I bought a Ford Escape and the baring on the.

ANONYMOUS

MEMBER
2003 FORD ESCAPE
210,000 MILES

I bought a ford escape and the baring on the drivers side keeps going out. Lately the grinding nd knocking noises got worse. I am driving and it feels like ice. It is pulling to the left but my wheel is going right. Also my sterling wheel is bad off. Not centered. I wads driving the other day and was leaving the gas Station when I stopped and as I am getting ready to pull off I hear a pop noise. I put the break on but the ride wouldn't move. Tried putting it in park and went haywire. Had to turn it off. The tow truck was moving it and it was in park. History. History bent strut on the right side. Wheel baring replaced twice in nine months and my rim once came off while driving. Four out of five lug nuts broke. Trashed my rim n brand new tire. Any ideas what's wrong and why it won't move? Oh and the the spark plug keeps popping out. Broke what keeps it in. Any ideas?

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,871 POSTS

Ford has more steering and suspension part failures than anyone else leading to loss of control and crashes, and it sounds line a ball joint separated on your vehicle. Anything that allows the alignment to change will result in the steering wheel changing position. Whenever you hear unusual noises, have the steering and suspension systems inspected at a tire and alignment shop.

The broken wheel studs is the direct result of not using a torque wrench when installing the wheels. Every manufacturer has published specs for this and most shops have a large chart posted for reference. Over-tightening the nuts will result in damaged threads and studs that usually don't show up until the next person tries to take them off, then he unfairly gets the blame. Under-tightening the nuts lets the wheel slide back and forth which wears the metal down and lets the wheel work loose. Once the mating friction surfaces between the nut and wheel are ground down no nut will stay tight and the wheel is junk.