Page 6 of 7 · complaints 251–300 of 327

1991 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 1991 record →

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed May 1, 1996CA

THE IGNITION SWITCH BURNED AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

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

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE SWITCH TO BURN. *AK

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

DRIVER TRIED TO START VEHICLE, SWITCH GOT STUCK, COULD NOT TURN IT OFF, THE SWITCH SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Apr 29, 1996WA

WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROX. 60MPH, SUDDENLY AUTOMATIC SHOULDER HARNESS BEGAN TO TIGHTEN, STRPPING TO BACK OF SEAT, TO RELEASE HAD TO OPEN DOOR. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Apr 25, 1996MO

FAILURE OF DRIVER'S SEAT BELT, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 25, 1996TN

VEHILE CAUGHT ON FIRE CAUSED BY SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNES.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/RegulatorFire
Filed Apr 25, 1996FL

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE, WHEN ALTERNATOR AND FRONT WIRING HARNESS BURNED AND EXTINQUISHED ITSELF. *AK

Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Apr 25, 1996FL

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE WHEN ALTERNATOR AND FRONT WIRING HARNESS BURNED AND EXTINQUISHED IT'S SELF.

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

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO BURN. *AK

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

ELECTRICAL SHORT, WIRING BURNED WHILE DRIVING, SMELL OF SMOKE. *AK

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Apr 22, 1996OR

THE BRAKE LIGHT MELT. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

Electrical System › IgnitionFire
Filed Apr 22, 1996PA

IGNITION FIRE. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 19, 1996VA

INTERIOR VEHICLE FIRE AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
Filed Apr 18, 1996TX

THE CAR STARTS ALL BY ITSELF WHILE SITTING IN THE CAR WITHOUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. *AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE AND STARTER COULD NOT BE STOPPED WITH THE KEYS, CONSUMER HAD TO GO TO NEAREST DEALER TO ULL THE BATTERY CABLE TO STOP THE ENGINE, IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED,THE STARTER WAS BURNED OUT, RELAY SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED AND STARTER COIL.*JB

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

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, TOOK THE BATTERY OUT, PANEL LIGHT STAYED ON. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Apr 17, 1996OK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FRONM THE IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Mar 11, 1996KS

FUEL TANK; FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK,EMITTING A VERY BAD ODOR/FUMES IN THE VEHICLE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › WebbingCrash3 injured
Filed Feb 26, 1996IL

ON COUNTRY ROAD, HIT A PATCH OF ICE, CAR SLID AND ROLLED OVER; SHOULDER BELT CAME LOOSE DURING ACCIDENT. *AQK

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Feb 26, 1996IL

ON COUNTRY ROAD, HIT ICE, LOST CONTROL OF CAR, CAR ROLLED, DRIVER WAS THROWN; SHOULDER BELT CAME LOOSE DURING ACCIDENT. *AK

Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Feb 22, 1996WI

VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE FUEL PUMP SHORTING OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection SystemFire
Filed Feb 21, 1996MN

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE,CAUSED BY THE FUEL PUMP ELECTRICAL WIRING.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 25, 1996MN

OWNERS GT SERIES HAS HAD (3) COMPLETE TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED. VEHICLE HESITATES/STUMBLES SEVERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jan 24, 1996NY

DRIVER'S SEAT BACK REST IS BROKEN, WON'T LOCK UPRIGHT, BACK REST LAYS BACK. TT

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Jan 19, 1996CO

THE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR CAUSED CONSUMER TO HAVE A NEAR ACCIDENT. TT

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Jan 4, 1996NH

WIRING HARNESS CORRODED; SHORTED OUT; CAUSED ELECTRICAL FIRE. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Dec 27, 1995MN

PURCHASE CAR NEW THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING . TT

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Dec 27, 1995MN

PURCHASE CAR NEW THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR STOPPED WORKING. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Dec 4, 1995OR

DRIVER AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT TRACK STOPPED MID DOOR, NEED TO REPLACE TRACK. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Nov 30, 1995MA

DRIVER SEATBELT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DOOR TRACK, SEATBELT DOES NOT FUNCTION. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Nov 30, 1995WY

THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. TT *JB

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Nov 13, 1995CO

DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, LOCK IN THE GUIDE LOOP. TT

Seats › Front Assembly › Power AdjustFire
Filed Nov 8, 1995MN

WIRING UNDER REAR SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation ComponentsCrash
Filed Oct 26, 1995MA

BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED UNKNOWN. TT

Electrical System › Horn
Filed Oct 26, 1995WA

HORN FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank AssemblyFire
Filed Oct 11, 1995GA

STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE, CARPETING IN PASSENGER SIDE AND TRUNK AREA HAS BURNT, POSSIBLE GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE TANK. TT IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY A PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FULE LINE WHICH WAS LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST AND CATCHING FIRE, DUE TO THIS FAILURE THE ENGINE IS INOPERATIVE AND CARPET IN TRUNK HAS TO BE REPLACED.*JB

Fuel System, Other
Filed Oct 5, 1995VA

FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS IN VEHICLE. TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 2, 1995OR

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS MALFUNCTION AT 73K, GEARS WILL NOT ENGAGE. TT

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Sep 20, 1995NJ

SCREW AT BASE OF STEERING COLUMN CAME LOOSE. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. PLEASE DESCRIBE OTHER PROBLEMS. TT

Seat Belts
Filed Sep 19, 1995PA

UPON TURNING ON IGNITION, AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT MOVES FORWARD ONLY MIDWAY THEN STOPS, WON'T GO AROUND DRIVER, ALSO WIRES ARE HANGING OUT. TT

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Aug 25, 1995NV

THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOW OUT HOT AIR TOOK TO DEALER THREE TIMES. TT

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Aug 24, 1995SC

CRUISE CONTROL LOCKED UP. CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Aug 21, 1995CA

PURCHASE CAR NEW HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHT TEN TIMES ON BOTH SIDE . TT

Fuel System, GasolineFire
Filed Aug 17, 1995MS

AUTO KEEPS CATCHING ON FIRE-THIS IS THE 2ND TIME. TT

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 4, 199500

AT 39K THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, THE ENGINE KEPT RUNNING BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE, THE TRANSMISSION FROZE UP. TT

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Aug 3, 1995TX

LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. TT

Seat Belts › Front › WebbingCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 17, 1995CA

THE DRIVERS SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER IN AN ACCIDET/HIT STEERING WHEEL WITH CHEST. TT

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Switch
Filed Jun 28, 199500

HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AT NIGHT WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Jun 28, 1995CA

THE GAS TANK IS LEAKING WHEN TANK IS FILLED. *AK

Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch
Filed Jun 20, 1995MI

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT MELTED DOWN AROUND THE BULB, RELEASING SMOKE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Jun 16, 1995IN

ROLL PINS FELL OUT, AND IGNITION CAME OFF THE STEERING COLUMN. 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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