1995 FORD ESCORT Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD ESCORT. HE NOTICED A FUEL LEAK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 61,708. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED PHOTOS OF THE DEFECT. UPDATED 09/18/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD ESCORT. ON JULY 31,2007, THE FUEL TANK BEGAN LEAKING. THE VEHICLE USED UP A TANK OF GAS IN A 12-HOUR PERIOD. RECALL NUMBER 97V144000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) WAS REFERENCED. THE PURCHASE DATE AND FAILURE SPEED WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK IS CRACKED AND LEAKING. HE STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL #'S 97V144000 AND 97V145000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME FAILURES AS NOTED IN THE RECALLS. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.

THE MOTORIZED RETRACTING SHOULDER BELT FOR THE DRIVER'S SAFETY BELT CEASED WORKING AND IS STUCK IN THE NON-LOCKED POSITION AS IF THE DRIVER IS GETTING IN OR OUT OF THE CAR. AN EMERGENCY CRANK IS PROVIDED TO MANUALLY MOVE THE BELT ALONG THE TRACK BUT IT WILL NOT MOVE. THE MOTOR FOR THE BELT DRIVE SEEMS TO BE OK BUT THE CABLE IN THE TRACK SEEMS TO BE STUCK. AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR IS $600.00 AND THE MOTOR AND CABLE TRACK IS OVER $400.00. *TR

I OWN A 1995 FORD ESCORT WAGON THAT WAS IN COLORADO FOR 11 YEARS, AND THIS YEAR -- 2007 -- I MOVED TO PHOENIX ARIZONA. LAST WEEK I NOTICED A LEAK UNDER THE CAR AND SUSPECTED IT WAS GASOLINE. I WAS ALBE TO CONFIRM IT YESTERDAY AND NOTICED IT HAD BECOME MUCH WORSE. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER, AND SUSPECTED A DEFECT AFTER THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CRACKED FUEL TANK. I SUSPECTED THAT THIS WAS ABNORMAL AND DID A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH WHICH LEAD ME TO THIS WEBSITE AND A HOST OF INFORMATION OF AN EXISTING RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK WHEN IT IT RESIDES IN AREAS WITH A HOT CLIMATE AND FLUCTUATING EXTREMES IN TEMPERATURE. I DID FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE VIN AND COULD DETERMINE THAT THIS CAR HAD ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE TANKS INSTALLED. HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, AND INSISTS THAT I AM THE ONE WHO MUST PURSUE REMUNERATION. I AM HERE GIVING NOTICE OF THE EXISTENCE OF ANOTHER CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND ALSO NOTICE OF THE FAILURE OF BELL FORD TO COMPLY WITH COMPENSATION TO ME OF THIS SERVICE AND PARTS FOR NO FEE.

MAKING LEFT HAND TURN AND WAS HIT ON PASSENGER SIDE. MY SEAT BELT BROKE. CAR WAS TOTALED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE SMELLED OF GASOLINE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE WAS OBSERVED IN THE DRIVEWAY. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, CRACKS WERE OBSERVED IN THE GAS TANK. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 97V144000 PERTAINING TO THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS STOP AT THE CORNER OF THE DOOR POST AND DO NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER. THERE IS A GAP OF SIX INCHES BETWEEN THE SAFETY BELTS AND DOOR POST. A REPLACEMENT TRACK FOR THE SAFETY BELT WILL BE OBTAINED THROUGH A SALVAGE YARD TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT, WHO IS A MECHANIC, HAS SEEN MANY OF THE 1991 THROUGH 1996 ESCORTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT IS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED, THE CONTACT FEELS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THESE PASSIVE RESTRAINTS WITH REGULAR SAFETY BELTS.

WHEN ON HIGHWAY 55 MPH OR MORE TRANSMISSIONS ACTS LIKE IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL HAVE NO OVERDRIVE OR DRIVE THEN ALSO SLIPS IN AND OUT. ALSO HAVE LIKE POWER SURGES WHEN USING THE HEATER IN THE CAR THE ENGINE REVS UP AND DOWN LIKE YOU ARE STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL EVEN WHEN IN PARK HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THESE ISSUES YET. ALSO HAVE HAD THE REAR WIPER MOTOR AND STUFF REPLACED AND STILL DO NOT GET WASHER SOLVENT TO REAR WIPER THE BRAKE LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BACK WINDOW DOES NOT WORK EITHER CAUSES STILL UNKNOWN IT IS A 1995 FORD ESCORT LX WAGON WITH ONLY 73000 MILES 1.9 L. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS HAVE COME OFF THE TRACK. THIS OCCURRED ON BOTH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. BOTH SEATBELT ASSEMBLIES WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.