Ford Escort Complaints

3,936 consumer complaints on file.

#10127092June 29, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD ESCORT. SHE STATED THAT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. SHE PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, AND WHEN SHE DONE THIS IT EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. EVERYTHING GOT JAMMED UP AFTER THIS, EVEN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER STATED THAT HE HAD A HARD TIME TOWING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO FORD DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10125284June 28, 2005
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
DT: 1991, FORD, ESCORT HATCHBACK. CONSUMER'S WIFE CAME HOME YESTERDAY, AND SAID SHE SMELLED SMOKE. CONSUMER CHECKED VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED AT TOP OF REAR WINDOW SMOKED WHEN BRAKE WAS PRESSED. CONSUMER TOOK LIGHT APART, AND FOUND SAME PART AT A JUNK YARD. CONSUMER REPLACED HEAT SHIELD AND HALOGEN BULB WITH ONE FROM JUNK YARD. CONSUMER CALLED FORD AND GAVE FORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT. FORD TOLD CONSUMER THERE WERE NO RECALLS, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO TURN IT IN TO ENGINEERING. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT A LOWER WATT, COOLER BULB WOULD KEEP LIGHT FROM CAUSING FIRE.*AK BULB HOUSING HAD HOLE MELTED THROUGH IT. REPLACED HOUSING WITH GOOD HEAT SHIELD (ORIGINAL HEAT SHIELD HAD BURNED OFF CAUSING THE PROBLEM).*SB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126039June 21, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
DT: CONTACT STATES GAS IS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE GAS TANK IN THE PLACE WHERE A PARTICULAR RECALL ON THIS MAKE AND MODELS. IT WILL LEAK A HEAT SHIELD SCREW HAS PUNCTURED THE TANK. IT SEEMS TO FIT ALL CRITERIA FOR THIS CAR, INCLUDING WHERE THE CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10125771June 20, 2005
AIR BAGS
DT: HAVE A RECALL LETTER FOR AIR BAG LIGHT, AND TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE NUMBER ON THE RECALL WAS 02S44, THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT, BUT WENT, AND GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AGAIN. HADN'T EVEN LEFT THE LOT. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE CONSUMER TO HAVE IT HOOKED UP TO A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10125143June 13, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, AND TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS DAMAGE, THOUGH I HAD NOTICED SOME SUSPENSION NOISE WHEN TURNING. ALSO, THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE WAS MUCH "LOOSER" IN THE REAR. TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE SPRINGS COULD FURTHER DETERIOTE AND THE BODY OF THE VECHICLE COULD COLLAPSE ONTO THE CHASSIS. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS WAS $750.00, THOUGH NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE TO DATE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124124June 3, 2005
SEAT BELTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SEAT BELTS FAILED (CAME OFF TRACK) HEATER WIRING FAILED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10123902June 2, 2005
AIR BAGS
DT: CALLER'S SON WAS IN AS ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, REAR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AT THE SPEED OF 30 MPH. CAR WAS THROWN 150 FEET WITH NO SKID MARKS. CALLER'S SON WAS SEVERELY INJURED, AND HAS BEEN IN REHABILITATION. DEALER HAS NEVER CALLED THEM BACK. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CALLED MANY TIMES, AND DID NOT RETURN CALLS. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10123773June 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
DT: WHEN IT RAINS CAR GETS MOLDY, AND A FUNGUS SMELL. IT ACTUALLY CAUSES BREATHING PROBLEMS. ALSO, MY HORN IS GOING OFF AUTOMATICALLY, AND IT DOESN'T STOP UNTIL CONSUMER HITS THE STEERING WHEEL. HORN WAS REPLACED, BUT IT IS STILL AUTOMATICALLY GOES OFF. THE HORN EVENTUALLY STOPPED WORKING . THE REASON SHE HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED THE FIRST TIME WAS BECAUSE THE HORN BLEW SO MUCH IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10116947May 31, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED OF A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10122449May 30, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
VEHICLE BEING SERVICED AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME LOCATION. NO INDICATION FROM DRIVE OF VEHICLE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM BUT WAS TOLD BY TECHNICIAN THAT SPRING COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH TIRE THUS CAUSING A BLOW-OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10122191May 26, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAMSHAFT CRACK IN HALF DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSE THAT TOO HAPPEN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10121864May 23, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
DT: A PROBLEM WITH SPRINGS. A BROKEN REAR SPRING; THEY FIXED IT, AND INSTALLED NEW SPRINGS. CONSUMER LATER FOUND OUT FROM OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. RECEIVED A RECALL ON THE FRONT SPRINGS; BUT HE WAS HAVING A REAR SPRING PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10121870May 23, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
DT: VEHICLE BROKE REAR SPRINGS 2 YEARS AGO. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10121811May 22, 2005
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
WE ARE THE OWNERS OF A 1996 FORD ESCORT WAGON VIN: [XXX]. WE HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. WE ARE WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE LAP SHOULDER SAFETY BELTS IN THE REAR SEAT ON BOTH SIDES. BOTH OF THE REAR LAP SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MECHANISMS HAVE FAILED WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF EACH OTHER. THIS MEANS THE SEAT BELTS WILL NO LONGER RETRACT OR PULL TIGHT WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO USE THE REAR SEAT BELTS. THE REASON WE FEEL COMPELLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS FAILURE IS THAT UNTIL AROUND 9 MONTHS AGO, WE RARELY (A HANDFUL OF TIMES AT THE MOST) USED THE REAR LAP SHOULDER SEAT BELTS. IN AUGUST 2004 WE SWITCHED OUR SON'S CAR SEAT OVER TO A BOOSTER SEAT, MOVED THE SEAT FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND STARTED USING THE LAP SHOULDER SAFETY BELT. IN EARLY NOVEMBER WE WERE FORCED TO MOVE OUR SON'S BOOSTER SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND WAS UNUSABLE. TODAY WE WERE DRIVING HOME IN OUR CAR WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD METALLIC NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR, AND WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR SON'S LAP SHOULDER SEAT BELT. WHEN WE STOPPED TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE LAP SHOULDER SEAT BELT HAD HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE ONE AS WELL. SO, IN THE NINE MONTHS SINCE WE SWITCHED OVER TO THE TWO POINT SYSTEM ON OUR SON'S BOOSTER SEAT, WHERE THE SEAT BELT WAS REGULARLY DEPLOYED AND RETRACTED, THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM HAS BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SUSPICIOUSLY CONCURRENT EVENT. WE BELIEVE THE RETRACTOR MECHANISMS ON THE REAR SEAT BELTS WERE EITHER DEFECTIVE OR WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLY WHEN OUR CAR WAS BUILT. BOTH MECHANISM BROKE WHILE THE SEAT BELT WAS ON OUR SON, NOT WHILE WE WERE PUTTING ON THE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT WAS ALREADY BUCKLED AND IN PLACE WHEN THEY FAILED. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10119335April 29, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118543April 27, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, EQUIPMENT
WHILE STANDING IDLE FOR MORE THAN THREE HOURS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, WITH THE DASHBOARD AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT FULLY ENGULFED. ALTHOUGH EXACT CAUSE OF MALFUNCTION HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED, THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NEVER HAVE JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118503April 26, 2005
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE HAS SEEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES AND IS WELL KEPT. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM ,AND WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE REAR BRAKES. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOUND. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118445April 25, 2005
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
2001 FORD ESCORT 4-DOOR 477-LXX. I HAD STARTED UP MY CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN MY CAR REFUSED TO RUN. I TRIED TURNING IT OVER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. SO I CONTACTED A MECHANIC, WHO TOWED THE CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. HE CALLED ME TODAY WITH THE FOLLOWING: THERE WAS DEFECTIVE WIRING ON FUEL PUMP HOUSING OF MY CAR. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FROM THE FACTORY ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. ONE SET OF 4 TERMINALS ON THE PUMP WERE ANGLED BACK PROPERLY, BUT THE OTHER SET OF 4 WERE STRAIGHT SO THAT THE TERMINALS WERE ALMOST TOUCHING. THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TERMINALS ON THE TWO CENTER TERMINALS OF THE STRAIGHT SET WERE FUSED UPON INSPECTION. HAD SHORTED OUT THE FUEL PUMP. THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF, AND THE MECHANIC ASSUMED THAT THE TWO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TERMINALS PROBABLY HAD BEEN ARCING ABOVE THE GAS TANK EACH TIME THE CAR STARTED SINCE IT LEFT THE FACTORY, SINCE THE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN BASICALLY UNTOUCHED. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED A VIOLENT EXPLOSION OF GAS IN THE FUEL TANK, AND KILLED BOTH ME AND MY MOTHER, AND POSSIBLY BURNED OUR HOUSE DOWN. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED BY THE MECHANIC BY BENDING THE TERMINALS BACK TO THEIR PROPER POSITION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118119April 19, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
UNINTENDED ACCELLERATION. WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, ON APPROXIMATELY 6 OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WOULD BE PLACED IMMEDIATELY INTO NEUTRAL AND THE IDLE SPEED WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY FLOORMATS OR INADVERTANT PRESSING OF THE GAS PEDAL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10116587April 7, 2005
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING 2003, FORD, ESCAPE WITH 13.970 MILE WITH GENERAL AMERI - TRAC, 225/70R15 PASSENGER REAR TIRE THREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO UNDER CARRIAGE AND BUMPER. WHILE REPLACING TIRE WITH SPARE NOTICED DRIVER'S REAR TIRE ALSO STARTED TO SEPARATE. ESCAPE WAS TO UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO CUTTER FORD DEALERSHIP, AIEA HAWAII. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING, SAYING TIRES WERE ON FOR 12,000 MILES OR 1 YEAR. TOOK CAR TO SEARS TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED WHICH COST LITTLE OVER 250.00, BUT THIS DIDN'T INCLUDE ANY BODY DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TIRE. IT APPEARED TO M THAT DEALERSHIP WISH TO AVOILD ANY PROBLEMS WITH TIRES, LIKE PREVIOUS TIRE PROBLEMS. TIRES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DIVEN ON PAVED ROADS. HAVE RETAINED THE PAPERWORK FROM SEARS ON THE CONDITION OF TIRES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Ford Escort