Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1987 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 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.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
NAR 3-10-03 IN REFERENCE TO A PREVIOUS CLAIM, REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM NHTSA. HOWEVER, ACTION MADE WASN'T SATISFACTORY SO NOW THE CONSUMER IS THERE SEEKING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO EXPEDITE HIS CLAIM. *CB *JB
VEHICLE EXHIBITED A FIRE BY AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN THE IGNITION COLUMN PER FIRE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION. *TT
TFI IGNITION MODULE HAD A DEFECT AND WAS AFFECTED IGNITION SWITCH. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
CONSUMER STATES SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE, THIS IS FOURTH MODULE PART THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE MODULE GPD GOES OUT IT CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP NOT WILLING TO HONOR WARRANTY. *JB
WHEN DRIVING FOR 10-12 MILES VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT COMPLETELY , FEELS AS THOUGH TURNING OFF IGNITION. CONSUMER MUST WAIT ABOUT 45 MINUTES BEFORE CAN BE RESTARTED. CONSUMER CONTACTED A MECHANIC, AND REPROGRAMMED COMPUTER, BUT DEFECT OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER. WILL CONTACT MECHANIC AGAIN. *AK
VEHICLE DIES IN MIDDLE OF ROAD. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS IGNITION MODULE.*AK
IGNITION SWITCH MODULE MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE TFI MODULE. *AK
STARTER FAILED.
ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN, VEHICLE LOST POWER. MECHANIC STATED THAT IGNITION SWITCH MELTED. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON 5/ 17/97. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT THE ALTERNATOR IN HIS VEHICLE CAUSED HIS VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE.OWNER IS UNCERTAIN WHY. *AK
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM, RECALL'S ISSUED FOR SAME MAKE AND MODEL, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER)
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION , THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL NOT STAY ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER HAS REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS ON 2 OCCASIONS. *AK
DURING OPERATION CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING FRON THE DASH. AS A RESULT, THE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND AFTER SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND WITHIN (5) MINUTES AFTER THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE DUE TO A SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
IGNITION FAILURE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE, RECALL FOR COMPONENT HOWEVER VEHICLE DENIED DUE TO VIN #.
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AROUND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK
VEHCILE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS AN ELERTRICAL FIRE. *AK
DROVE VEHICLE TO GAS STATION, KEY WAS HOT & COULD NOT START VEHICLE, HAD TOW HOME, GRANDSON CHECKED VEHICLE, KEY SWITCH & HARNESS WAS BURNED, TWICE REPLACED.*AK *JB
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DH
SHORT CIRCUIT IN WIRING CAUSED ENGINE FIRE.
WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE SHUT OFF, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF RIGHT FENDER AND UNDERHOOD; ALL IGNITION WIRING BURNED UP. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH MELTED DOWN IN THE STEERING COLUMN, REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. *AK *JB
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITON SWITCHES, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .