1985 FORD ESCORT Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED PROBLEM WITH IGNITION MODULE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ALSO VEHICLE EMITS FUMES THAT SMELL LIKE ACETONE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO PURCHASE NEW IGNITION MODULE FOR FEAR THAT VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE.*AK EXHAUST, IGNITION SWITCH, ALTERNATOR, VOLT REGULATOR, IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL REPLACED HOWEVER FUMES WERE STILL PROMINENT. *TT

PUT A STOP TO HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLIGHTS: WHEN AN SUV WITH THOSE LIGHTS COMES UP BEHINE ME, EVEN A FLIPPED DOWN REARVIEW MIRROR DOES NOT PROTECT ME. *AK

SEAT BELT LATCH INCORPORATES A PLASTIC SPACER WHICH HOLDS METAL BAR IN POSITION, THE METAL BAR HOLDS THE SEAT BELT WEBBING IN PLACE, THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND NO LONGER HOLDS THE BAR IN POSITION, ALLOWING THE SEAT BELT NOT TO STAY FASTENED, CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SELL PLASTIC PART, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE HIM TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *JB

DRIVING AT ROAD SPEED AND CAR STALLS OUT 'IT WILL ONLY START AFTER THE CAR SETS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES THIS HAS HAPPEND SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

CONSTANT OIL LEAK ONTO THE MANIFOLD WHICH REQUIRES ME TO USE A HEAVIER OIL SO IT WONT RUN OUT. OIL LEAKING ON MANY AREA'S OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS BEING DONE REGARDING THE OIL LEAK PROBLEM RECALL AND WHERE DO I GO TO GET IT CORRECTED. *AK

A PLASTIC PART INSIDE OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BECOME BRITTLE, REDUCING THE STRENGTH OF THE SEAT BELT. EVEN THOUGH IT LATCHED NORMALLY, MY BELT BUCKLE FELL APART AS I WAS DRIVING. I EXAMINED THE SAME PLASTIC PART ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE SEATBELT, (WHICH HAS ALMOST NEVER BEEN USED), AND FOUND THAT IT WAS BRITTLE AND FALLING APART AS WELL. THIS PLASTIC PART HOLDS IN POSITION A METAL BAR, AROUND WHICH THE SEAT-BELT WEBBING WRAPS. THE PLASTIC BECOMES BRITTLE WITH AGE, AND CAN ALLOW THE METAL BAR TO FALL OUT OF THE BUCKLE, RELEASING THE SEAT BELT. THIS BELT DESIGN IS IN MILLIONS OF FORD VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY, ALL OF WHICH MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEAT-BELT FAILURE IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DETERIORATING PLASTIC PART. FRANKLY, IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SEAT BELTS IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC. EVEN WORSE, IT IS A PLASTIC THAT DISINTEGRATES WITH AGE.

VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE IN PARK AND RUNNING. THIS CONDITION DAMAGES VEHICLE. DEALER/MFR. NOT NOTIFED AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED 60MPH IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER AND PASSENGER LAP/SHOULDER BELTS FAILED,IMPACT 12:00 POSITIONS , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

AFTER A HEAVY RAIN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OR GO OVER 50MPH AND THERE IS NO POWER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. *TT CONSUMER STATES FIRE STARTED IN THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL,VEHICLE ALSO STARTED BY ITSELF.*JB