1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

THE HEATER CORE LEAKED ONTO THE AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. THIS ITEM WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HEATER CORE FOR A COST OF $955.00. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM CATCHING ON FIRE AND BURNING UP, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEGALL FORD IN PONTOTOC STATED I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN BECAUSE THE NEW PART WAS SEALED IN PLASTIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR ODI ID LOGS OF 865884,867236,845896 AND 845837 ALONG WITH NUMEROUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS FOR THIS MODEL CAR FOR NO REASON. I BELIEVE THIS PART WAS CHANGED BY FORD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON ALL MODELS. I WORK AS A DESIGN ENGINEER AND IF AN ELECTRICAL ITEM IS SUBJECT TO MOISTURE INJESTION, IT SHOULD BE SEALED OR POTTED TO ELIMINATE SHORTS AND FAILURE. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS MODULE UNDER THE HEATER CORE WAS WRONG, I NOTIFIED FORD AND THEY ONLY APOLIGIZED FOR THE HEATER CORE LEAK, THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAG MODULE, I AGAIN NOTIFIED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT ON THIS ITEM, SINCE THE DESIGN HAD BEEN CHANGED, THEY HAVE NOT REPLIED TO THIS IN OVER A WEEK, STATING IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 3 DAYS FOR A REPLY. TO ME THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, I HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST UNDER FDA GUIDELINES IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY WITH REPORTING AND I DO NOT LIKE THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED BY FORD, THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING, A PERSONS LIFE OR PERSONAL INJURY IS NOT SOMETHING TO SWEEP UNDER THE RUG, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IN MY FAMILY SUSTAINED ANY INJURY, THEY COULD HAVE, I WILL NOW TRY TO SELL THIS CAR AS SOON AS I AM ABLE. THANK YOU JEFFREY L PLUNK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE AT DASH PANEL, CLAIM 18-0486-942. *SLC

WHILE IN FOR STATE INSPECTION, WAS TOLD BY LOCAL GARAGE THAT CAR WOULD FAIL DUE TO REAR SPRING BEING BROKEN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD REPLACED SPRINGS ON OTHER '97 ESCORTS AND RECOMMENDED I CALL THE DEALER ABOUT POSSIBLE RECALL. CALLED PLEASANT VALLEY FORD, SPOKE TO STEVE IN SERVICE, SAID NO RECALL YET BUT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF ONE SOON. SAID NOT SAFE TO DRIVE CAR SINCE SPRING COULD PUNCTURE TIRE. SAID SAVE RECEIPT. HAD CAR REPAIRED, HAVE RECEIPT AND BROKEN SPRING. WILL BE CALLING FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE 2/27/01

CONSUMER CAME TO VEHICLE AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND INTERIOR WAS SMOKEY, DASHBOARD AND INTERIOR WERE BURNED, ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLAIM 05-4593-366. *SLC

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *AK MECHANIC STATED COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN TWO, HOWEVER INVOICE STATED THAT SPRINGS WERE WEAK, CONSUMER PAID 20% OF THE COSTS. *SLC

FUEL TANK HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. ACCORDING TO AUTO REPAIR SHOPS OPENIONS, COIL SPRING FAILURE WAS A COMMON OCCURRANCE WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLES. ALSO, THE BROKEN PIECES COULD DAMAGE TIRES. *YH

THE HORN WAS INOPERATIVE AND MAKING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN IT IS APPLIED, THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE HORN SWITCH WAS STUCK ON PART OF THE AIR BAG, DEALER REPLACED HORN AND DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG. NLM

VEHICLE WAS SITTING INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER WAS INSPECTING TIRES, AND NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES WERE SPLITTING IN SEAMS. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND WERE REPLACED . UNIROYAL AWP TIGER PAW, P185/65R14, DOT AP7JJKUU426. *AK 2 YEARS AFTER REPLACING TIRES, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 4 MORE DUE TO SPLITTING AROUND THE TREAD PART OF TH TIRE. *SLC

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSEPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE AT 27906 MILES, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF IS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST.*AK