1995 FORD ESCORT Complaints

UPON ANNUAL STATE INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN, FORTUNATELY BOTH IN A WAY THAT HAD NOT CAUSED TIRE DAMAGE. SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES GREATLY AND CREATES BUZZING-LIKE NOISE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 55 MPH. MR

CONSUMER STATES HE NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH CAUSED A LEAK . NLM CONSUMER NOTICED GAS LEAKING UNDER VEHICLE. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP AND THEY FOUND A CRACK IN THE GAS TANK NEXT TO THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT. REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT OTHER 1995 ESCORTS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS SHOWN IN THE SAFETY RECALL. *MR

VEHICLE MANUFACTURED AT THE HERMOSILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT IN SEPT 1995. DEVELOPED CRACK IN FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD, CAUSING FUEL LEAK. APPLIED PATCH TO REPAIR LEAK BUT IT CRACKED AGAIN. REFER TO RECALLS FROM NHTSA 97V144000 AND 97V145000 REGARDING SAME PROBLEM. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK

THE DRIVERS SHOULDER HARNESS WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN ITS TRACKING SYSTEM. I CONTACTED A DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AT MY EXPENSE TO FIX. BUT IS THIS NOT A MAJOR SAFTY PROBLEM, AND WHY WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS IS FORD NOT EXCEPTING RESPONSIBILTY. THIS IS A VERY LARGE CONCERN FOR ME AS WELL AS MY SPOUSE.*AK

THE KEY WAS PUT INTO THE IGNITION BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THE IGNITION REMAINED LOCKED. NLM

TIRED TO WORK WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF HONDA TO NO AVAIL. THEY WON'T HELP ME AND THE SOLD THE VEHICLE AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN WORKING CONDITION. *NO AFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

PLASTIC MOLDED FUEL TANK IS LEAKING FUEL AROUND MOUNTING BRACKET. OWNER NOTICED A PUDDLE UNDERNEATH VEHICLE AND SAW THAT GAS GAUGE SHOWED A 1/4 LESS THAN WHAT IT WAS BEFORE. *AK CONSUMER NOTICED RECALLS 97V145 AND 97V144, HOWEVER HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA, AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

OUR FAMILY CAR'S FUEL TANK LEAKS GASOLINE AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO REPAIR IT JUST BECAUSE THE STATE WHERE WE PURCHASED IT(WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER) AND REGISTERED IT IN DOESN'T HAPPEN TO BE INCLUDED IN FORD'S SELECTIVE GEOGRAPHIC RECALL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE MANUFACTURING LOCATION(HERMOSILLO, MEXICO) AND DATE OF ASSEMBLY IS THE SAME AS THE 64,600 1995 FORD ESCORTS UNDER THEIR GEOGRAPHIC RECALL. GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE TANK ONTO A HOT EXHAUST PIPE IS A HUGE SAFETY DISASTER JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN, BUT APPARENTLY A LIFE IN IOWA IS NOT WORTH AS MUCH AS A LIFE IN ARKANSAS, A STATE COVERED BY THE GEOGRAPHIC RECALL. ONE ALLEGED JUSTIFICATION FOR GEOGRAPHIC RECALLS IS IT IS SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS REGIONS WHERE PROBLEMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR AND IN THE CASE OF THE LEAKING FUEL TANKS, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE HOTTEST AREAS. PROBLEM IS, THIS KIND OF THINKING IGNORES THE REALITY OF TODAY'S MOBILE SOCIETY. OUR VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM WILLEY FORD IN AMES, IA, BUT WE HAVE DRIVEN IT TO FLORIDA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA AND MICHIGAN, WHICH ARE ALL COVERED BY FORD'S SELECTIVE GEOGRAPHIC RECALL. YET CONSISTENCY IS LACKING BECAUSE ONE OF THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE COUNTRY APPARENTLY ARE NOT COVERED BY THE GEOGRAPHIC RECALL, DEATH VALLEY, CA, WHILE MUCH MORE TEMPERATE REGIONS, SUCH AS MICHIGAN, ARE. AND METEOROLOGISTS MAY CONFIRM THAT THE IOWA SUMMER HEAT INDICES CAN OFTEN SURPASS MANY SOUTHERN STATES. IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION TOTALLY UNFAIR THAT TWO GEOGRAPHIC RECALLS EXIST (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 97V14400 & 97V145000) THAT CLEARLY PLACE IOWANS' LIVES AT RISK JUST TO SAVE A HUGE AUTOMAKER SOME MONEY. FURTHER, THE NATIONAL TRAFFIC & MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT REQUIRES RECALLS FOR SAFETY DEFECTS AND TREATS ALL VEHICLES EQUALLY REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY ARE SOLD OR REGISTERED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY ALERT.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT FUEL IS LEAKING FROM TANK. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE STRAPS FROM FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD MOUNTING HAVE CAUSED STRESS ALLOWING THE GAS TANK TO LEAK GAS.*JB