1991 Ford Escort complaints

WHEN CONSUMER PUT KEY IN IGNITION SWITCH AND TURNED KEY, VEHICLE DID NOT TURN ON. WHEN SHE SHOVED KEY BACK AND TURNED OPPOSITE WAY. IT WILL TURN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS PUTTING ON DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT AND NOTICED IT PULLED ONLY HALFWAY. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT SAFETY RELATED. *AK THE SHOULDER HARNESS WHICH IS ELECTRONICALLY OPERATED FAILED . IT IS SAFETY HAZARD AND ILLEGAL TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE UNDER THIS CONDITION. *YH

I WAS INVOLVED IN A LITTLE ACCIDENT. I WAS GOING 20 MPH ON IMPACT AND MY AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE OUT OF THE TRACK.I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY HURT BUT COULD HAVE BEEN CRIPPLED.WHAT CAN I DO? MY SEAT BELT AND TRACK ARE NOW JUNK AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING A FORD AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE SEAT BELT THING. *AK

CAR WOULDN'T STAY IN PARK SOMETIMES, IT WAS SLIPPING WHEN IT SHIFTED AND FINALLY QUIT, WITH TRANS. FLUID RUNNING OUT. *AK

SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY. WHENEVER DOOR IS OPENED BELT DOES NOT MOVE. REMAINS IN ONE POSITION. MOTOR IS NOT WORKING. WOULD NEED TO HIT THE EMERGENCY RELEASE TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP.*AK

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *SLC

IF I FILL UP MY GAS TANK PAST 1/2, I GET A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CAR. IT IS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF BACK SEAT. WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT? WHAT ARE MY AVAILABLE COURSES OF ACTION?

DRIVER AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WILL NOT WORK. SOMETIMES WHEN DOOR IS OPENED, NOT ALLOWING PERSON TO GET OUT, AND A NOISE COULD BE HEARD, LIKE IT WAS STILL WORKING. BUT, WON'T WORK. SAME PROBLEM STARTED HAPPENING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. *AK THE CABLE IN THE BODY FRAME BROKEN CREATING A CHOCKE HAZARD FOR THE CHILD. *YH

AFTER FILLING VEHICLE WITH FUEL, AND WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A VERY BAD FUEL ODOR WITHIN THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. CHECKED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL WAS LEAKING AT THE TOP OF THE TANK, LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY LEAKED FUEL THRU A SCREW, THE SCREW WAS TIGHT, POSSIBLE THE GASKET UNDER THE SCREW DIMINISHED OVER TIME, THE LEAK COULD AT ANY TIME CAUSE A FIRE.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER RESTRAINT IN THE '91 ESCORT ATTACHES TO A SLIDING MECHANISM ABOVE THE DOOR WINDOW. THIS MECHANISM MOVES FORWARD WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED TO FREE THE DRIVER AND RETRACTS TO SECURE THE DRIVER WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. OURS IS NOW BROKEN. FORD DISCLAIMS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRING THIS NECESSARY SAFETY FEATURE. DWP. *AK

IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER LOCKED UP. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL. HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY REAR WINDOW CAME OUT. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THE REAR WINDOW. *AK

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS IF THIS IS A RECALLED ITEM IS THERE A PARTICULAR PROCEDURE FOR GETTING IT REPAIRED. AND IF WE GET IT REPAIRED OTHER THAN AT A FORD SERVICE CENTER CAN WE BE REIMBURSED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SEEMED TO GO INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S AUTOMATIC. THE FUEL GAUGE IS BROKEN AS WELL. *AK

I FILLED OUT A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH THE WRONG VIN. IT SEEMS AS IF THE RECALL ITEM FOR THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOR CARS MANUFACTURED AFTER APRIL 1991 HOWEVER THE RECALL IS ON 91FORD ESCORTS I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAR.'91. DOES IT NOT APPLY?*AK

