Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1988 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
RECALL PERFORMED ON IGNITION SWITCH. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO COME ON. DEALER STATED THAT IT COULD NOT NOT BE RELATED. THE FORD TECH THAT DID THE REPLACEMENT DISTURBED OTHER AREAS IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSING THE FAILURE. HE/SHE FAILED TO CONNECT EVERYTHING IN THE COLUMN.
CONSUMER GOT STUCK ON ICE AND WHEN TRYING TO ROCK THE VEHICLE OUT, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, CLAIM 38-J494-074. *SLC
THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED ABOUT 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT OR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRE CONNECTORS. THE DIMMER SWITCH LOCATED INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THE LAST YEAR DUE TO THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CONNECTORS TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THE DIMMER SWITCH HAVE TURNED BROWN DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT AND MELTING OF THE PLASTIC CONNECTORS. AFTER THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS REPLACED, THE HEADLIGHTS WORK FOR ABOUT 4-6 MONTHS UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO SHORT OUT, AND INTERMITTENTLY FLICKER. SOMETIMES, THE HIGH BEAMS ARE THE ONLY HEADLIGHTS THAT WORK. THE MECHANIC I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS WHILE LIVING IN MARYLAND STATES THAT THIS KIND OF PROBLEM IS VERY TYPICAL FOR FORD ESCORTS AROUND THE TIME MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED.
HEADLIGHTS CONTINUALLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING.
LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH OVERLOADS AND LIGHTS TURN OFF. WHEN USING DRIVING LIGHTS, THEY CAN ONLY BE TURNED ON FOR ABOUT 5 TO 8 MINUTES BEFORE HEADLIGHTS BEGIN TO BLINK ON AND OFF. WITH CONTINUING USE THE LIGHTS WILL GO COMPLETELY OFF, LEAVING DRIVER IN THE DARK. IN ADDITION, FOG LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED.
ENGINE HESTITATES AND STALLS.
MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WIRING MELTED, CAUSING LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS.
CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIR OF THE IGNITION SWITCH (95S28) PERORMED BUT EXPERIENCED AN IGNITION SWITCH FIRE AFTER RECALL REPAIR. NLM
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT, RESULTING IN A FIRE AND THE HEAD LIGHTS TO FAIL. *AK
HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT GO OUT, REPLACE SWITCH. TT
MOISTURE INSIDE HEADLIGHT, HEADLIGHT BULB GOES OUT WHEN IT GET WET. TT
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 .