1997 FORD ESCORT Complaints

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES. ONE WEEK LATER CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

TOOK CAR (1997 FORD ESCORT) TO SHOP FOR ROUTINE STATE INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO PASS INSPECTION. I WAS VERY SURPRISED SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN DRIVEN VERY CONSERVATIVELY. MECHANIC STATED THAT PREMATURE FAILURE OF REAR SUSPENSION COIL SPRINGS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD ESCORTS. REQUEST GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION TO MAKE FORD CO. REIMBURSE CONSUMER EXPENSE CAUSED BY FAULTY COIL SPRINGS. *CB

BOTH BACK REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. MY CAR HAS NEVER TOWED ANYTHING, AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY EXCESSIVE WEIGHT IN THE BACK SEAT. WHY WOULD THESE BREAK? THIS HAS WAY TO LITTLE MILEAGE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. FORD IS RECALLING TAURUS AND VOYAGERS....WHAT ABOUT ESCORT. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [XXX] (NIGHT) OR [XXX] EXT [XXX] (DAYTIME). I WOULD HOPE THAT FORD WOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM AND START RECALLING THE FORD ESCORTS. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

LAST THURSDAY MY HUSBANDS 1997 FORD ESCORT CAUGHT FIRE, AND WE THINK IT WAS BECAUSE OF A FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR. IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED, AND WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND HAD THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED FELL IN EXACTLY WITH WHAT THE RECALL LETTER SAID WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T GET IT FIXED. WE WOULD LIKE THIS MATTER FURTHER INVESTIGATED BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THE FORD DEALERSHIP ONLY INSTALLED ANOTHER FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR INTO OUR CAR INSTEAD OF FIXING IT LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. NEITHER MY HUSBAND OR I WERE INJURIED WHEN THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE, BUT THAT WAS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD. IF WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE THEN WE SHOULD.

CONSUMER STATED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 3 MONTHS AGO AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND LATER WENT OFF. ON DECEMBER 22, 2003, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON UPON STARTING , AND THEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE DASH. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED FIRE WAS DUE TO A SHORT IN A WIRE. *AK

1997 FORD ESCORT HAD BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKEN AT THE SAME PLACE. HAD THEM REPLACED BY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BROKEN. I WANT FORD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS AND REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR. IF 1 SPRING WAS BROKEN THEN I COULD SEE IT BEING POSSIBLE, BUT BOTH AT THE SAME PLACE???? THEY WERE MANUFACTURED POORLY. *AK

PRIOR TO HAVING RECALL# 02V323000 PERFORMED FOR THE AIR BAG MONITOR, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE BURNED THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND IT'S COMPONENTS. *JB

WE HAVE A 1997 FORD ESCORT, AND THE PLASTIC LENS THAT COVERS THE HEADLIGHTS IS EXTREMELY FROSTED. THIS MEANS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT OUTPUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS IS REDUCED, LIMITING THE VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD BE HAZARDOUS. WHEN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON, THE ADDITIONAL LIGHT OUTPUT IS SMALL, ONCE AGAIN DUE TO THE FROSTED LENS ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON ANOTHER ESCORT, AND NO DOUBT IT EXISTS ON OTHERS. A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT IS A DEFECT. THE PLASTIC LENS SHOULD REMAIN CLEAR. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD REPLACE THEM. THEY SHOULD REMAIN FREE OF ANY HAZE FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED AND TO REPLACE BOTH, IT WOULD COST I BELIEVE SOMETHING LIKE $250 OR $300 DOLLARS! *AK

VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND DASHBOARD CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN A LOCAL GARAGE.*MR THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND OFF THE REMAINED ON. CONSUMER ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO COOL AFTER SMELLING SMOKE. A TROOPER RECOMMENDED HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A LOCAL GARAGE LOCKED UP WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED DUE TO THE HOT TEMPERATURE. THE FIRE DEPT. FOUND THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER RECALL FOR DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. *PH

MY 1997 ESCORT NOT ONLY HAD DEFECTIVE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BUT CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS. HOW RARE IS THIS OCCURANCE? FORD IS ONLY WILLING TO GIVE ME THE TRADE IN VALUE FOR MY VEHICLE NOT THE REPLACEMENT COST. SEEMS LIKE THE CONSUMER IS THE LOSER AGAIN. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHEN THE BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE DASH WAS ALREADY ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS SO SEVERE IT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD AND MELTED THE ENTIRE DASH. *LA