1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

HEADLIGHT LENS DULL, CLOUDY. HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AS BRIGHT AS THEY SHOULD BE. *LA

BRAKES FAILED. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DRIVELINE. *AK

VEHICLE FIRE INVOLVING 1997 FORD ESCORT.*MR AFTER INCIDENT OCCURRED A RECALL WAS ISSUED ADVISING A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN AIR BAGS AND AIR BAG MODULES. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF SEVERE DAMAGES SO THE DEALERSHIP VOIDED THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT FORD RE -ACTIONS WHERE UNACCEPTABLE, AND IS REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LOSS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER ISSUED IS (O2S44). PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *CB

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. *AK

HORN SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY ONE TOUCHING THE MECHANISM.*AK *PH *JB

IT WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. *AK *PH *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A DOG, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE AIR BAG HIT THE CONSUMER IN THE CHEST AND BRUISED OTHER AREAS. *SCC *JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 FORD ESCORT IN SEPTEMBER 1996. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS LOSING BRAKE FLUID. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE FITTING WAS MISSING SOME THREADS. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM. THIS PAST JANUARY I GOT A LETTER FROM FORD ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG MONITOR/SENSOR PROBLEM AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM CORRECTED. NOW THE CAR HAS A SLOW COOLANT LEAK. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING. THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 62,850 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $800.00 - $1000.00 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. I FEEL THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS PREMATURE AND FORD SHOULD PAY FOR IT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FORD VEHICLE I EVER PURCHASED AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE THE LAST. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY CANNOT PUT A $14,000 CAR TOGETHER CORRECTLY AND ASSURE ITS QUALITY TO LAST. I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE SERVICE BULLETINS AND PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE REGARDING THE 1997 FORD ESCORT AND THEY ARE DISTRESSING TO SAY THE LEAST. MY NEXT VEHICLE WILL BE A GM PRODUCT.*AK

THE DEALER AND VARIOUS FORD OFFICERS WERE UNWILLING TO PERFORM RECALL 02S44. *PH *NLM *JB

HORN ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AND STUCK ON. EVENTUALLY BOTH HORNS FAILED. PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE HORN PAD SWITCH WHICH IS PART OF THE DRIVER AIR BAG. REPLACING THE HORNS AND AIR BAG COSTS IN EXCESS OF $800.*AK