RoadVitals

1986 Ford Escort Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
18
Latest Jun 4, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
40%
of 45 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
11
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1986 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Jun 4, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO GET IT STARTED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID
8011043
Incident
Jul 17, 1996
Electrical
Filed Oct 14, 2000

SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT BETWEEN 70-75 MPH THE ENGINE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG AND ALLOWING THE IGNITION MODULE TO COOL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTS. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND THE IGNITION MODULE PICKUP WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN RESURFACES AFTER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. A CALIFORNIA JUDGE HAS ORDERED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COMPLY UNLESS THE NHTSA ORDERS THEM TO DO SO. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PARTS AS TO NOT ENDANGER MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *AK *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*734328

NHTSA ID
10007035
Incident
Oct 12, 2000
Mileage
80,150 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 14, 2000

SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE IN THE NORMAL RANGE ON THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT BETWEEN 70-75 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD AND REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG AND ALLOWING THE IGNITION MODULE TO COOL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE RESTARTS. THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESTART WITHOUT REMOVING THE TIMING PLUG. I HAVE REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE AND THE IGNITION MODULE PICKUP WITH ORIGINAL FACTORY REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN RESURFACES AFTER ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AFTER REPLACEMENT. A CALIFORNA JUDGE HAS ORDERED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT COMPLY UNLESS THE NHTSA ORDERS THEM TO DO SO. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPLACE THE PARTS AS TO NOT ENDANGER MYSELF OR OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *AK

NHTSA ID
734328
Incident
Oct 12, 2000
Electrical
Filed Oct 12, 2000

IGNITION MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 3 YEARS, CAR WAS STALLING AT LOW SPEED. THE SAME PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE RETURNING.

NHTSA ID
734155
Incident
Dec 1, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 11, 2000

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE WILL STALL AND CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. VEHICLE HAS STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT IGNITION WENT BAD WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL . IGNITION WAS REPLACED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.*AK

NHTSA ID
872737
Incident
Sep 18, 2000
Electrical
Filed May 24, 1996
Fire reported

DRIVEN ON FRWY, PARKED IN PARKING LOT, TOOK VEHICLE OFF PARKING LOT, ABOUT 1/4 MILE LATER SAW FLAMES COMING FROM HOOD, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED & PUT FLAMES OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID
984819
Incident
May 2, 1996
Electrical
Filed May 13, 1996
Fire reported

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, TURNED IGNITION ON AND VEHICLE COMPLETELY BURNED, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

NHTSA ID
984351
Incident
Jan 1, 1990
Electrical
Filed May 10, 1996
Fire reported

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR THREE MINUTES AND THEN IT WENT UP IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
984372
Incident
Jul 12, 1993
Electrical
Filed Apr 30, 1996
Fire reported

WAS DRIVING TO A MEETING, PARKED HIS VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT, WENT TO MEETING, RETURNED, SAW FIRE DEPT., SAW VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
983780
Incident
Mar 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 26, 1996
Fire reported

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
983612
Electrical
Filed Apr 25, 1996
Fire reported

AIR CONDITIONER PROBLEMS DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH RESULTED IN FIRE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503803
Incident
Jan 1, 1986
Electrical
Filed Apr 24, 1996
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED SMOKE UNDER HOOD, PARKED VEHICLE, MOMENTS LATER FOUND VEHICLE FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
983548
Electrical
Filed Apr 22, 1996
Fire reported

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FIRE IN DASH AND UNDERHOOD. PLEASE GIVE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
983200
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 1996
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

NHTSA ID
983158
Incident
Mar 9, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 1996

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, PREVENTING STARTER FROM ENGAGING. *DSH

NHTSA ID
503660
Incident
Jan 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 17, 1996
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR CHOCK CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
982831
Incident
Mar 8, 1994
Electrical
Filed Jun 6, 1995
Fire reported

WIRING HARNESS FAILED, CAUSING FIRE. *SKD

NHTSA ID
485070
Incident
Sep 1, 1994
Electrical
Filed May 8, 1995

WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO STOP, ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. TT

NHTSA ID
964957
Incident
Mar 5, 1994

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Engine9

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .