Ford Escort Complaints

3,936 consumer complaints on file.

#10138928October 6, 2005
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
I DO NOT HAVE ANY EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONSISTED OF MY SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SNAPPING AT THE BASE. AFTER PULLING THE SEAT COVER OFF I NOTICED THAT THE STAINLESS STEEL FRAME ON THE SEAT COMPLETELY BROKE/SNAPPED ALLOWING THE SEAT TO FALL BACK UNCONTROLLABLY. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND ALMOST WRECKED. I REPLACED THE SEAT WITH A LIKE SEAT FROM A USED VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138666October 5, 2005
TIRES
DT: 2002 FORD ESCORT ZX2. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR EXCEPT WHEN HE HAS TO. WANTED VEHICLE TO BE SAFE. I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WHEN HITTING A BUMP, THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WAS HITTING THE STRUT. DEALERSHIP PUT SIXTEEN INCH TIRES ON CAR, AND IT CALLS FOR SIZE FIFTEEN. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR. THE DEALERSHIP KNOWS THEY PUT THE WRONG SIZE RIM AND TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE CAR NEW WITH ONLY 40 MILES ON IT. MY DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER NOT TO PUT CHILDREN IN THE CAR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138611October 5, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
MY CAR SHAKES, RATTLES AND ROLLS - THINKS IT'S ELVIS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136325September 29, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DT: 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE GEAR SHIFTER MALFUNCTIONED. IT DID NOT GO INTO 2 OR 1 GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED LAST YEAR ON AUGUST 3, 2004. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY STATED THESE GEARS SHOULD NOT BE USED. THE ENTIRE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY WILL NEED TO REPLACED AT THIS TIME. THE PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS AGO, IT STARTED SHIFTING HARD. THIS CAUSED SOMETHING IN THE MECHANISM TO BEND. THE REMEDY DID NOT LAST A YEAR. THIS PROBLEM WAS HAPPENING ALL OF THE TIME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10137456September 23, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE
DT: CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A LEAK IN GAS TANK. HE NOTICED THIS ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. HE SAW A RECALL ON THE INTERNET REGARDING LEAKING GAS TANKS . HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY TOLD HIM THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10137471September 23, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL TANK HAS HAIR LINE CRACKS ON LEFT SIDE WHERE HEAT SHIELD MOUNTS TO SPACER. 2 RECALLS MY VIN# ISN'T INCLUDED NOT SURE WHY. TALKED TO DEALER AND FORD HOTLINE THEY WONT FIX. SAFETY HAZARD/ MANUFACTURER DEFECT. WOULD LIKE PROBLEM RESOLVED. THANK YOU. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135888September 8, 2005
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES ON THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 1995 FORD ESCORT LX HAVE BECOME CLOUDY, YELLOWED AND OPAQUE. THIS CUTS DOWN NOTICEABLY ON THE ABILITY OF THE HEADLIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD AT NIGHT, TRULY A SAFETY HAZARD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132258September 6, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE SERVICED, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN , APPROXIMATELY 1 TURNS FROM THE TOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN NO NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS.*AK THE CAPLIPERS WERE REPLACED DUE THEM BEING FROZEN. THE CRANK PULLEY AND SERPENTINE BELT WERE REPLACE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135272September 3, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY FROM A 20 MILE TRIP, THE IDLE ON THE VEHICLE BECAME ROUGH WHEN STOPPED. THE BEST DESCRIPTION WAS THAT THE IDLE STARTED TO SURGE AND PULSE WITH THE BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE FULLY STOPPED. JUST PRIOR TO PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY (LESS THAN A MILE FROM HIGHWAY) THE RADIO AND VENTILATION SYSTEM BEGAN TO CUT IN AND OUT. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONE HOUR LATER, VEHICLE WAS STARTED, DASHBOARD BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON, IDLE BECAME ROUGH AND PULSED CLOSE TO A STALL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128937September 2, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
DT: THE VEHICLE HAD A LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH WAS DISCOVERED AFTER A LONG TRIP. CONSUMER DISCOVERED SMALL DROPLETS OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALER NOTED THERE WAS A RECALL 97V144000, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN . NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT CONSUMER HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE DUE TO THE LEAK AND THE HOT SUMMER CONDITIONS EXPERIENCED IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA WHERE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT. THE DEALER THINKS IT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THE TEMPERATURE CHANGE BECAUSE CONSUMER TRAVELED FORM EAST COAST TO THAT STATE. *AK *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10135027September 1, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE FAILURE INVOLVES THE INTERLOCK THAT KEEPS YOU FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE. MY LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL BULB HAD BURNED OUT. I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT IT IN PARK, AND SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, TO GET OUT AND CHECK THE OTHER TURN SIGNALS. FIRST I TURNED ON THE LEFT SIDE AND VERIFIED THAT THE LEFT REAR BULB WASN'T WORKING. THEN I ASKED THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR TO SWITCH ON THE RIGHT SIGNALS. SHE LEANED ON THE SHIFT LEVER TO TRY TO REACH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, AND WHEN SHE DID, THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE. IT MOVED BACK SLOWLY SINCE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON, SO I JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY AND GOT IN AND STOPPED IT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THIS: THAT IF THE LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL BULB IS BAD, THE SHIFT INTERLOCK IS RELEASED WHEN YOU TURN ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, ALLOWING THE SHIFT LEVER TO BE MOVED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE FIRST. WHEN I PUT IN THE NEW BULB, THE BEHAVIOR DID NOT HAPPEN ANYMORE. I PUT THE BAD BULB BACK IN, AND IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. IF I HAD NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE, I COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFECT MAY EXIST IN SEVERAL MODEL YEARS ON THIS VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM WAS ON A 1998 FORD ESCORT SEDAN WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10134201August 25, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: THE CALLER SAYS VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN IT IS IN IDLE. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGNS THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY. THIS HAPPENED FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS AND IT BECAME WORSE. DEALER SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX IT. THE MANUFACTURER SAID IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT COULD NOT BE FIXED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10134027August 24, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
OUR 1999 FORD ESCORT WITH ONLY 11,904 MILES ON THE ODOMETER (WE DRIVE A SUBARU FORESTER MOSTLY), RECEIVED ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION (NYS LAW) ON AUGUST 11, 2005. THE INSPECTION REVEALED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE AND SO LITTLE USE AND BOTH HE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER (THEY ARE A HIGHLY REGARDED, AFTER-MARKET, AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS, SERVICING ALL MAKES OF VEHICLES, AND HAVE NO CAUSE FOR BIAS) SAID THAT IN THEIR EXPERIENCE FORD ESCORTS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR HAVING WEAK AND DEFECTIVE REAR COIL SPRINGS AND THAT THEY HAD REPLACED MANY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS (MORE THAN ANY OTHER MAKE OR MODEL). TO A LESSER DEGREE THEY ALSO NOTED THAT THE TAURUS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. BEFORE HAVING THE WORK DONE I HAD CALLED THE DEALER (SAM DELL FORD OF LIVERPOOL, NY) AND THE FORD CONSUMER COMPLAINT OFFICE. NEITHER WERE AT ALL HELPFUL, DENYING ALL KNOWLEDGE OF A DEFECT WITH THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. I AM ATTACHING A MEMO FROM THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, DOCUMENTING THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE ESCORT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10134041August 24, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
STARTED SMELLING PROFUSE GAS FUMES IN MY 1995 ESCORT LX. TOOK IN TO MEINEIKE TO BE REPAIRED. THEY FOUND THAT THE GAS TANK WAS CRACKED DUE TO HEAT SHIELD. THIS IS THE MONTH OF AUGUST IN MISSISSIPPI AND THE HEAT FACTOR HAS BEEN OVER 100 FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT CERTAIN ESCORTS HAD NO GAP BETWEEN HEAT SHIELD AND GAS TANK AND WAS UNDER RECALL FROM 1997. THIS MODEL CAME UP NOT UNDER RECALL BUT PROBLEM WAS INDICATIVE OF RECALL MODELS. FORD REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE MY CLAIM. THE REMEDY FOR FIXING RECALLED MODELS WAS TO MAKE A GAP BETWEEN HEATSHEILD AND GAS TANK. THERE IS NO GAP BETWEEN HEAT SHIELD AND GAS TANK ON MY CAR. THIS MODEL SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER THE RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10133630August 20, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY MOM BOUGHT THE CAR, CERTIFIED USED, WITH ONLY 16,000 MILES ON IT. AS IT NEARED 37,000 MILES IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. AFTER THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE IT REACHED 70,000 MILES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10133565August 19, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT WAGON. WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE WITH SOMETHING HOLDING IT INTO PLACE. THE REAR COIL SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT SHE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124445August 19, 2005
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DT: HEADLIGHTS ARE FOGGING UP DUE TO MOISTURE. CALLER IS CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION IF THEY GET ANY WORSE. DEALER SAID HEADLIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT WAS ALL THEY COULD DO. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CALLED YET.*AK THE 2 HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER THOUGHT WHEN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONAL MALFUNCTIONED , IT WAS DUE TO THE MOSITURE TOO. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10133304August 18, 2005
AIR BAGS
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE 1998 FORD ESCORT CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POLE. THE DRIVER HIT THE POLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND BROKE. THE INSIDE OF THE AIR BAG SPRAYED THE CHEMICALS ON THE DRIVER, THE CHEMICALS BURNT HER HANDS AND ARM. SHE SAID THAT SHE COULD NOT FIND A LAWYER IN HER TOWN TO TAKE CASE. THE LAWYERS AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY WERE WORKING TOGETHER AGAINST HER. SHE SAID THAT SHE HAD A BOIL ON HER HAND AND A BRUISE ON HER CHEST. THE CONSUMER HAS PICTURES OF THE AIR BAG. SHE WANTED SOMEONE TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THE CAR BECAUSE SHE LIVED IN LOW INCOME HOUSING. SHE SAID VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND THE JUNK DEALER CAME AND GOT IT. AND SHE DID NOT GET PAID FOR IT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10133008August 16, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DT: PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AT A USED LOT. AFTER 90 DAYS THE TRANSMISSION PUMP WENT OUT. BOUGHT IT WITH 48,000 MILES. WENT TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANIC SHOPS, AND THEY SAID IT HAD TOO MUCH WEAR FOR THAT AMOUNT OF MILEAGE. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM CAME OFF, THE SHOCKS WERE BAD, THE TIRES WERE AL DEFECTIVE, AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE DEALER FROM WHO THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WAS OUT BUSINESS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10132935August 15, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
DT: 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR SPRINGS WERE DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION THE REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD, THEY DID NOT KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AFTER MARKET REPAIR SHOP. THEY STATED THIS WAS SEEN ALL OF THE TIME. THE ESCORTS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR BAD REAR SPRINGS. THIS VEHICLE HAS 11,904 MILES ON IT. THE REAR SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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