Ford Escape: Rear Body Sheet Metal Repair / Removal and Installation

Special Service Tools / General Equipment

Resistance Spot Welding Equipment
Straight edge scraper
Heat gun
8 mm Drill Bit
MIG/MAG Welding Equipment
Spot Weld Drill Bit
Locking Pliers

Materials

Name	Specification
Seam Sealer TA-2-B, 3M™ 08308, LORD Fusor® 803DTM	-
Flexible Foam Repair 3M™ 08463, LORD Fusor® 121	-

Removal

Warning

Damaged electrified vehicles may have compromised high-voltage safety systems and present a potential high-voltage electrical shock hazard. Use caution and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including high-voltage gloves and boots. Remove all metallic jewelry, including watches and rings. Isolate the high-voltage system in accordance with the Ford Emergency Response Guide for the vehicle. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious injury or death.

NOTICE: Battery electric vehicles (BEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) contain a high-voltage battery. Before cutting or welding near the high-voltage battery, it must be removed to prevent damage.

NOTE

Left side shown, right side is similar.

The sectioning must not take place within 50 mm of the stops, door hinges, door striker plates or suspension mounting points.

The inner quarter panel is made of mild steel and may be sectioned provided the guidelines for sectioning are followed. The following assumes a complete component replacement. Adjust as required for the repair.

1
Warning
Before starting any service procedure in this manual, refer to the health and safety warnings in Section 100-00 General Information. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.
Refer to: Health and Safety Precautions (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
Refer to: High-Voltage Systems Health and Safety Precautions — Overview (100-00 General Information, Description and Operation).
2
Disable the SRS.
Refer to: Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Disabling (501-20B Supplemental Restraint System, General Procedures).
3
If necessary:
Restore the vehicle dimensions to the pre-damage condition.
Refer to: Body and Frame (501-26 Body Repairs - Vehicle Specific Information and Tolerance Checks, Description and Operation).
4
Remove the rear seat.
Refer to: Rear Seat (501-10B Rear Seats, Removal and Installation).
5
Remove the cargo area trim.
Refer to: Load Compartment Sill Trim Panel (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
Refer to: Load Compartment Trim Panel (501-05 Interior Trim and Ornamentation, Removal and Installation).
6
Remove the outer rear panel only.
Refer to: Rear Panel and Reinforcement (501-30 Rear Body Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
7
Remove the roof or roof opening panel.
Refer to: Roof Panel (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
Refer to: Roof Opening Panel Frame (501-17 Roof Opening Panel, Removal and Installation).
8
Remove the rear roof panel and roof rear bow.
Refer to: Rear Roof Frame (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
Refer to: Roof Reinforcement (501-28 Roof Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
9
Remove the quarter panel.
Refer to: Quarter Panel (501-30 Rear Body Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
10
Remove the drip rail panel.
Refer to: Drip Rail Panel (501-30 Rear Body Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
11
Remove the rocker panel.
Refer to: Rocker Panel (501-29 Side Panel Sheet Metal Repair, Removal and Installation).
12
Remove the push pins and fuel tank filler neck.
13
Move the carpet and all wiring harnesses away from the work area.
14
Remove the bolts.
15
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
16
Remove the reinforcement.
17
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
18
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
19
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
20
NOTE
Pay special attention to the location of adhesives, sealers and NVH materials to aid installation.
Remove the seam sealer and NVH material.
Use common equipment: heat gun.
Use common equipment: straight edge scraper
21
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
22
Remove the welds.
Use common equipment: spot weld drill bit
23
Remove the inner quarter panel.

Installation

Warning

NOTICE: The high-voltage battery in a battery electric vehicle (BEV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) can be affected and damaged by excessively high temperatures. Temperatures in the paint booths of some body shops may exceed 60 °C. Therefore, during paint work the paint booth temperature must be set to 60 °C or lower, with a bake time of 45 minutes or less. A temperature above 60 °C or a bake longer than 45 minutes requires removing the high-voltage battery from the vehicle before placing it in the paint booth.

NOTICE: If the paint curing temperature exceeds 60 °C, the charge port indicator ring on plug-in vehicles must be removed.

NOTE

Factory welds may be replaced by resistance spot welds or metal inert gas (MIG) plug welds. Resistance spot welds cannot be placed directly over the original location. They must be placed adjacent to the original location and match the factory welds in quantity. MIG plug welds must match the factory welds in both location and quantity.