1997 Ford Escort complaints

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH WHEN A DEER JUMPED OVER GAURDRAIL HEAD-ON IN FRONT VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, THE PASSENGER SIDE DAMAGED CONSUMERS EYE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE DIED AND HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. ANOTHER TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING NOISES AND WAS SLOW TO TAKE OFF. VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN. *AK.ET.

TRANSMISSION "BLEW" GOING AT THE SPEED OF 35 MILES AN HOUR IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. CAUSE OF FAILURE HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE DIFFERENTIAL IN THE TRANSMISSION. OUTER CASE OF THE TRANSMISSION BOX WAS CRACKED BECUASE OF THE FORCE OF IMPACT. LOSS OF POWER ALMOST CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELTS NEVER LOCKED DOWN. WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED IT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. GLASS WAS ON THE PASSENGER'S SEAT AND IF SOME ONE WAS THERE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT.

WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO GET EXSTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT HAS HAD SEVERAL MAJOR FAILURES. *AK

WHEN STOPPED WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, ENGINE DOES NOT "IDLE DOWN"; IF PLACED IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, ENGINE WILL RACE UP TO AS MUCH AS 3500 RPM. FIRST EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ON 3/23/99...VEH. WAS PLACED IN SHOP @ AKINS FORD IN WINDER, GA (WHERE PURCHASED) AND THEY REPLACED "TPS AND CLEANED THROTTLE PLATES." ALL O.K. UNTIL 4/4, WHEN PROBLEM REAPPEARED. CAR WILL LITERALLY PULL ITSELF ALONG IN FIRST GEAR. *AK

MY CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT TURN OFF WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES CAUSING ME TO HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ALL THE THINGS FORD ESCORT LX'S OF 1997 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.

SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. HAS BEEN SERVICED NUMEROUS TIMES BY DEALER. NO EXPLANATION CAN BE GIVEN. HAVE EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS WITH CHECK COOLANT WARNING LIGHT.

UPON ACCELARATION TO 35MPH, THE GAS PEDAL VOLUNTARILY DROPPED TOWARDS THE FLOORBOARD. THE TACHOMETER WAS REDLINING WITH THE BRAKES ENGAGED, AT THIS POINT THE CAR WAS TRAVELING AT APPOX. 50MPH. WHEN THE GEAR LEVER WAS MOVED INTO NEUTRAL THE CAR CONTINUED TO REV AT 7000 RMP'S UNTIL THE KEY WAS SHUT OFF. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT BEGAN TO REV AT REDLING RPM'S ONCE AGAIN. FROM THAT POINT IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP.

THERE IS A HOLE IN GAS TANK WHICH MAKES A WAY FOR THE GAS TO GET OUT OF THE TANK. CONSUMER DOESN'T KNOW HOW OR WHEN THE HOLE GOT IN THE TANK. *AK

BRAKE SHOE PIN FAILED. MJS

ERG CONNECTOR FAILED. NLM

ON TWO OCCASIONS THE DASHBOARD "ENGINE LIGHT" WILL NOT GO OFF. *YC

EXHAUST TAIL PIPE FAILED. YH

RUBBER DOOR SEAL FAILED. YH

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES A POPPING/GRINDING SOUND OCCURS, AN VEHICLE TAKES A LONGER TIME TO STOP. OWNER'S DAUGHTER WAS IN VEHICLE CRASH DUE TO LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. *AK`

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR WHEN IT SUDDENLY STOP WITHOUT NOTICE. IT WAS DAYTIME AND I HAD MY 13 YEAR OLD GRANDSON WITH ME. WE GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WENT TO THE NEAREST HOUSE. THE WOMEN ADVISED ME THAT HER HUSBAND WAS A MECHANIC AND HE WOULD LOOK AT THE CAR WHEN HE RETURNED FROM A ERRAND. UPON THE MECHANIC ARRIVAL--NOT ASSOCIATED WITH FORD MOTORS--HE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID YOU HAVE A FUSE PROBLEM. HE OPEN THE HOOD AND THE FUSE COMPARTMENT. AFTER 20 SECONDS HE PUSH A FUSE BACK IN AND THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT PROBLEMS. HE ADVISED ME THAT LOOSE FUSES ON NEWER FORDS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT WHILE THIS HAPPENED IN THE DAY WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED AT NIGHT WHILE I WAS TRAVELLING ON A DARK INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE. A STALL OUT CAUSED MY AN ELECTRICAL FUSE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT . I'M ALSO CONCERNED WITH THE MECHANICS STATEMENT THAT THIS HAPPENS ON A LOT OF NEWER FORD. HE ALSO SAID SOMETHING ABOUT AUTO MANUFACTURERS GETTING AROUND THIS WITH "SILENT RECALLS". NO PROBLEM UNLESS YOU COMPLAIN. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHETHER MY INCIDENT IS ISOLATED OR THE MECHANIC IS RIGHT THAT THIS IS HAPPENING BUT ITS A SILENT MATTER.

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE OWNERS FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND RAN INTO A TREE. OWNER SAYS THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. *AK *YH

WIPERS SUDDENLY FAILED TO WORK WHILE DRIVING IN A RAIN STORM AND PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK.

STEEL WHEEL RIM WELDING IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING AIR TO ESCAPE FROM THE WHEEL RIM WHICH COULD ALSO CAUSE THE RIM TO SEPARATE FROM THE WELDING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN BRAKING AND TURNING A CORNER. DEALER CONTACTED AND RAN OASIS, FOUND NO REPAIR FOR THE VEHICLE AND CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CAR THAT I HAD PURCHASED HAS NOT LIVED UP TO IT'S EXPECTATIONS SINCE I PURCHASED IT. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR, I PURCHASED IT IN SEPT. OF 1998, THE BRAKES HAVE COMPLETELY GONE OUT, THE EMERGENCY LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY EVEN THOUGHT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT ON. WHEN PURCHASING THE CAR, I HAD EXPLAINED TO THE CAR DEALER THE I, BEING OF ONLY 19 YRS OF AGE AND THIS BEING MY FIRST BIG PURCHASE I COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY A CAR THEN END UP HAVING TO PUT TONS OF MONEY INTO IT. I AM VERY UPSET AT THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY A SHORT WHILE, THE WARRANTY HAS PASSED (HOW CONVEINIENT) AND I REFUSE TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A FAULTY SENSOR.

