1999 Ford Escort complaints

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 60 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING WINDSHIELD WIPERSHEAD LIGHTS, AND BRAKES TO GO OUT DURING A THUNDERSTORM. DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE HESITATING/STALLING WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-70 MPH. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED / REPAIRED ON SEVEN DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING ELSE COULD BE FOUND. SEEKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. DEALER SINCE FOUND PROBLEM WITH THE REVELATOR BUT HAS NO SOLUTION. *AK

ON 06/30/99 AT 02:10 HOURS THE CRYSTAL FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE BACK LOT OF ELK COUNTY FORD. THE DEPARTMENT FOUND A NEW, 1999 FORD ESCORT SE (VIN #[XXX]) BURNING IN THE AREA OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND WHEEL WELL AREA. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A SHORT IN THE WIRING IN THE VICINITY OF A "BLOCK" OF RELAYS AND FUSES IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS CAUSED THE WIRING TO BURN AND IGNITED NEARBY PLASTIC ITEMS AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS JUST MANUFACTURED (JUNE 1999) AND HAD ONLY BEEN SITTING ON THE LOT FOR ABOUT 5 DAYS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN OPERATED RECENTLY (2:00 AM IN A SMALL COMMUNITY CAR DEALERSHIP). ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE DID NOT BELONG TO ANY CONSUMER, THIS REPORT IS BEING FILED IN ORDER TO DOCUMENT A POTENTIAL PROBLEM. [XXX] , FIRE CHIEF, CRYSTAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKE DRUM FAILED, CAUSING NOISE. *YC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS DUE TO SUSPENSION FAILURE, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG WAS LOOSE AT THE REAR PART OF THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AIRBAG TO EXPERIENCE NO DEPLOYMENT DURING THE ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN MULTIPLE INJURIES. *YC

AIR CONDITIONING IS WORKING ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS UNDER SHADE OR IF IT IS COLD OUTSIDE, CAUSING A HEALTH HAZARD.CONSUMER MUST SHUT ALL VENTS EXCEPT ONE TO GET SOME AIR TO BLOW, BUT VEHICLE IS STILL HOT. *AK

BRAKES NOISY DUE TO GROVE (HOLE) IN DRUMS. *YC

VEHICLE INTERMITENTLY EMITS CHEMICAL ODOR SIMILAR TO THE ODOR OF INSECT. FIRST TRIP TO DEALER BLAMED ON RUBBER FLOOR MATS NEXT TRIP BLAMED ON STICKERS AND UNDERCOAT ON PIPES BURNING CLAIMED WOULD BE GONE BY 1,500 MILES ODORGITATION AM GOING TO HAVE TO PARK VEHICLE TO REGAIN HE ALTH IF NO EXPLAINATION FOUND TO STOP CHEMICAL DISCHARGE

LEASED. VEHICLE STALLS WHEN BRAKING AND STARTING AGAIN, IT STALLS AND DIES OUT. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED TWO TIMES. DEALER CONTACTED CONTACTED AND STATED COMPUTER CHIP DEFECTIVE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

THE ENGINE STALLS CONTINUALLY WHILE DRIVING, DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. *ET

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH TOTALLING VEHICLE, DRIVER'S SIDE/ PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND WAS HIT BY A FORD F350, TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE. DRIVER HIT HIS HEAD-ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HURT HIS KNEE AND RECEIVED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *AK

THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATE ROAD SURFACE. MJS

SINCE THE CAR WAS FIRST BOUGHT THE ENGINE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY LOUD AS WELL AS SHAKING OCCASIONALLY WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I SPOKE WITH MY SALESPERSON, WHO WAS FRIENDLY AND TOOK IT ON A TEST DRIVE AGAIN, AND HE FOUND NOTHING WRONG. HE SAID IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE COLD WEATHER, BUT TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AS A PRECAUTION. I WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT SEE ME THEN SO I ASKED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A BETTER TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT NO APPOINTMENTS COULD BE MADE AND THEY ACCEPTED CARS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS. SINCE NEITHER DEALER IS LOCATED CLOSE TO ME, I DECIDED TO WAIT A WHILE TO SEE IF IT WAS JUST THE WEATHER. IN FEBRUARY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF FOR 2 DAYS AND SINCE THEN IT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A WHILE, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL TURN OFF AFTER A FEW DAYS. THIS IS A MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO COME OUT UNEXPECTEDLY OR TO FAIL WHEN NEEDED. I WENT TO THE SAME LOCAL DEALER 2 DAYS AGO AND THEY WOULD NOT SEE ME. AT FIRST, THE MAN TRIED TO MAKE ME THINK IT WAS ALL IN MY HEAD, BUT AFTER INSISTING ON HAVING IT CHECKED OUT ANYWAY, HE TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT SEE ME AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. I EXPLAINED THAT I HAD TRIED TO BEFORE, BUT WAS TOLD I COULDN'T AND HE BASICALLY TOLD ME TO CALL LATER TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. SINCE A FAILURE COULD CAUSE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN TO HAVE FORD CHECK THE CAR. IT IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD AND THIS I

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A WHILE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CLAIMED IT WAS THE FUSE BOX THAT CAUSED THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE STALLING. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN SEPT OF 98 AND HAS STALLED 5 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE. 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

POOR MOTOR MOUNT CAUSED THE CAR TO VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING.

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

TIRES WEAR OUT EXCESSIVELY. HAD TIRES CHANGED & ROTATED. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALER & NOTHING WAS FOUND. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THERE WAS DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIR BAGS, BUT THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE STARTED SMOLDERING. NO ONE WAS SEATED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. REPORTED BY DEPUTY CHIEF DONALD MCCARTHY. *AK

GOODYEAR TIRES(GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A 185/60HR15, STANDARD ALL-SEASON TIRES) DID NOT PERFORM WELL IN SNOW CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL AND RUN INTO A CURB.

THE CAR WILL INCONSISTENTLY NOT START. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE JULY OF 1998 (IT BEGAN MILDLY AND CONTINUED TO GET WORSE), AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THEY HAVE REPLACED ONE PART, BUT AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN. NOW I AM WAITING FOR FORD TO COME OUT WITH SOME COMPUTER CONFIGURATION. WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY SOMETIMES IT WILL BE TOTALLY DEAD, SOMETIMES IT WILL BEGIN TO IDLE, AS LONG AS YOU KEEP PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR (RECOMMENDED BY MY DEALER), HOWEVER, THE SECOND YOU REMOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR "SHUTS OFF."ONCE THE CAR DOES START (USUALLY AFTER TRYING 10 TIMES) IT RUNS VERY ROUGH. WHEN I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT ARE UNABLE TO DO SO. ABOUT 10 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTAMS, I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO MY DEALER AND THEY AGAIN, FOR THE THIRD TIME OR SO ATTEMPTED TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEY RETURNED MY CAR TO ME THE FOLLOWING DAY WHEN I LEARNED OF A POSSIBLE COMPUTER CONFIGURATION THAT FORD WAS COMING OUT WITH. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUPLICATED WHEN THEY FIRST CHANGED THE INITIAL PART. THEY HAVE RUN VARIOUS TESTS AND FEEL THAT THE PART REPLACED (FUEL INJECTION CENSORING)IS NOT CAUSING THE PROBLEM AFTER ALL. THIS IS WHERE I CURRENTLY STAND WITH MY CAR. SOME MORNINGS IT STARTS AND SOME IT DOES NOT. I HAVE HAD OCCURRENCES WHERE THE CAR WILL START IN THE MORNING, I WILL DRIVE 20 MIN. TO WORK. PARK THE CAR AND ATTMEPT TO START IT 4 HOURS LATER AND IT WILL

WHENEVER THE HORN HAS TO BE USED IT FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY AFTER BEING HIT. THERE IS NO NOISE. JUST SILENCE. WILL BE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT, DESIGN OF THE HORN IS HAMPERED BY THE INSTALLATION OF THE AIR BAG. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HORN. WHEN CONSUMER THEY APPLIES HORN, IT'S HARD TO MAKE IT MAKE A SOUND. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CONSUMER WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. COULD NOT LET OTHER DRIVERS BE AWARE OF VEHICLE'S PRESENCE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK