1991 Ford Escort Fuel system Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD ESCORT. FATIGUE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE SOLDER JOINT BETWEEN THE FUEL RETURN TUBE AND THE FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THERE MUST HAVE BEEN AN INTERNAL FIRE CAUSED BY THE FAILURE, BECAUSE THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 92V117000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 151000.

NHTSA ID

10290381

Incident

Oct 11, 2008

Mileage

151,000 mi

1. MY 1991 FORD ESCORT LX STATION WAGON DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AROUND THE FUEL TANK. 2. IT OCCURS EVERY TIME I ADD FUEL TO THE TANK. 3. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO FORD, INCLUDING THE EXISTENCE OF A RECALL NOTICE (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA92012; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 92V117000)). FORD HAS IGNORED THE RECALL LETTER, CLAIMING THERE IS NO SUCH RECALL LETTER, AND ... IN GENERAL GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND. FRANKLY, I'M MAD AS '!@#$%. THIS PROBLEM IS A FIRE HAZARD, AND FORD IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS IT!!!!! WHAT CAN I DO?? THANKS! KES *TR

NHTSA ID

10237636

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

83,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 92V117000 CONCERNING FUEL PUMP SENDING ASSEMBLY. THIS CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK UPDATD 01/25/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10143357

Incident

Dec 23, 2003

Mileage

133,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WIRING ASSEMBLY TO THE FUEL PUMP HAS BURNED UP 3X IN THE LAST MONTH. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS INCORRECT SPECIFIED 30AMP FUSE FOR FUEL PUMP.*AK

NHTSA ID

10024878

Mileage

132,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL#92V17000 CONCERNING FUEL TANK. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10022205

Incident

May 31, 2003

CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL ON THE GROUND, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT GAS HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE FUEL LINE WHICH CONNECTED TO THE TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. THE FUEL TANK AND PUMP WAS REPLACED.*JB

NHTSA ID

8022735

Incident

Oct 2, 2002

Mileage

210,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE SMELL OF GAS IS VERY STRONG.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SMELL GETS STRONGER WHEN CAR WAS ACCELERATING. *YH

NHTSA ID

8013923

Incident

May 25, 2002

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

755533

SEATBELTS: THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT STICK IN THE TRACK, USUALLY HALF WAY BETWEEN OPEN & CLOSE. NOW THEY WILL NOT OPERATE AT ALL. I TOOK ONE APART & THE PLASTIC COVERING THE CABLE IS DETERIORATING & CAUSING THE CABLE TO STICK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. YOU CAN HAVE MY SEATBELT ASSEMBLE FOR INSPECTION, AS I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE FOR MY SPOUSE'S SAFETY. FUEL: THIS CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL #92S54, AS THE PRODUDUCTION DATE WAS TOO EARLY, BUT IT HAS THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE ALREADY CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A NEW FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. YOU MAY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PART FOR YOUR INSPECTION AS WELL. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: HEADLIGHT: CLOUDY, YELLOW, AND DO NOT ALLOW LIGHT ON THE ROAD. VERY HAZARDOUS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS IS TYPICAL ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORD CARS & TRUCKS. I HAVE PURCHASED A SET FROM THE LOCAL WRECKING YARD, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE HEADLIGHT FOR YOU TO INSPECT. I THREW THEM AWAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

754407

Incident

May 28, 1995

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK HAD NOTICED A FUEL SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE. ALSO, AFTER DRIVING FOR WHILE COULD STILL SMELL FUEL. DECIDED TO CHECK UNDER VEHICLE, AND FOUND A FUEL LEAK IN TANK THAT SHOWED A CRACK ABOVE MUFFLER. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

894567

Incident

Aug 13, 2001

I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 1991 ESCORT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMPAND WIRING.BOTH CARS WIRES SHORTED WHERE THE WIRES GO THROUGH THE SENDING UNIT INTO THE TANK.THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ARCING ON THE INSIDE OF THE FUELTANK NEXT TO THE FUELPUMP,WHY THE FUELTANK DIDN'T EXPLODE IS BEYOND ME.THE GROUND WIRES WERE BURNED ALL THE WAY UNDER THE DASH, MOST OF THE ITEMS OF THE CAR DON'T WORK NOW . OTH CARS FUELPUMPS SHORTED OUT WHERE THE WIRES GO THROUGH

NHTSA ID

745225

Incident

Mar 15, 2001

IF I FILL UP MY GAS TANK PAST 1/2, I GET A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE CAR. IT IS COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF BACK SEAT. WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT? WHAT ARE MY AVAILABLE COURSES OF ACTION?

NHTSA ID

728419

Incident

May 25, 2000

AFTER FILLING VEHICLE WITH FUEL, AND WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED A VERY BAD FUEL ODOR WITHIN THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. CHECKED VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL WAS LEAKING AT THE TOP OF THE TANK, LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

866600

FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY LEAKED FUEL THRU A SCREW, THE SCREW WAS TIGHT, POSSIBLE THE GASKET UNDER THE SCREW DIMINISHED OVER TIME, THE LEAK COULD AT ANY TIME CAUSE A FIRE.

NHTSA ID

9001408

Incident

Jul 10, 2000

I FILLED OUT A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH THE WRONG VIN. IT SEEMS AS IF THE RECALL ITEM FOR THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOR CARS MANUFACTURED AFTER APRIL 1991 HOWEVER THE RECALL IS ON 91FORD ESCORTS I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAR.'91. DOES IT NOT APPLY?*AK

NHTSA ID

711258

Incident

Sep 7, 1999

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS IF THIS IS A RECALLED ITEM IS THERE A PARTICULAR PROCEDURE FOR GETTING IT REPAIRED. AND IF WE GET IT REPAIRED OTHER THAN AT A FORD SERVICE CENTER CAN WE BE REIMBURSED. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SEEMED TO GO INTO NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S AUTOMATIC. THE FUEL GAUGE IS BROKEN AS WELL. *AK

NHTSA ID

711187

Incident

Sep 7, 1999

STRONG GAS SMELL NOTED INSIDE THE CAR. FOUND A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE BACK SEAT & ON THE GROUND. THE SEAT WAS SATURATED IN GAS. CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. SPOKE WITH NICHOLE & HER SUPERVISOR & WE WERE TOLD THE CAR WAS 10 YEARS OLD & OUT OF WARRANTY & THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO. I PURCHASED A FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY #FOF5CZ-9350-B @ $242.00 & REPLACED THE PUMP MYSELF AS I WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE MISSED THE RECALL. THERE IS NO SMELL OR LEAKS AT THIS TIME. I SAVED THE OLD PARTS FOR POSSIBLE INSPECTIONS LATER ON WHEN FORD DECIDES TO CORRECT THEIR FUEL PROBLEMS, AS THERE ARE MANY VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM VIEWED ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. *AK

NHTSA ID

720852

Incident

Jul 4, 1997

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY RUNS AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF. YH

NHTSA ID

551494

NHTSA RECALL # 92 V 117 000/FUEL SYSTEM: VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING FUEL LEAKAGES FROM TOP AREAS OF FUEL TANK;FUEL LEAKS CAN RESULT IN FIRE IF EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION; PROBLEM APPEARS SAME AS MENTIONED IN RECALL, BUT DEALER/MFR. REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE. DUE VIN # THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

854393

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL (MFR 92S54) IN FEB OF 1993 DUE TO A CRACKED SOLDER JOINT. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURED. *YC

NHTSA ID

852381

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED FROM A FORD DEALER (HOLIDAY FORD-BLACKBURG, VA) IN 1/94 WITH 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR. ON 12/14/94 AT 41,687 MILES THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO MAGIC CITY FORD WITH A GAS LEAK. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND SAID FORD MAY COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE THIS CAR HAD A RECALL FOR THE FUEL PUMP. FORD DID NOT HONOR THE REPAIR. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT MY CAR HAD ALREADY HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED UNDER FORD RECALL #92S54 BACK IN 11/92. MY FUEL PUMP FAILURE, ALTHOUGH IT MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL, WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BY FORD BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY "FIXED" BACK IN 11/92. I PAID THE $212.39 BILL. I SENT A LETTER ON 12/19/94 TO FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS. ON 1/17/95 I WAS PHONED BY DAVE RIVERS OF FORD'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME AS WHAT THE DEALER SAID (THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALL REPAIRED 11/92). NOW IN 10/99 AND AT 75,000 MILES THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE FAILURE LEFT A PUDDLE OF GAS IN MY GARAGE AND THE FUMES FILLED MY HOUSE, FORCING US TO LEAVE OUR HOUSE. I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE FAILED PUMP THAT WAS REPLACED IN 12/94. I'LL ALSO HAVE THE OTHER FAILED PUMP WHEN I REPLACE THIS LATEST FAILURE. CAN THE NHSTA "RECALL" A RECALL - IT DOESN'T APPEAR AS IF THE REPAIR IS ANY SAFER THAN THE DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

713875

Incident

Oct 25, 1999

A CRACK IN THE FUEL PUMP SENDING ASSEMBLY CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE TAILPIPE AND THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 92V117000. REPAIRES MADE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID

846207

Incident

Aug 17, 1999

FUEL PUMP FAILED, AND ELECTRICAL WIRING TO FUEL PUMP AND WIRING UNDER DASH MELTED. ALSO, TWO SETS OF WIRING TO HEADLIGHTS MELTED TO BARE WIRE. HIGH CURRENT OVERHEATED THE WIRING. CONTACED FORD. AND VEHICLE IS ALMOST TOTALLED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION...

NHTSA ID

844185

Incident

Jul 30, 1999

WITH REGARD FUEL LINES AND THROTTLE LINKAGES; IT IS POSSIBLE VEHICLE HAS BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS SO THAT I CAN HAVE THEM FIXED. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS CAR? IT WASN'T UNTIL YESTERDAY THAT I FOUND THIS GREAT INFORMATIONAL WEB-SITE THAT I CAME ACROSS THIS INFORMATION. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THIS GREAT WEB-SITE. THANK YOU. DAN & DAWN MCMULLAN (719) 635-4917 AND DAN'S CELL PHONE (719) 338-2429. *AK

NHTSA ID

708251

Incident

May 25, 1996

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY CAUSED A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENTWHICH SPREAD UNDER THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

839837