DRIVER'S SEAT THAT IS MOUNTED TO THE SEAT TRACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO "ROCK" WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE METAL AROUND THE MOUNTING NUT FATIGUED AND BROKE OUT. *AK

AT ANY SPEEDS BRAKES WILL CONTINUOUSLY FAIL, CAUSING A LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

MY WIFE HIT A DEER ON INTERSTATE 90 NEAR ALBERT LEA, MN. RELATIVELY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE CAR BUT SUFFICIENT TO DEPLOY BOTH AIR BAGS. THE DEPLOYMENT RESULTED IN A FRACTURE TO THE DASH AND WINDSHIELD THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THOSE PLUS ALL AIR BAG COMPONENTS. THE MAJORITY OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WAS BECAUSE OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. ACCORDING TO INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE DEALER, ONE AIR BAG SENSOR IS UNIQUE IN THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND NOT READILY AVAILABLE. WE HAVE WAITED A NUMBER OF WEEKS TO GET THE SENSOR, OTHERWISE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER WILL NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE AS LONG AS A SAFETY COMPONENT IS INOPERATIVE. FORD SAYS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR THE DEALER TO RESOLVE. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THEY HAVE HAD THIS PART ON PRIORITY SHIPMENT FOR OVER THREE WEEKS AND IT STILL IS NOT AVAILABLE. I BELIEVE THAT THE DAMAGE MAY HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS THOUGH IT WAS UNNECESSARY IN THIS PARTICULAR CRASH. HOWEVER IT IS UNEXCUSEABLE THAT THIS PART CAUSES THE MAJORITY OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, PLUS WE ARE UNABLE TO USE THE VEHICLE, WE LOSE NOT ONLY USE, WE LOSE WARRANTY, AND WE DO NOT HAVE A VERY SECURE FEELING ABOUT A PART THAT IS SO IMPORTANT, YET SO RARE THAT IT ONLY EXISTS IN A FEW PRODUCTION MODELS. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR SAFETY DEVICES, WE ARE GRATEFUL NO ONE WAS INJURED, WE WOULD BE MORE GRATEFUL TO GET OUR CAR BACK. WHY WOULD FORD PUT A SAFETY COMPONENT ON SUCH LIMITED SUPPLY? PLEASE IDENTIFY IF THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR MORE VEHICLE OWNERS

DRIVER WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 50 MPH, AND WAS PUSHED INTO THE BUMPER OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. DURING THE COLLISION THE SEAT BACK MECHANISMS BROKE AND ALLOWED THE RECLINE TO A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, THE SHOULDER STRAP OF THE SEAT BELT SLID DOWN TO HER ARM, AND SHE WAS THROWN INTO THE STEERING WHEEL SINCE THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED, AND DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURY. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL, ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

WHEN VEHICLE REACHES SPEEDS OF 35 MPH AND OVER THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND THE FRONT END VIBRATES. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *AK

FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING 10 MPH (TAP) OF A GUARDRAIL, RESULTING IN INJURY TO EYES.

TEN TRANSMISSION FAILURES. QCAW

VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE THE ROTORS/PADS REPLACED. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY MAKE SQUEAKING NOISE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH; HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE, PULLED VEHICLE OVER, AND NOTICED ENGINE PULLEY DISCONNECTED. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE AT THE COST TO THE CONSUMER. *AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSION. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER MADE REPAIRS FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, HOWEVER NOW THE ENGINE OVERHEATS. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH CONSUMER'S SON PULLED OUT THE SHOULDER BELT. BUT WHEN SEAT BELT RETRACTED, THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT OFF HIS NECK AND THEY HAD TO CUT THE BELT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT THAT CRACKED THE RIM, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. *AK

DURING REAR IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHEN STOPPED WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, AND ENGINE STARTS RACING. CAUSING UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE GOT STUCK IN AN INTERSECTION. BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE FACING INWARD DUE TO INNER TIE ROD FAILURE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN A SUDDEN STOP, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN NOTICED A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM INSIDE, PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. PULLED VEHICLE OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS BURNING, NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. PASSENGER GOT BACK INTO CAR, WHILE DRIVER WAS STILL LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD. LESS THEN 30 SECONDS AFTER PASSENGER GOT INTO THE VEHICLE, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER RECEIVED CHEMICAL BURNS AND CUTS ON FACE. ALSO, AIR BAGS CRACKED FRONT WINDSHIELD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT OR A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER NOTICED A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER AWARE OF PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS ENTERNING THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. TOOK CONSUMER ACROSS THREE LANES BEFORE HITTING CONCRETE DIVIDER. ONE INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THE TIME. *AK

VEHICLE MAKES SQUEAKING NOISE DURING TRAVEL, SQUEAK STOPS WHILE BRAKING. BRAKES PULSE WHILE BEING DEPRESSED.

WHILE DRIVING THE PLASTIC UNDERNEATH THE CAR NEXT TO THE EXHAUST INTAKE MANIFOLD BURST INTO FLAMES WITHOUT ANY WARNING. PULLED VEHICLE OVER AND PUT FLAMES OUT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HIT THE CURB AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHICH CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO CRACK. *AK

DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 30MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, WHILE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT STEERING WHEEL. *AK