Page 2 of 3 · complaints 51–100 of 101

1990 Ford Escort complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1990 record →

Seats
Filed Sep 10, 1996NY

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE, SEAT TRACK AND ANCHORS FAILED. *AK

Steering › Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)
Filed Aug 16, 1996CA

ON ONE OCCASION THE SEAT TRACK BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Aug 14, 1996OH

ENGINE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Aug 12, 1996IL

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE. *SD

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Jun 12, 1996CA

FUEL TANK LEAK. *SD

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed May 13, 1996NY

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER HOOD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed May 10, 1996NY

OWNER HEARD FUNNY NOISE AND PULLED OVER AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF. SAW SMOKE FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. FEW MINUTES LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed May 6, 1996OH

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed May 3, 1996OH

IGNITION FAILED. *SD

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 30, 1996MO

DRIVING VEHICLE, NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD, PARKED VEHICLE NEXT DAY AT JOB, TURNED TO GO TO BLDG, INFORMED VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Apr 29, 1996MN

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN OR THE DASH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Apr 24, 1996PA

WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF HOUSE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY BLEW UP; MADE LOUD SOUND, SUDDENLY FIRE WAS EVERYWHERE. OWNER WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAILS; VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Apr 23, 1996WI

AFTER PARKING OVERNIGHT, FOUND VEHICLE IN GARAGE ON FIRE, COMING FROM DASH. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996TX

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. SOURCE UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996VA

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IT WENT UP IN FLAMES DUE TO THE IGNIITON SWITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996CT

VEHICLE PARKED FOUR HOURS AND THEN BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996TX

WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERHOOD; ACCORDING TO FIRE DEPARTMENT, COULD HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL FIRE; EVERYTHING UNDERHOOD BURNT. *AK

Electrical System › IgnitionFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996OH

IGNITION FIRE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 19, 199600

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › IgnitionFire
Filed Apr 19, 1996TX

IGNITION SHORT RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 18, 1996DC

WHILE DRIVING OWNER NOTICED BURNING SMELL FOLLOWED BY SMOKE. FLAMES GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE THEN STOPPED. VEHICLE FAILED TO START UNTIL NEW SWITCH INSTALLED.*AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Apr 18, 1996FL

WHILE DRIVING ON HWY VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN, WILL NOT RESTART BECAUSE OF IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Apr 18, 1996TX

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AUTO CUTS OFF-NO ACCIDENTS YET. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Apr 17, 1996VA

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, THEN FLAMES FROM BEHIND INSTRUMENT PANEL, RESULT INTERIOR FIRE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Apr 4, 1996CA

THE CAMSHAFT THAT HOLDS THE GEAR BROKE. PLEAS DESCRIBE . *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Feb 16, 1996OH

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TO WORK PARKED CAR STARTED TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE . TT

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Feb 9, 1996CT

IGNITION MODULE FAILED, RESULTING IN ENGINE CUT-OUT REPEATLY, REPLACED THE OLD MODULE. TT

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jan 26, 1996NY

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK FRAME BROKE, SEAT FULLY RECLINED BACKWARDS. TT

Steering › Linkages › Tie Rod Assembly
Filed Jan 19, 1996CA

FRONT INNER TIE ROD BROKE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. TT

Structure › Body › Hood
Filed Jan 16, 1996ME

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND DAMAGED THE WINDSHIELD, PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS FAILED. TT

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Dec 27, 1995NY

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD, EA95-002 ACTIVE, DASH WAS COMPLETELY BURNED. TT

Seat BeltsCrash2 injured
Filed Nov 29, 1995IL

DRIVER'S SIDE BELT BROKE UPON IMPACT AT 35 MPH. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Oct 27, 1995PA

SEAT BELT SLIPS OUT OF HARNESS WHEN USING CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *TT

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist SystemFire
Filed Aug 30, 1995MO

# EA95-002 WHEN DRIVING SMOKE CAUSED FROM THE STEERING CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE CAR WAS TOTALED . TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 28, 1995MO

VEHICLE ACCELERATED CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. TT

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Aug 5, 1995NY

FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection SystemFire
Filed Aug 1, 1995NH

ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION PLASTIC BREATHER FELL OFF ONTO HOT ENGINE WHILE DRIVING/MELTED. *SD

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master CylinderFire
Filed Jul 3, 1995AL

PULLED UP IN DRIVEWAY AND SAW LEFT FRONT WHEEL ON FIRE/REPLACED BRAKE CALIPER PISTONS. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed May 24, 1995CA

DRIVER/PASSENGER LAP BELTS INOPERATIVE, MALE TO FEMALE BUCKLE WON'T LOCK IN. TT

Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Filed May 5, 1995OH

COMPUTER FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AW

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Apr 19, 1995CA

FIRE IN GLOVE COMPARTMENT AREA, FIRE DEPT STATED THAT FIRE WAS POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL RELATED. TT

Seat BeltsCrash1 injured
Filed Mar 13, 1995CA

UPON BEING REAR ENDED, DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN. DRIVER NOTICED BELT MOVING ALONG TRACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Electrical System › Wiring › Front UnderhoodFire
Filed Mar 6, 1995NY

UNDER THE HOOD FIRES, VEHICLE WAS SMOKING WHILE DRIVING CAUGHT ON FIRE, WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION./ TT

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Mar 1, 1995CT

VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 5 MINTUES DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › CaliperFire
Filed Feb 28, 1995FL

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE/ODR, PULLED TO SIDE, FOUND FRONT BRAKESCAUGHT ON FIRE, DEALER REPLACED FRONT CALIPERS. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper
Filed Feb 24, 1995LA

WHILE DRIVING, BRAKE CALIPERS WERE DRAGGING, GOT HOT, CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN DRIVING, SEEMED AS THOUGH FOOT WAS ON BRAKE, CAUSED PLASTIC HUB CAPS TO MELT. TT

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Feb 21, 1995WI

ROCK HIT GAS TANK CAUSING TANK TO LEAK. TT

Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Feb 7, 1995NJ

CAR WAS PARK IN A LOT AND CAR CAUGHT FIRE. TT

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Jan 21, 1995NY

ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jan 13, 1995NJ

SEAT BELTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. TT

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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