New recall - Suspension sub-frame
#1
New recall - Suspension sub-frame
Kind of an FYI to those not aware yet, and a question if anyone can answer it...
Earlier this month (April) Ford issued a recall for '01 thru '04 Escapes in "rust prone" states for failing sub-frames on the front suspension. They have a newly designed brace to be installed but they are not yet available.
You can go to safercar.gov then select the "Defects and Recalls" on the right side of the page and drill down to your vehicle or look up NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V165000 for more information. Be sure to view the associated documents (4 of them).
Short summary -
The sub frame can fail and the wheels do whatever they want.. not good. The support they intend to install will help strengthen the frame. If you take the Escape to the dealer to be inspected, they decide "road safe" or "unsafe". If deemed unsafe, they provide a rental vehicle until the Escape is deemed safe to operate.
Since there have been sub-frames that have failed, there is no guarantee that your Escape is safe without the inspection. That is where my question rests...
If the sub-frame is deemed "safe" and they add a support brace, great. If it's declared unsafe (excessive corrosion, fractures, or whatever) just adding the support piece they designed will do nothing to repair the defect, just reduce flexing of the sub-frame and possibly reduce the magnitude of the failure if the sub-frame fails. If my vehicle is deemed unsafe, shouldn't they be either repairing the sub-frame or replacing it?
I'm curious to hear how others decipher the wording in this recall...
Joe
Earlier this month (April) Ford issued a recall for '01 thru '04 Escapes in "rust prone" states for failing sub-frames on the front suspension. They have a newly designed brace to be installed but they are not yet available.
You can go to safercar.gov then select the "Defects and Recalls" on the right side of the page and drill down to your vehicle or look up NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V165000 for more information. Be sure to view the associated documents (4 of them).
Short summary -
The sub frame can fail and the wheels do whatever they want.. not good. The support they intend to install will help strengthen the frame. If you take the Escape to the dealer to be inspected, they decide "road safe" or "unsafe". If deemed unsafe, they provide a rental vehicle until the Escape is deemed safe to operate.
Since there have been sub-frames that have failed, there is no guarantee that your Escape is safe without the inspection. That is where my question rests...
If the sub-frame is deemed "safe" and they add a support brace, great. If it's declared unsafe (excessive corrosion, fractures, or whatever) just adding the support piece they designed will do nothing to repair the defect, just reduce flexing of the sub-frame and possibly reduce the magnitude of the failure if the sub-frame fails. If my vehicle is deemed unsafe, shouldn't they be either repairing the sub-frame or replacing it?
I'm curious to hear how others decipher the wording in this recall...
Joe
#3
Right...if it's separated.
I'll re-read it, but as I understood the metal could be corroded and even have holes less than the surface area of a quarter (roughly) and all you get is the support brace.
Don't get me wrong... I think Ford is addressing this as they need to, but I can't help but wonder what happens if you get the brace installed and have a structural failure several months later.
I'll re-read it, but as I understood the metal could be corroded and even have holes less than the surface area of a quarter (roughly) and all you get is the support brace.
Don't get me wrong... I think Ford is addressing this as they need to, but I can't help but wonder what happens if you get the brace installed and have a structural failure several months later.
#4
Right...if it's separated.
I'll re-read it, but as I understood the metal could be corroded and even have holes less than the surface area of a quarter (roughly) and all you get is the support brace.
Don't get me wrong... I think Ford is addressing this as they need to, but I can't help but wonder what happens if you get the brace installed and have a structural failure several months later.
I'll re-read it, but as I understood the metal could be corroded and even have holes less than the surface area of a quarter (roughly) and all you get is the support brace.
Don't get me wrong... I think Ford is addressing this as they need to, but I can't help but wonder what happens if you get the brace installed and have a structural failure several months later.
#5
I've scheduled mine for it's "official" evaluation. According to the service manager, they will be taking photos, measurements, and calculating the % of metal loss in the prescribed areas. I asked about the possibility of a failure months after the brace was installed, but he could not answer. He pointed out that this was all pretty new and that they will need to cross that bridge when they get there. My understanding is that mine will be the first evaluated locally.
I crawled under mine and gave it quick look. Looks rusty, but no more than one would expect for a 12 year old vehicle, but I was laying on the ground without lifting it, so my point of view wasn't the best.
I crawled under mine and gave it quick look. Looks rusty, but no more than one would expect for a 12 year old vehicle, but I was laying on the ground without lifting it, so my point of view wasn't the best.
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#9
I would think that your local Ford dealer would probably entertain doing an inspection for you. If yours is in jeopardy, the dealer would be your best shot at getting Kentucky added to the recall list.
You can also lodge a complaint on safercar.gov requesting inspections at a minimum for similar environmental damage as noted in NHTSA campaign 14V165000.
You can also lodge a complaint on safercar.gov requesting inspections at a minimum for similar environmental damage as noted in NHTSA campaign 14V165000.
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