1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

FORD JUST RECENTLY INFORMED ME THAT THE DEFECTIVE HORN REPORTED JUST A FEW WEEKS OUT OF WARRANTY. ALSO INVOLVES THE AIRBAG. ROBIN MARSHALL OF FORD HEADQUARTERS CUSTOMER RELATIONS INFORMED OF THIS SAFETY RISK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO: (313)845-5831. FORD NEVER INFORMED US OF THE ADDITIONAL AIRBAG SAFETY RISK UNTIL THIS TIME. I REPORTED THE HORN MALFUNCTION (AS IT WAS SETTING IN THE GARAGE THE HORN SUDDENLY SOUNDED AT AROUND 2 A.M.). FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF AT LEAST $300 AND ONLY RECENTLY AGREED TO EVEN INSPECT THE VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE. AS A RESULT OF THIS INSPECTION (APPARENTLY) WE WERE TOLD OF THE AIRBAG DEFECT WHICH, REMEMBER, HAS EXISTED FOR YEARS NOW.*AK

VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE FRONT CENTER YET THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK *YH

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING APPLIED HORN AND THERE WAS NO NOISE. ALSO, DUAL AIRBAGS WILLNOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.

THERE'S A LEAK FROM THE HEATER CORE TO THE AIR-BAG MONITOR (AND OTHER PLACES) WHICH HAS CAUSED THE AIR-BAG WARNING LIGHT TO LIGHT UP, AND COOLANT TO BE EMITTED THROUGH THE REAR-PASSENGER AIR VENT ONTO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. THERE ARE MANY PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS ABOUT THE SAME THING, YET NO RECALL, SO HOPEFULLY ADDING MY COMPLAINT WILL HELP. I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE AIR BAG MONITOR AND THE HEATER CORE, BUT SOMEBODY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT BECAUSE THIS LEAK COULD CAUSE (AND HAS CAUSED WITH OTHERS) FIRE AND/OR UNEXPECTED AIR-BAG DEPLOYMENT RESULTING IN CRASH AND/OR OTHER PROBLEMS. FORD SHOULD RECALL THIS ITEM AND HAVE IT FIXED!!!*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT CONSUMER HITTING ANYTHING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNINGS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICE FOG COMING FROMAIR CONDITIONER VENT WHILE AIR WAS RUNNING. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER DASHBOARD. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED AIR BAG MODULE WAS THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

MY LATE SON'S (ROBERT D. LAWRENCE III) 1997 FORD ESCORT CAUGHT FIRE WHILE SITTING PARKED, WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, ON VOTERS ROAD IN SLIDELL, LA. MECHANIC ADVISED FIRE STARTED AROUND THE AIR CONDITIONER. CONTACTED FORD DEALER AND THE FORD COMPANY, BUT RECEIVED NO INFORMATION OR ADVICE. BOTH IGNORED HIS COMPLAINTAND STONEWALLED HIM.. ROBERT III'S INSURANCE COMPANY (SAFEWAY)PAID OFF A TOTAL LOSS TO FORD AND LEFT MY LATE SON WITH OVER $4,000 STILL DUE. FORD MOTOR CREDIT SUED HIM FOR THE BALANCE JUST BEFORE HE DIED ON JULY 16, 2002. THE VEHICLE IS SITTING IN MY YARD IF INVESTIGATORS FROM THE NHTSA WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT IN CONNECTION WITH THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION INTO SUDDEN FIRES IN 1997 FORD ESCORTS. FORD SHOULD, AT LEAST, DROP THEIR LAWSUIT. THEY SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THE BOY ANOTHER CAR WHEN THAT ONE CAUGHT FIRE.*AK

WHILE BEING PARKED OVER NIGHT VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE INTERNALLY. OWNER SAW WINDSHIELD BLACK, AND DASHBOARD MELTED. CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

IN AUGUST 2001THE AIR CONDITIONER STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND THEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND CHIME STARTED. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE BRANDON FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY FIXED THE AIR CONDITIONER. BUT THEY SAID IT WOULD BE AT LEAST $1000 TO JUST LOOK AT THE AIR BAG. WE DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO WASTE ON AIR BAGS. I WAS EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT AT THE TIME AND WE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP IF THE AIR BAGS WOULD DEPLOY. THEY SAID THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. NOW I READ AN ARTICLE STATING THAT THE AIR BAGS IN THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE HAVE DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. SO, MY HUSBAND, MY UNBORN CHILD AND MYSELF WERE AT RISK AND WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION EVERYTHING WAS FINE. A YEAR LATER THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPS WORKING AND MY HUSBAND LOOKED UNDER THE DASH TO SEE IF HE COULD FIGURE OUT WHY IT STOPPED WORKING. HE FOUND THE WIRES CONNECTING TO THE AIR CONDITIONER WERE ALL MELTED. THIS COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE AND AGAIN MY HUSBAND, MY SON AND MYSELF WERE AT RISK BECAUSE THE REAL PROBLEM WAS NEVER REALLY FIXED. I READ IN THE ARTICLE THAT FIRES ALSO HAD OCCURRED FOR NO REASON. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW WE WILL BE PROTECTED FROM THESE FAILURES THAT HAVE OCCURRED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A VERY FINE MIST COMING FROM THE VENT AND THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN BLOWER MOTOR WAS ON, THE DEALER REPLACED MOTOR ASSEMBLY FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER.*JB