1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR THE WIRING RECALL AND I TOLD THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS SPARK KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE WHEN IT FIRST STARTS AND UNDER HARD ACCELERATION. WHEN I DRIVE INTO MY PARENTS DRIVE WAY MY PARENTS TELL ME THAT THEY KNOW I AM THERE BECAUSE OF THE RADIO INTERFERENCE ON THE TV SCREEN. I KNOW A LOT ABOUT ELECTRICITY AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY NOISE AND OR SHORTS, BAD CONNECTIONS WHAT HAVE YOU. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE CAR HAS RESISTOR PLUGS. WE HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE COMPUTER ONCE AND NOW THIS RECALL THING! WE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR SPRINGS. WHEN ITS REALLY COLD OUT AND GO TO START THE CAR THE STARTER DOES NOT DISENGAGE AND GRINDS ON THE FLY WHEEL. IT TAKES FOREVER FOR IT TO WARM UP AND IT DOES NOT RARELY EVER WARM UP WHEN ITS IDLING YOU HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO GET ANY HEAT. BUT OVERALL ITS ONLY LEFT MY WIFE STRANDED ONCE. THAT'S BETTER THAN OUR LAST VEHICLE!! BUT NOW I WONDER IF THIS CAR IS A TICKING TIME BOMB WAITING TO HAPPEN. FORD MAY NOT BE MY NEXT CHOICE OF VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE THAT IS IF IT DOESN'T KILL ME FIRST! *JB

THE CONSUMER DOES NOT WANT THE AIR BAGS IN HER VEHICLE BECAUSE SHE HAS TO SIT CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND THERE WAS A RECENT RECALL REGARDING THE AIR BAGS. *JB

THE AIR BAG EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AS A RESULT OF WATER CONTAMINATION TO THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR. CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED RECALL 0 2 V 32 3000 REGARDING THAT SPECIFIC DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR AIR BAG EVEN THOUGH IT MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WILL ONLY INSTALL THE SHIELD TO PROTECT MONITOR FROM LIQUID CONTAMINATION. *JB

THE AIR BAG EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AS A RESULT OF THE WATER CONTAMINATION TO THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR. CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED RECALL 02 V 3 23000 REGARDING THAT SPECIFIC DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR AIR BAG EVEN THOUGH IT MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WILL ONLY INSTALL THE SHIELD TO PROTECT MONITOR FROM LIQUID CONTAMINATION. 8JB

THE AIR BAG EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AS A RESULT OF THE WATER CONTAMINATION TO THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR. CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED RECALL 02V323000 REGARDING THAT SPECIFIC DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPAIR AIR BAG EVEN THOUGH IT MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WILL ONLY INSTALL THE SHIELD TO PROTECT MONITOR FROM LIQUID CONTAMINATION. DEALER WOULD REPLACE PARTS AND LABOR FREE OF CHARGE.*JB

WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, IT DID NOT MOVE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY PUT IN TRANSMISSION FLUID.*JB

ON THE 1997 FORD ESCORT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE IS INSTALLED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE HEATER CORE. ON MY CAR THE HEATER CORE DEVELOPED A LEAK AND ANTIFREEZE FLOWED OVER THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE AND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THIS RESULTED IN BURNT INSULATION ON THE WIRING FOR THE AIRBAG CONTROL AND BLOWING THE ASSOCIATED FUSE. IT CAME VERY CLOSE TO CAUSING A FIRE. THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT YOU DO NOT GET INDICATIONS OF AN ANTIFREEZE LEAK UNTIL IT IS TO LATE AND THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IS NO LONGER USABLE.*JB

CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PARTS TO PERFORM THE RECALL REGARDING THE AIR BAG SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE WERE ON BACK ORDER. RECALL # 02V323000. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN SIDE COLLISION, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB

I TOOK MY CAR INTO MY DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH REAR SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS VERY SHOCKED SINCE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN USED TO HAUL ANYTHING MORE THAN GROCERIES. I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY CHECK FOR IT. I REPORTED THIS TO FORD MOTORS AND WAS FOR THE MOST PART TOLD "SORRY BUT NOT OUR PROBLEM". IT APPEARS FROM THE VARIOUS DEALERS AND FORD MOTORS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT THEY PLAN TO DO NOTHING ABOUT UNLESS FORCED TO BY PEOPLE BEING KILLED OR INJURED. IF THEY CANNOT OWN UP TO POOR WORKMANSHIP, THEN I WILL BE BUYING MY VEHICLES ELSEWHERE.