FAILED IN THE FREEWAY -- WE ALMOST FAILED COMING HOME FROM A PARTY AND TWO WEEKS IN A ROW LOST OUR SPOTS AT THE FARMERS' MARKET BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DIED. OKAY, FORD -- I'M TRULY AND TOTALLY UPSET -- I PUT $27K INTO THAT VEHICLE AND NOW IT THIS A DEAD HEAP. PEOPLE WITH OTHER 2006 HEV (FORD ONLY) WRITE OF TRULY TERRIFYING FAILURES ON THE FREEWAY. MAKE IT RIGHT -- THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND WE WANT RECOURSE & JUSTICE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD ESCAPE AND I STARTED TO HEAR A BANGING NOISE COME FROM MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. TO LATER FIND OUT THAT IT IS MY STRUT TOWER IS RUSTED OUT. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT FORD HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE MATTER, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE.I BELIEVE THAT FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR VEHICLE'S AND FIX THEM OR FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JS

RIGHT REAR WHEEL HOUSING RUSTS COMPLETELY THROUGH ALLOWING THE SHOCK TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER AN ONLINE SEARCH THIS IS A VERY COMMON INCIDENT. AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THERE IS A BACK-ORDER ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HOUSING WITH NO EXPECTED DATE OF DELIVERY. THIS IS THE ONLY WHEEL HOUSING ON THE VEHICLE THAT IS RUSTING OUT AND CAUSING ISSUES. THE ONLY TIME YOU START TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE IS IF YOU START THE HEAR A "CLUNK" COMING FROM THE CAR, HOWEVER; THERE IS A RUBBERIZED UNDERCOAT THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM SEEING THE DAMAGE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE OR A KNOWLEDGEABLE MECHANIC WITH THE ISSUE LOOKS SPECIFICALLY AT THE WHEEL HOUSING. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY THIS AFTERNOON MY CAR SUDDENLY JOLTED TO A STOP WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON A MAJOR US HIGHWAY. THE CAR FLASHED A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE ON MY DASH AND I HAD TO COAST TO THE END OF THE EXIT AS I GET OFF ON A LEFT HANDED EXIT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND FROM READING SEVERAL POSTS ONLINE I HAVE LEARNED I AM NOT THE FIRST. FORD SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR FIXING/DIAGNOSING THIS ISSUE AS IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I WHEN RETURNING HOME FROM A VISIT TO RELATIVES IN TAYLORSVILLE, UTAH. IT HAD BEEN SNOWING BUT HAD STOPPED OR SLOWED DOWN IN TAYLORSVILLE. SINCE WE WERE DRIVING AN ESCAPE HYBRID 4-WD, WE BELIEVED WE WOULD BE FINE TO BEGIN OUR TRIP. WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 15 WHEN IT STARTED SNOWING REALLY HARD. WE WERE JUST PAST THE PROVO AREA. THERE WERE MANY CARS AND BIG TRUCKS ON THE FREEWAY AND EVERYONE WAS DRIVING AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE. WE WERE DRIVING IN THE SLOW LANE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED TO SLIDE INTO THE INSIDE LANE. WE HAD NOT MADE ANY SUDDEN MOVES, HAD NOT INCREASED SPEED OR APPLIED BRAKES. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE BEGAN TO SLIDE AS IF THE 4-WD KICKED IN , AS IT SHOULD HAD. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE NECESSARY TRACTION. IT DID NOT FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAD ANY TRACTION AT ALL. AS WE SLID TO THE INSIDE LANE WE CONTINUED SLIDING ON AN ANGLE TOWARD THE SHOULDER. WHEN WE REACHED THE SHOULDER THE CAR ROLLED ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS AMAZED AS BOTH MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND GREW UP IN SNOW COUNTRY AND HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DRIVING IN THE SNOW. I NEVER HAD A VEHICLE SUDDENLY START SLIDING UNLESS I WAS TRYING TO TURN A CORNER, STOP AT A LIGHT/STOP SIGN, OR MADE SOME OTHER ACTION WHICH CHANGED THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER ROLLED IN A CAR, BUT I HAVE SLID ONTO THE SHOULDER ON A FEW OCCASIONS. I DID NOT BELIEVE THE SMART 4- WD SYSTEM WAS WORKING PROPERLY, AND I DID NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE ROLLED. *AK

