1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ENGINE FAILED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING OR BRAKING. THIS RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. ALSO, WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE, SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED, WHICH RESULTED IN FRONT BUMPER DAMAGE. MECHANIC REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND PERFORMED A EEC TEST, IN WHICH ,THE DTC CODE WAS PU1143, BAD PURGE FUEL. INTAKE AIR HOSE WAS LOOSE. DEALERSHIP TIGHTENED THE CLAMP, AND A SENSOR WAS REPLACED. SUDDEN ACCELERATION OCCURRED 3 TIMES AFTER THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THE PLASTIC LENS THAT COVERED THE HEADLIGHTS WAS FROSTED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE HIS VEHICLE FOR TWO-THREE DAYS TO HAVE RECALL WORK PERFORMED. *PH (RECALL #023V23000) *JB

RECALL #02V323000 - FORD ESCORT. LAST MAY 2003 I HAD THE MY CAR RECALLED FOR THE ABOVE. THIS WEEK MY AIR BAG MONITOR LIGHT WAS BLINKING - BLINK CODE 5-2. THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR(IABM) FAILED - BLINK CODE 5-2. WITHIN 12 MONTHS AND 12,000 MILES OF THE RECALL MY IABM FAILS, AND THE RECALL DOESN'T COVER THE IABM, BUT JUST A SHIELD AND GREASE. SHOULDN'T THE RECALL COVER THE FAILING INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR. *JB

AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT WATER GOT INTO THE AIR BAG SYSTEM, AND DAMAGED IT AND WIRING HARNESS. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL 02V323000, BUT THE DAMAGED PARTS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. CONSUMER INDICATED HE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V323000 WHEN I RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM FORD IT SAID THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR THE AIR BAG MODULE. IT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT JUST PUTTING A PLASTIC COVERING OVER THE MODULE. THE MODULE IN MY CAR WAS ALREADY SHORTED OUT AND IS NO GOOD. I MADE A COMPLAINT ABOUT HIS IN EARLY 2002. I SPOKE WITH AN NHTSA INVESTIGATOR ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND MONTHS LATER IS WHEN THE RECALL HAPPENED. BUT IT NOT EVEN A RECALL FOR A FIX TO THE PROBLEM I ALREADY HAD. KEEPING THE WATER OUT OF A BAD MODULE IS NOT HELPING ME AT ALL. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE MODULE WOULD BE REPLACED. HOW CAN THE DEALER SEE THAT THE AIR BAG MODULE IS SHORTED OUT AND JUST PUT A PLASTIC COVERING ON IT AND GIVE IT BACK TO US WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT STILL ON? *JB

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02544 CONCERNING HEATER CORE FAILURE. HEATER CORE FLUID DRIPPED ON THE AIR BAG MODULE, CAUSING A SHORT. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER SUDDENLY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT NEITHER OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHICH RESULTED IN SOME INJURIES. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. *NM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED, AS IS. HOWEVER, THE OWNER WAS TOLD THAT IF THERE WERE ANY SAFETY FEATURES THAT WERE EFFECTED, THE DEALERSHIP WOULD REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO PAY FOR TOWING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THEIR LOT. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB