1992 Ford Escort Electrical Problems

MY PATIENT HAD GONE TO HIS DIALYSIS APPOINTMENT AND WHEN HE GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND TURNED THE KEY IT WOULD NOT START. HE WAITED FOR A BIT AND TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED. AS HE WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. HE HAD SOME PEOPLE HELP PUSH IT AROUND THE CORNER AND CALLED ME TO GET IT TOWED TO HIS HOUSE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE VEHICLE I TRIED IT AND IT SEEMED AS THOUGH IT HAD A DEAD BATTERY. I CALLED AAA TO COME GIVE ME A JUMP AND WAITED FOR AN HOUR. WHEN THEY AAA GOT THERE AND GOT OUT OF THEIR TRUCK, THEY GOT IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND TURNED THE KEY AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP WITH NO JUMP. WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE IGNITION WHEN WE GOT HOME AND TURNED THE KEY AND IT WAS STICKING BUT IT TURNED ON. I WAS HAVING THE CAR BROUGHT INTO A SHOP TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND IT DIED AGAIN. WHEN TRIED TO RESTART THE PIN IN THE END OF THE IGNITION SNAPPED OFF AND THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I ENDED UP HAVING IT TOWED TO THE SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 9 MONTHS THE IGNITION HAS STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AT FIRST BUT AFTER IT WAS REPLACED FOUND OUT THAT IT WASN'T THAT. IT OVER CHARGES THE BATTERY AND HAS SERIOUS POWER SURGES AND THEN JUST DIES LIKE NOTHING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS AND NOW IT JUST WONT START AT ALL. I KNOW IT ISN'T THE BATTERY, STARTER OR ALTERNATOR. I BELIEVE IT TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE STARTED DOESN'T ENGAGE WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY BUT ALL THE POWER COMES ON. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154922

Incident

Apr 10, 2006

ELECTRICAL FAILURE; DRIVER'S SIDE LAP BELT; DASH LIGHTS(SPEEDOMETER FUEL GAUGE, ENGINE HEAT TEMP & REVOLOTION GUAGE), RADIO LIGHTS, DRIVER'S DOOR BUZZER/ OVERHEAD LIGHT; A/C,/ HEATER FAN INTERMITTENT. IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, X2, BOTH BRAKE LIGHT BULBS REPLACED: COURTESY LIGHT IN TRUNK NEEDS REPLACED. HAS NEVER BEEN TO GARAGE, TO BE REPAIRED, FOR ANY ABOVE ELECTRICAL.EXCEPTION, IGNITION REPLACED BY GARAGE X1.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037446

Incident

Sep 1, 1996

THE CONSUMER NOTICED FUEL LEAKAGE FROM THE TANK. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED A HOLE IN THE TANK. THE TANK HAD LEAKED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO ADVISED HER THAT THE V.I.N. WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RELATED RECALL 92V117000. TS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, A SUSPENSION BAR WAS NEEDED, AND WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED TO KEEP THE FUEL AT HALF FULL. SCC

NHTSA ID

10001934

Incident

Dec 20, 2002

Mileage

39,000 mi

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT WILL CUT OFF. ONCE EXITING A RAMP VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 4 TIMES.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAD LOSS OF POWER IN THE MORNING THREE TIMES. *YD

NHTSA ID

8005688

Incident

Mar 14, 2000

FOR ABOUT A YEAR THIS CAR HAS QUIT RUNNING WHILE YOUR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE ENGINE JUST STOPS WITHOUT SPUTTERING OR ANYTHING. LIKE YOU SHUT IT OFF ,ONLY THE RADIO AND LIGHTS STAY ON (EXCEPT DASH LIGHTS) . SOMETIMES IT WILL START BACK UP WHILE YOUR STILL MOVING, BUT I USUALLY HAVE TO TURN THE KEY OFF AND ON UNTIL THE DASH LIGHTS COME BACK ON AND IT STARTS THEN. I HAD THIS CAR CHECKED ON A DIAGNOSTIC THING AND IT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SOMETIMES IT WILL BE A MONTH WITHOUT DOING IT THEN IT DOES IT 10 TIMES IN A WEEK. THANKS.*AK

NHTSA ID

734212

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

847584

THE FUSE BLEW IN VEHICLE. EVERYTHING HAD SHUT DOWN. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST EVERY 2 WEEKS OR SO. BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR PROBLEM. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED, BUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS NEVER CHECKED. *AK

NHTSA ID

843247

Incident

May 20, 1999

MULTIPLE ELETRICAL FAILURES IN INSTRUMENTATION AND PANEL CONTROLS. ABRUPT FAILURE OF DASH LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER CRUCIAL INSTRUMENTATION. ALSO, MULTIPLE FAILURES OF ELECTRICALLY POWERED PASSIVE RESTRAINTS, CONFINING FRONT PASSENGERS IN SEATS WITH INABILITY TO DISABLE RESTRAINT (SHOULDER BELT). MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL FAILURES OF OTHER DASH INSTRUMENTATION/CONTROLS TO INCLUDE HEATING/COOLING/FAN/RADIO AND SIGNALS. IN REGARD TO SECOND COMPONENT, INABILITY TO PROPERLY INSTALL INDEPENDENT CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN RIGHT FRONT (PASSENGER) SEAT, EVEN WITH MANUFACTURER-SUPPLIED "LOCKING CLIP" AS BELTS CANNOT BE PROPERLY B SECURED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. *AK

NHTSA ID

702954

WHILE DRIVING IGINITON SWITCH WAS VERY HOT. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT INTO THE STORE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE IGINITON SWITCH BEING HOT AND BURNED THE STARTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

831643

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

IGNITION HAS FAILED FOUR TIMES.

NHTSA ID

525255

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/NOT START AS PER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO YEAR OF MODEL 95S28.

NHTSA ID

780122

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE.

NHTSA ID

537377

Incident

Jun 7, 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED WITH SMOKE. PULLED INTO A SERVICE STATION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING AND THE WIRING HARNESS HOUSING WAS BURNING. THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

818834

Incident

Nov 10, 1997

IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH STICKING.

NHTSA ID

524074

Incident

Feb 28, 1996

RECALL 96V071000, ABOUT ONE WEEK AFTER HAVING RECALL WORK PERFORMED, DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE BELIEVED TO BE ELECTRICAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

809257

DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH ASSEMBLY ALLOWED STARTER MOTOR TO ENGAGE WHENEVER THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ID

514551

Incident

Dec 1, 1995

ELECTRICAL SHORT, IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE SWITCH CONNECTOR TO BURN, ALSO WIRING BURNED. *AK DEALER FOUND BURNT WIRE LOOM AND BURNT STARTER SOLENOID, DEALER REPLACED STARTER AND REPAIRED WIRE LOOM, CONSUMER FEELS RECALL 95S28 SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE HIS VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

804765

Incident

Oct 30, 1996

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN BATTERY. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE SWITCH SHORTED CAUSING IT TO MELT LIKE THE ONES IN RECALL. *SLC

NHTSA ID

802244

Incident

Aug 28, 1996

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

506463

Incident

May 20, 1996

VEHICLE HAS STRONG GAS ODOR WHENEVER TANK IS FILLED. *DH

NHTSA ID

505220

Incident

Jun 5, 1996

ELECTRICAL SHORT, IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS BURNED WHEN VEHCILE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

984347

Incident

May 11, 1996

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH

NHTSA ID

504260

Incident

Sep 1, 1995

CONSUMER HAVING A HARD TIME TAKEN THE KEY OUT THE IGNITION SWITCH WHEN YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

983602

Incident

Jan 12, 1996

THE IGNITON SWITCH SHORTED OUT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

983514

Incident

Jan 20, 1996

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE BEING DRIVEN AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID

983266

Incident

Feb 12, 1996