1998 Ford Escort complaints

THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPRINGS AND STRUTS ON VEHICLE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT SHE HAD BEEN DRIVING WITH CRACKED SPRINGS DURING A MAINTENANCE CHECK. *SC *JB

BROUGHT MY CAR TO SHOP TO HAVE STRUTS REPLACED. WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AND HAD DESTROYED THE STRUTS AS WELL. VEHICLE HAS 80,00 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THE MECHANIC HAS ONE EVERY WEEK INTO HIS SHOP. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, AND SOON AFTER CONSUMER HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS GUIDED TO THE SHOULDER, AND CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER BRACKETS BROKE. THIS IN TURN, CAUSED THE AC COMPRESSOR TO FALL AND RIP A HOLE INTO THE OIL PAN.*AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

I TOOK MY 1998 FORD ESCORT TO GAGNE FORD IN PRINCETON, WISCONSIN, TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING THE TIE RODS. "OUTER TIE ROD ENDS. RIGHT OUTER IS LOOSE. LEFT OUTER IS SIEZED." SINCE THERE IS ONLY 23,200 MILES ON THE CAR, I CHECKED FOR RECALLS. ARE PEOPLE JUST HAVING THIS REPAIR DONE AND NOT REPORTING IT? DO I REALLY NEED THIS WORK DONE?

HORN SOUNDS AT ALL HOURS. UNPLUGGED. *AK

SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD AND CANNOT GET CAR OUT OF PARK.ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEMS?*AK

REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS ARE UNABLE TO RETRACT. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SEATS ARE NOT BEING RESTRAINT. *AK

AT 123,00MI I NOTICED WATER LEAKING FORM BEHIND WATER PUMP TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP HOUSING PART #F8RZ-8501-EN IT HAD ERODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT RESULTING IN A PINHOLE LEAK I ALSO HAD THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT REPLASED JUST IN CASEAT A COST OF 625 DOLLARS. 13 MONTHS AND 33,000MI LATER SAME PROBLEM WITH WATER PUMP HOUSING ERODING FOR INSIDE OUT OF CORSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE TIMING BELT WAS FAILING DO TO A SEIZED IDLER COST TO REPAIR 700 DOLLARS. THE IDLER YOU CAN CHALK UP TO BAD LUCK THE HOUSING ON THE OTHER HAND IS RIDICULOUS IT HAS NO MOVING PARTS OTHER THAN ANTIFREEZE RUNNING THROUGH IT AND THE MECHANICS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. I DON'T CARE TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY EVERY YEAR FOR SOME BAD CASTING ON FORDS PART 1 YEAR OR 12,00 MI SHOULD NOT APPLY TO APART THAT SHOULD LAST A WHOLE LOT LONGER. *AK

WHEN ENGAGING INTO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH ON A GRAVEL ROAD CONSUMER MADE AN MADE A RIGHT TURN AND VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A GUARD RAIL. THIS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

1998 ESCORT NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS INTO THE ENGINE. CHANGED FUEL FILTER, HAD FUEL INJECTORS LOOKED AT, GOT PREMIUM GAS, NO LUCK. THE CAR IDLES EXTREMELY ROUGHLY AND SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY. IT FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO STALL AND BUCKS WHEN IDLING AND EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THE IDLE IS BECOMING WORSE AND WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS USED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY, NOW SHAKES AND BUCKS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. I AM A POOR COLLEGE STUDENT AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC. *JB

ON DECEMBER, 17TH, IN THE EVENING, MY HUSBAND WAS ON ROUTE 20, IN MARLBOROUGH, MA. HE HAD MADE A WRONG TURN AND WAS GOING 2 MPH, DOING A K-TURN, WHEN BOTH THE AIRBAGS IN HIS 1998 FORD ESCORT INFLATED. HE HAS A STANDARD SHIFT CAR. AT THE TIME OF THE FAULTY INFLATION, AS HE WAS STRUCK BY THE AIRBAG IN THE HEAD, HIS FEET CAME OFF THE PEDALS AND THE CAR STALLED, ROLLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HITTING A CURB. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT HE WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THESE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. HAD HE NOT MADE THE WRONG TURN, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY. AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH ON ROUTE 495, I DON'T BELIEVE HIS OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN SO GOOD, AFTER THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. HE SUFFERS STILL FROM NECK AND BACK PAIN FROM THE INCIDENT. THE IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT HE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THE AIRBAGS JUST DEPLOYED ON THEIR OWN, WHILE HE WAS DRIVING. WE CALLED FORD THE NEXT DAY TO REPORT THIS. THEY SAID THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT US WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. TWO AND A HALF WEEKS WENT BY, AND NO ONE CALLED. MY HUSBAND CALLED FORD AGAIN. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. MY HUSBAND THEN CALLED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER. A REGIONAL REP. WAS GOING TO BE AT THAT LOCATION THE FOLLOWING DAY. HE CALLED US, STATING THAT WITHIN A FEW DAYS FORD WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH US. A FEW DAYS WENT BY, AND HE TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO, WE HAD TO FILE CERTAIN PAPERWORK FIRST BEFORE FORD WOULD TALK TO US. THE PAPERWORK ARRIVED THE NEXT DAY. IT REQUESTS SUCH THINGS AS "COMPLETE HISTORY

I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AS YOU ARE DRIVING THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL DROP DOWN. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND MADE COMMENT OF THIS TO WHICH I WAS TOLD I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS AND MILES, IS THAT THE SEATBELT STRAP AT THE LAP CAN CATCH ON THE RELEASE LEVER OF THE SEAT AND ANY SHIFTING IN POSITION WILL PULL ON THE LEVER AND RELEASE THE SEAT BACK. THIS IS JUST A WARNING TO OTHERS AS IT CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT AS IT CATCHES THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER OFF GUARD WHEN THE BACK OF YOUR SEAT FALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE.

HELLO, MY COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE REAR COIL SPRINGS OF '98 ISH ESCORTS. IN MY CASE, THE FIRST SPRING FAILED AT ABOUT 80,000 KMS AND THE SECOND WAS CONFIRMED JUST TODAY WHILE HAVING A TIRE REPLACED DUE TO A PUNCTURE. THREE GARAGES HAVE MADE UNSOLICITED COMMENTS CONCERNING THE AWFUL COILS DELIVERED WITH THE CAR WONDERING IF THEY (THE REAR COILS) HAD FAILED YET. INITIALLY I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE MECHANICS MOTIVES; NOW I JUST FUME WHEN I HEAR THESE COMMENTS. IF THIS IS SUCH A PROBLEM, WHY ISN'T FORD MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO REDRESS THIS PROBLEM? NOW I'M WONDERING WHETHER THAT BUSTED COIL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR YESTERDAY'S PUNCTURED TIRE - THE GARAGE THOUGHT THIS WAS CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

WHILE SWERVING TO AVOID HITTING AN ANIMAL REAR END FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A TREE, THEN FLIPPED, AND LANDED ON ALL FOUR TIRES. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH REAR END TOOK OFF. AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND LANDED IN A DITCH. NO REPORT OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK

REAR COIL STRINGS BROKE AT 70,000 MILES ON 1998 FORD ESCORT WAGON.*AK

CAR WILL LOOSE POWER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES AFTER SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) TO PASS THROUGH AN AUTOMATED EPASS SYSTEM (35MPH). THERE IS NO BUCKING OR SURGING, SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER. YOU CAN PUT THE ACCELATOR TO THE FLOOR TO NO AVAIL. ONCE DOWN BELOW 10 MPH THE CAR WILL STALL OUT. AFTER WAITING 1/2 HOUR THE CAR CAN BE RESTARTED. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURED THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN STATE FORD. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WAS ALLOWED TO SIT AND THEN DRIVEN TO CAR MAX (PLACE OF PURCHASE) WHERE THE IGNITION COIL AND WIRES WHERE REPLACED. THE 3RD OCCURENCE WAS TODAY. THE CAR WILL BE TAKEN BACK TO CAR MAX. ALL OF THESE OCCURENCES HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS.

WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. DROVE VEHICLE TO A REPAIRS SHOP. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RIGHT REAR STRUT SPRING BROKE. *AK

FAX FWD FM FMCSA FM ELOISE J. QUINN (CT) SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN GETTING FORD TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THE REPAIR OF THE IGNITION MODULE ON HER 1998 FORD ESCORT.*MR THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE. FORD REFUSE TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER. *TS *JB

VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. PARTS HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

ON AUGUST 5, 2003, I WAS REARENDED WHILE DRIVING A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE AUTO KILL SWICH NEVER KILLED THE ENGINE. LUCKILY THE GAS TANK STAYED INTACT. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE FIRE PERSONELL AT THE SCENE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE KILL SWITCH WAS NOT TRIPPED. BOTH BACK DOORS WERE JAMMED WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD TRAOOED IN THE BACK.

FAILURE OF VEHICLE'S REAR SUSPENSION COILS. NAR 08/01/2003*MR *CB

ENGINE IS FAILING PREMATURELY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

VEHICLE'S REAR SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKING IN THE RETRACT POSITION AND WOULDN'T RELEASE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO PROPERLY RETRAIN CHILDREN IN CSS. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN ORDER THE CORRECT PROBLEM.

I HAVE A 1998 FORD ESCORT I ONLY HAVE 19.099 MILES. I PURCHASE THIS CARD ON NOVEMBER OF1998, THEREFORE THE DRIVING TIME WILL BE 4 YEARS ON THIS NOVEMBER. MY ENGINE WENT DEAD. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT MY CAR NO LONGER HAS ANY WARRANTY.*AK I HAVE EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE EXPENDED $14.000 FOR THE USE OF THIS NEW CAR FOR 4 YEARS. AN AS FAR I COLD SEE. THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY DEFECTIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE IF I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR 20.000 MILES ON THE FIRST TWO YEARS THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE WOULD HAD GONE LONG BEFORE THAT. AND YOU WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS ENGINES A LEMON AND I WOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT THEN. I HAVE THIS CAR SERVICE BY THEM. THEY HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS OF MY VEHICLE ENGINE CHECKS. SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT WENT WRONG WHEN THERE WERE SERVICING MY CAR ALL THIS TIME? I DO NOT HAVE A CAR NOW WHEN I MOST NEED IT.YOU SEE THE REASON I BOUGHT A NEW CAR WAS BECAUSE MY WIFE BECAME DISABLE AND I NEED IT A DEPENDABLE CAR. MY WIFE HAS MS.

REAR (BOTH) SPRINGS ON 1998 FORD ESCORT BROKE PRIOR TO 55,000 MILES. CAR WAS NOT USED FOR ANY HEAVY DUTY DRIVING.*AK

GRACO 8442 CYP CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *MR PH

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION HAD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN HAZARD FLASHERS ARE ON CONSUMER CAN SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

DURING A SAFETY INSPECTION FOR MY 1998 FORD ESCORT, I WAS ADVISED THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS WERE BROKE, WHICH CAUSED BOTH REAR STRUTS TO WEAKEN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS TYPE VEHICLE. *TT

REAR SPRINGS BROKE AT 25,000 MILES. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT FORD DESIGNED THE SPRINGS TOO THIN. FORD WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THE COST TO ME. *TT

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION YET NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. *NLM

WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED HER DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CHILD INTERGRATED CAR SEAT, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE STRAP HAD SEPARATED. *JB

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS ON MY 1998 FORD ESCORT SE WAGON WERE FOUND TO BE BROKEN (EACH CRACKED AND BROKE IN TWO PIECES BENEATH THE PLASTIC SLEEVE). VEHICLE HAD 52,715 MILES AT THE TIME, BUT FROM CORROSION EVIDENCE OF BROKEN SPRINGS, IT APPEARS THEY MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR AWHILE PRIOR TO DISCOVERY. FOUR OTHER INCIDENTS NOTED ON SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE WITHIN THIS DATABASE. *JB

WHEN THE KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION , THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO THE MOVE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FROM THE PARK POSITION. *JB

THE VEHICLES GEAR SHIFT LOCKED AND COULDN'T BE MOVED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *NLM

I READ THAT THAT NHTSA CONDUCTED A STUDY ON TIE ROD END FAILURE IN FORD CARS AT SOME POINT. I HAVE JUST HAD TWO SETS OF TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED ON MY FORD ESCORT (98 MODEL YEAR) WITHIN A SPAN OF A YEAR AND A HALF. IF YOU ARE STILL COLLECTING DATA FOR THIS ISSUE, I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT MY CASE. *JB

THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED.*JB

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE CAUSE. PH...*AK

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 FORD ESCORT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN AUGUST, 1998. THE MOST SEVERE AND RECENT PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER, 2002. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING MAJOR OVERHEATING PROBLEMS IN MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE HEAD GASKET BECAME FAULTY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING BUILT, OR IF FULLERTON FORD DAMAGED THE GASKET WHILE DOING WORK ON MY VEHICLE, AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SODDER THE PART TOGETHER. ACCORDING TO CORBO'S AUTO SERVICE IN SOMERVILLE, THE GASKET HAD A "SODDERED" HOLE IN IT WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO BLOW. FULLERTON FORM WAS THE ONLY REPAIR FACILITY I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO CORBO'S. I HAVE CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE WORK AT FULLERTON. I HAVE EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT I BELIEVE FULLERTON FORD WAS HURTING MY VEHICLE MORE THAN IT WAS HELPING IT. THE FORD COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE IN MY EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE FULLERTON FORDS SERVICE PRACTICES.

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.*JB

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TROUBLE DATED BACK TO THE RECALL, PRIOR TO THE RECALL THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AN OVER SENSITIVE SENSOR OR AIR BEING IN THE GAS TANK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BOGUS CODE. *JB NAR 1/21/2003

WHILE DRIVING THE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE. CONSUMER STATES DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH IN A FRONTAL COLLISON THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY ON IMPACT, CAUSING INJURIES TO THE DRIVER UPON VEHICLE IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60MPH THE ENGINE'S TIMING BELT BROKE CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL. TS

VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION, STILL LURCHES IN FIRST, HAS HEAVY SIDEWAYS VIBRATION UNTIL VEHICLE HITS HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR REPAIR WHILE UNDER WARRANTY FROM FIRST REPAIR, FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. DT

THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WOULD ONLY MOVE IN REVERSE AND WOULD SLIP IN ALL GEARS. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS DUE TO MODIFICATION CONSUMER MADE TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION WHEN IN TOW. WARRANTY REPAIR IS DENIED BY THE DEALER. *JG