WHEN DECREASING SPEED TO A STOP OR GOING AROUND A RAMP VEHICLE WILL STALL. THIS HAPPENS ONCE A WEEK. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND CAUSED SHORT IN THE STARTER AND BURNING. *MJS

STRONG GAS SMELL NOTED INSIDE THE CAR. FOUND A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE BACK SEAT & ON THE GROUND. THE SEAT WAS SATURATED IN GAS. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. SPOKE WITH NICHOLE & HER SUPERVISOR & WE WERE TOLD THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD & OUT OF WARRANTY & THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO. I PURCHASED A FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY #FOF5CZ-9350-B @ $242.00 & REPLACED THE PUMP MYSELF AS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE MISSED THE RECALL. THERE IS NO SMELL OR LEAKS AT THIS TIME. I SAVED THE OLD PARTS FOR POSSIBLE INSPECTIONS LATER ON WHEN FORD DECIDES TO CORRECT THEIR FUEL PROBLEMS, AS THERE ARE MANY VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM VIEWED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

IGNITION LOCK COMPLETELY DISENGAGED FROM STEERING COLUMN HOUSING (AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID # 93V057000), BUT LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT MY VEHICLE VIN SHOWS THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THIS SAFETY RECALL. MY CAR'S IGNITION CYLINDER IS SO LOOSE THAT, SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, I HAVE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE CAR (THE ENTIRE IGNITION CYLINDER ROTATES AS THE KEY IS TURNED), I OFTEN CANNOT REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY (THE IGNITION CYLINDER ROTATES, PREVENTING THE KEY FROM BEING DISENGAGED FROM THE CYLINDER), WHEN THE KEY IS FINALLY REMOVED, THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS STILL PARTIALLY ROTATED BECAUSE THE "KEY IN IGNITION'" WARNING NOISE OCCURS WHEN THE DRIVERS DOOR IS OPENED. NO LOSS OF CONTROL AT THIS TIME, BUT I FEEL THAT THIS IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT I AM HAVING WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER. ALSO, WHEN I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION CYLINDER, I CAN HEAR A METALLIC "CLICK" (FROM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING) AS THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS ROTATING ( THE LOOSE ROLL PINS?). *AK

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. YH

CAR IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT, THIS MAKES IT HARD TO STEER VEHICLE. *AK

BATTERY CABLE CORRODED. NLM

I WAS DRIVING ON 295 NOT SURE NORTH OR SOUTH, GETTING READY TO GET OF THE HIGHWAY AT EXIT 11. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXIT THEY WHERE A POT HOLE IN THE ROAD, I HIT THE POTHOLE AND PUT A BIG DENT IN MY FRONT RIGHT RIM (RIMS WHERE CUSTOM 16" X 7") THEN TIRE WENT FLAT. *AK

DRIVER'S RESTRAINT DOES NOT RETRACT ON THE ANCHORS AND THE PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT DOES NOT RELEASE . DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NHTSA RECALL # 92 V 117 000/FUEL SYSTEM: VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING FUEL LEAKAGES FROM TOP AREAS OF FUEL TANK;FUEL LEAKS CAN RESULT IN FIRE IF EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION; PROBLEM APPEARS SAME AS MENTIONED IN RECALL, BUT DEALER/MFR. REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE. DUE VIN # THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BECAUSE THE CABLE IS DEFECTIVE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

I CALLED FORD RECALL INQ. INFO. I WAS ADVISED NOT RECALL, I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

NONE

WHEN STARTING THE CAR UP THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AND ALSO FROM UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRNG HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD AND UNDER THE DASH. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL (MFR 92S54) IN FEB OF 1993 DUE TO A CRACKED SOLDER JOINT. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURED. *YC

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE FUEL TANK LEAKED FUEL & THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHORT CUTTED FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALERSHIP KNEW VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT FIRE BEFORE, BUT NEVER INFORMED PRESENT OWNER. *AK

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED FROM A FORD DEALER (HOLIDAY FORD-BLACKBURG, VA) IN 1/94 WITH 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ON 12/14/94 AT 41,687 MILES THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO MAGIC CITY FORD WITH A GAS LEAK. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND SAID FORD MAY COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE THIS CAR HAD A RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP. FORD DID NOT HONOR THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED UNDER FORD RECALL #92S54 BACK IN 11/92. MY FUEL PUMP FAILURE, ALTHOUGH IT MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL, WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BY FORD BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY "FIXED" BACK IN 11/92. I PAID THE $212.39 BILL. I SENT A LETTER ON 12/19/94 TO FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ON 1/17/95 I WAS PHONED BY DAVE RIVERS OF FORD'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME AS WHAT THE DEALER SAID (THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALL REPAIRED 11/92). NOW IN 10/99 AND AT 75,000 MILES THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE FAILURE LEFT A PUDDLE OF GAS IN MY GARAGE AND THE FUMES FILLED MY HOUSE, FORCING US TO LEAVE OUR HOUSE. I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE FAILED PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED IN 12/94. I'LL ALSO HAVE THE OTHER FAILED PUMP WHEN I REPLACE THIS LATEST FAILURE. CAN THE NHSTA "RECALL" A RECALL - IT DOESN'T APPEAR AS IF THE REPAIR IS ANY SAFER THAN THE DEFECT.

WHILE EXITING OFF A RAMP AT 35MPH THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING NOISE, AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TURNED INWARD AND LOCKED UP. DEALER SAID THE VEHICLE NEEDED PINS AND BOLTS FOR THE ROD. *AK

PINS THAT HOLD THE TIE ROD IN PLACE WERE NOT LOCATED ON THIS VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWY AT 35-40 MPH THE BOLT DISENGAGED, CAUSING THE STEERING TO LOCK UP, AND LOSS OF STEERING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

TAIL LIGHTS LOCATED IN THE REAR WINDOW SHORT CIRCUITED, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WITHIN THE WIRING, AND RESULTING IN A FIRE IN THE SOCKET. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

PULLING INTO A YARD VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. *AK

INLINE FUSE FUSE TO GAS TANK IS BLOWING OUT DUE TO CONTACT WITH WITH FUEL PUMP AND SENDING UNIT. *AK

PASSENGER'A AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT STOPPED WORKING. WIRES WERE HANGING OUT OF THE CABLE AT THE DOOR. THE WIRES WERE COATED WITH GREASE. HAD CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & DEALER & WAS INFORMED NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

A CRACK IN THE FUEL PUMP SENDING ASSEMBLY CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE TAILPIPE AND THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 92V117000. REPAIRES MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, DIDN'T START. BUT, THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING EVEN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK

DESIGN OF MOTOR RESTAINT WILL ALWAYS FAIL. UPON RETRACTION, RUBBERIZED CORD WILL EVENTUALLY PULL OUT!

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS STUCK FORWARD AND WON'T RETRACT OUT OF FORWARD POSITION. *AK

CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED AFTER AN ACCIDENT AND NOTICED THAT LUGS: NUTS AND BOLTS WERE MISSING FROM THE CAR. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED, AND ELECTRICAL WIRING TO FUEL PUMP AND WIRING UNDER DASH MELTED. ALSO, TWO SETS OF WIRING TO HEADLIGHTS MELTED TO BARE WIRE. HIGH CURRENT OVERHEATED THE WIRING. CONTACED FORD. AND VEHICLE IS ALMOST TOTALLED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION...

THE DRAPER PULLEY BROKE AND SNAPPED, CAUSING POWER STEERING BELT TO BRAKE, RESULTING IN NO POWER STEERING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

INTERFERENCE OCCURS BETWEEN THE BOLT THAT SECURES A FUEL LINE SHIELD TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 90VO76000 DUE TO VIN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT HAS COME OUT OF THE HOLDER AND HAS FALLEN DOWN. NM