I HAVE A 2006 ESCAPE HYBRID AND HAVE HAD TWO VALVE STEM FAILURES WHICH CAUSED SLOW TIRE LEAKS. I THINK FORD SHOULD RECALL MY VEHICLE AND REPLACE ALL THE VALVE STEMS AS THEY MAY FAIL WHEN I'M OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH NO ONE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I WHEN RETURNING HOME FROM A VISIT TO RELATIVES IN TAYLORSVILLE, UTAH. IT HAD BEEN SNOWING BUT HAD STOPPED OR SLOWED DOWN IN TAYLORSVILLE. SINCE WE WERE DRIVING AN ESCAPE HYBRID 4-WD, WE BELIEVED WE WOULD BE FINE TO BEGIN OUR TRIP. WE WERE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 15 WHEN IT STARTED SNOWING REALLY HARD. WE WERE JUST PAST THE PROVO AREA. THERE WERE MANY CARS AND BIG TRUCKS ON THE FREEWAY AND EVERYONE WAS DRIVING AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE. WE WERE DRIVING IN THE SLOW LANE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR STARTED TO SLIDE INTO THE INSIDE LANE. WE HAD NOT MADE ANY SUDDEN MOVES, HAD NOT INCREASED SPEED OR APPLIED BRAKES. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY WE BEGAN TO SLIDE AS IF THE 4-WD KICKED IN , AS IT SHOULD HAD. WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE NECESSARY TRACTION. IT DID NOT FEEL AS THOUGH WE HAD ANY TRACTION AT ALL. AS WE SLID TO THE INSIDE LANE WE CONTINUED SLIDING ON AN ANGLE TOWARD THE SHOULDER. WHEN WE REACHED THE SHOULDER THE CAR ROLLED ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS AMAZED AS BOTH MYSELF AND MY HUSBAND GREW UP IN SNOW COUNTRY AND HAD MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN DRIVING IN THE SNOW. I NEVER HAD A VEHICLE SUDDENLY START SLIDING UNLESS I WAS TRYING TO TURN A CORNER, STOP AT A LIGHT/STOP SIGN, OR MADE SOME OTHER ACTION WHICH CHANGED THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER ROLLED IN A CAR, BUT I HAVE SLID ONTO THE SHOULDER ON A FEW OCCASIONS. I DID NOT BELIEVE THE SMART 4- WD SYSTEM WAS WORKING PROPERLY, AND I DID NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE ROLLED. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE 2006 FORD ESCAPE WITH 100 FAILURE MILEAGE SHE TURNED ON THE HEAT ONE RAINY DAY AND BEGAN TO SMELL A PERFUME/GRAPE CANDY ODOR COMING FROM THE HEATER VENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER , AND THE ENGINEER LOOKED IT OVER, BUT WILL NOT SPECIFY WHAT TESTS THAT THEY DID, IF ANY. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS ODOR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6000.*AK UPDATED 03/02/07. *JB

STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON AND ENGINE DIED WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH ON A 2-LANE ROAD.

RIGHT REAR WHEEL HOUSING RUSTS COMPLETELY THROUGH ALLOWING THE SHOCK TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. AFTER AN ONLINE SEARCH THIS IS A VERY COMMON INCIDENT. AFTER CONTACTING THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, THERE IS A BACK-ORDER ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HOUSING WITH NO EXPECTED DATE OF DELIVERY. THIS IS THE ONLY WHEEL HOUSING ON THE VEHICLE THAT IS RUSTING OUT AND CAUSING ISSUES. THE ONLY TIME YOU START TO REALIZE THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE IS IF YOU START THE HEAR A "CLUNK" COMING FROM THE CAR, HOWEVER; THERE IS A RUBBERIZED UNDERCOAT THAT PREVENTS YOU FROM SEEING THE DAMAGE UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE OR A KNOWLEDGEABLE MECHANIC WITH THE ISSUE LOOKS SPECIFICALLY AT THE WHEEL HOUSING. *TR