1997 Ford Escort complaints

CAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL STATION AS DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE PURCHASE ONE OF THE LAST SELECTOR SHAFT ASSEMBLY SHIFTERS AVAILABLE. TOTAL COST: $349.00.

I BELIEVE THAT THE DASH HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH AS THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THERE APPEARS TO BE VELCRO ATTACHED TO THE DASH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE VIBRATES AND JERKS AND HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S OWN, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED & LOCKED. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR-BAG MODULE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST $ 675.00. 07/25/99, CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF, CAR NOT DRIVEABLE. I NOTE 4 OTHER REPORTS ON THIS WEB-SITE FOR THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY, AND 1 EACH FOR THE HEAD-GASKET & HORN/AIRBAG PROBLEMS + MANY OTHER AIRBAG PROBLEMS.

ON NOV.24,1998 VEHICLE EXPERIENCED COLLISION THAT CAUSING VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, RESULTING IN INJURY TO DRIVERS LEFT HAND. *YC

THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE HEATING AND A/C SYSTEM IS RIGHT AT THE OPENING BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD, AND NO GRATE COVERS IT. LEAVES GET INTO THE SYSTEM. THEY SPIT OUT AT YOU WHEN YOU RUN THE A/C OR HEAT. WHEN A/C RUNS, THEY PLUG UP DRAIN, AND WATER SLOSHES AROUND IN COMPARTMENT AND GETS INTO INTERIOR. WHEN HEATER RUNS, BURNING LEAVES CAN BE SMELLED.

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, FIRST INCIDENT RESULTED IN COLLISION WITH PROPERTY. MJS

WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

BRAKES.

COMPUTER--FALSE WARNINGS.

THE POWER TRAIN FAILED.*ET

VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS CAUSED WAS BY WATER INTRUDING ON CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE LOCATED UNDER DRIVER SEAT. REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT WATER STILL KEPT ENTERING. CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A/C CONDENSATION. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, KNOWING THIS CAN CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY AGAIN. SEEKING NHTSA HELP INTHIS MATTER. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 45MPH LOST STEERING POWER & BRAKES. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE. THE PULLEY HAD SHIFTED. THE DAMPER HAD FAILED & PUSHED THE PULLEY OVER & CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO BREAK. *AK

DUE TO MOISTURE IN AIRBAG MODULER , THE MODULER SHORTED OUT, CAUSING A FIRE.BECAUSE WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP , IT SMOTHERED FIRE OUT. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HORN WENT OFF ON ITS OWN. OWNER HAD TAKEN FUSE OUT TO STOP HORN FROM BLOWING. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED SMALL PLASTIC PIECE HAD WORN AWAY BETWEEN HORN & AIR BAG MODULE. IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

HORN AUTOMATICALLY SOUNDS BY ITSELF. IT SOUNDS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING PARKED AND IT HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN OUTSIDE TERMPERATURES ARE HIGH. THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF AIRBAG/HORN BUTTON IS VERY SENSITIVE. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

NO SUMMARY

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE MAKES A POPPING NOISE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE STOPPING ON A RED LIGHT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT A REASON. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG WHEN IMPACTED IN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). NLM

VEHICLE EXPERINCES 2 INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELRATION RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISIONS. YH

MECHANIC WAS TOLD BY PRTS SUPPLIERS THIS PART IN '97 ESCORTS "ARE DROPPING LIKE FLIES"-TO ME THAT IS BAD DESIGN AND POSSIBLY A HAZARD TO DRIVERS WHEN THIS PART FAILS.I WAS LUCKY AND GOING VERY SLOW SPEED WHEN MINE BROKE LOOSE.

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND TOOK OFF. ACCIDENT OCCURRED. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY SLIPPED OFF THE SHAFT AND LODGED AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND HAD TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIR. NEITHER FORD NOR FIDELITY WARRANTY SERVICE, INC. (EXTENDED WARRANTY PURCHASED AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER, WOULD COVER THE REPAIR.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK.ET

WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT HAS TO BE PUMPED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BRAKES RESPOND. ALSO, THERE IS A GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. IT CAUSES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FELL OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK

AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ON REAR LEFT/ RIGHT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK

THE ENGINE REVS HIGH WITHOUT GAS PEDAL BEING APPLIED. VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATES AFTER BRAKE APPLICATION. DEALER CAN'T FIX PROBLEM. *AK

THE VIBRATION DAMPER FAILS AND CAUSES THE PULLY TO SHIFT, CAUSING THE ALT. BELT TO RUB AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE CAR UNTIL IT BREAKS. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS FORD COMPONENT

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AT 45MPH, SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING A FEW DAYS LATER I BLEW A FUSE FOR THE BRAKES LIGHTS. I REPLACE THE FUSE AND BLEW THAT ONE. AT THIS SAME TIME I NOTICED THAT I COULD NOT SHUT OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING. I WILL CONTACT DEALER NEXT BUISNESS DAY. *AK

WHENEVER TURNING STEERING WHEEL IT WOULD MAKE LOUD/SQUEAKING NOISES. ITS SOUNDED LIKE THE FAN BELT WAS COMING OFF. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC IT WAS ONLY A BUZZING NOISE, BUT THE NOISE WAS GETTING WORSE. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, ALTHOUGH NOTHING IS MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE DEFROSTER STAYS ON WHEN BUTTON IS NOT ENGAGED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL FIRE. *YC

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE WAS RACING HIGH WITHOUT NO PRIOR WARNING. MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

DEFECTIVE DAMPER PULLEY IN THE MOTOR SYSTEM FELL APART, CAUSING THE STEERING AND BRAKING TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND MAY CAUSE A CRASH. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH VEHICLE ROLLED INTO A DITCH WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT APPROX. 25 MPH IN HEAVY RAIN CONDITION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND BURSTED. DRIVER RECEIVED CHEMICAL BURNS TO HIS FINGERS, AND PASSENGER RECEIVED CHEMICAL BURNS TO ONE OF HIS EYES AND FACE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JERKS OR VIBRATES AND HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DURING A REAR IMPACT COLLISION THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK TWISTED AND THE PASSANGER SEAT BACK BROKE STRAIGHT BACK

WHEN PULLING OUT VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD. THIS MAY CAUSE A CRASH. ALSO, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ON. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

SPEED CONTROL OFF SWITCH DOES NOT WORK 1 OUT OF 100 TIMES; IT SPEEDS UP THE CAR. *AK

HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN AN EMERGENCY.

FRONT DOOR LOCK POSTS TOO SHORT, CAN ONLY BE OPENED WITH HANDLES AND HANDLES STICK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, CAUSE UNKNOWN.. *AK

AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, IT BUMPED THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. FORD SAYS THIS WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE DEPLOYMENT. IT WAS NOT!

WHILE PULLING OUT FROM A LIGHT CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND THEY WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO REAR END VEHICLE IN FRONT. CONSUMER HAD JUST HAD THE ROTORS TURNED AND FRONT BRAKES REPLACED. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS PREMATURELY MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED OUT, HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. *AK

CONSUMER HEARS A NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE , SO SHE TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT SAFETY RELATED AND WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK