1995 FORD ESCORT Complaints

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH AND A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY COMPLETELY. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BAGS CAME OUT, BUT DID NOT INFLATE COMPLETELY, CAUSING DRIVER TO SUSTAIN A CONCUSSION. *AK

FAILURE OF POWER ASSISTED SHOULDER HARNESS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS UPPER BODY INJURY. I REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLE WITH ONE FROM AN AUTO SALVAGE YARD BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF A NEW ONE ($265.00).*AK

THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE . NO UNUSUAL IMPACT REPORTED. *AK...ROAD CONSTRUCTION ALL SUMMER, MANY IMPACTS OF VARIED AMPLITUDE AND DURATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED A PLASTIC SENSOR, WHICH HAD MELTED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

THE HEAT SHIELD CONNECTED TO THE FUEL TANK HAS CRACKED THE GAS TANK. . THE CONSUMER HAD THE TANK REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURE STATES THE VEHICLE IS INTO INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.. 97V145000

RECALL 97V144000 WAS RELATED TO A FUEL TANK CRACK. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK WHICH WAS CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS FAILURE SHOULD BE REPAIRED UNDER HTE RECALL. *NM

BOTH FRONT SEAT RETRACTOR MOTORS/TRACKS HAVE FAILED, RESULTING IN FRONT SEAT BELTS INOPERABLE. BELTS STUCK IN PARTIAL RETRACTED MODE RESULTING IN SHOULDER BELTS NOT CORRECTLY POSITIONED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN DRIVER OR FRONT PASSENGER. ONE BELT IS POSITIONED IF USED WOULD COME ACROSS THE SEATED PERSON'S NECK. IF THIS WHERE A MANUAL SEATBELT SYSTEM THERE WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO MANUALLY LOCK THE SHOULDER BELT IN THE PROPER POSITION DUE TO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM EMPLOYED IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S FAILURE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IT HAD 90158 ACTUAL MILES. THE USED CAR DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED WITH THE INSTALLATION OF "SALVAGE" PARTS SINCE THE EXPENSE OF REPAIRING THE SEAT BELTS BY "FORD" WOULD EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS BY TALKING WITH THE REPAIR DEPARTMENTS AT SEVERAL FORD DEALERS IN THE AREA. TALKING WITH A NUMBER INDEPENDANT AUTO REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA THIS IS A "COMMON PROBLEM" WITH THESE VEHICLES, HOWEVER FORD WILL NOT HONOR REPAIR OF THIS "SAFETY" ISSUE. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THIS IS ALSO A COMMON PROBLEM. I HAVE OBSERVED THAT YOUR SITE HAS AN NUMBER OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF NHTSA CONSIDERS THIS A "PASSENGER SAFETY ISSUE" REQUIRING A RECALL, OR DOES DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY HAVE TO OCCUR BEFORE AN ACTION IS TAKEN? SEVERAL COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON LINE THAT BECAUSE HIS IS A "PASSENGER SAFETY ISSUE" INVOLVING A "REQUIRED SAFETY COMPONENT" THAT FORD IS OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT WHTHER OR NOT UNDER WARRENTY WITHOUT CHARGE TO THE VEHICLE OWNER AS LONG AS THE ITEM WAS NOT DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT OR SUBJECTED TO IMPROPER USE OR REPAIR. THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO CARFAX HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE WAS UNDER 100000 MILES, THE LIMIT OF FORD'S GENERAL WARRANTY.*AK

FUEL STARTED LEAKING. CAR TAKEN TO GARAGE. GARAGE DETERIMINED THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK CRACKED NEAR A RETAINER FITTING AT THE FRONT OF THE TANK DIRECTLY UNDER THE CENTER OF THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE SAFETY RECALL STATUS. THIS PROBLEM IS NOTED BY FORD AS A SFETY RECALL BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE MY VEHICLE BY VIRTUE OF ITS VIN. I LIVE IN SOUTH TEXAS WITH ALL OF THE ASSOCIATED HIGH TEMPERATURES IDENTIFIED IN FORD'S RESEARCH AND SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE TANK FAILURES. DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE TANK AS A SAFETY RECALL. PLASE ADVISE WHAT I DO NEXT. CAR IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE.*AK

GAS TANK LEAKS. I NOTIFIED FORD. THEY SAID SORRY, BUT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX IT. IN FACT I NOTIFIED THEM TWICE. I PUT AN INCIDENT DATE IN BELOW BECAUSE IT WAS REQUIRED BUT I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER WHEN THIS LEAK STARTED.*AK

THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE FOUND BROKEN (BOTH), THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING BROKE WHEN TURNING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND AS A RESULT, THE FRONT TIRE WAS PUNCTURED. THERE WAS A SAG IN THE FRONT END. THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS 04/01/2002. *AK *SC *JB