1993 Ford Escort Body & structure Problems

AS BRIEFLY AND SUCCINTLY AS I CAN; MY FATHER WAS DRIVING A 1993 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON ON ONE OF THE LAST DAYS OF WINTER WHEN HE APPARENTLY HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE. HE DID GO LEFT OF CENTER AND WAS HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE (EACH VEHICLE @ 35MPH). MY QUESTION INVOLVES THE SIDE IMPACT CAPABILITY OF THIS MODEL - THE IMPACT WAS AS CLOSE TO BEING RIGHT ON THE "B'" PILLAR AS POSSIBLE AND THIS THING JUST FOLDED IN HALF. THE ROOF FOLDED, THE FLOOR BUCKLED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS TOUCHING THE STEERING WHEEL. AT THIS POINT, I NEED TO EMPHASIZE THIS CAR WAS NOT A BUCKET OF RUST - HE BOUGHT IT USED BECAUSE OF THE LOW MILES AND GREAT CONDITION (MY FATHER, THE ETERNAL BARGAIN HUNTER). ALTHOUGH I'VE LOST MY FATHER TO THIS ACCIDENT, I AM CURIOUS IF THIS WAS AN ANOMOLY OR ARE THESE STATION WAGONS NOTED FOR THIS COLLAPSING FEATURE? IF THIS HASN'T BEEN NOTED BEFORE, I WILL PRESUME THIS WAS A "ONE OF" EVENT, BUT IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE MODE, I WOULD SAY THERE IS A PROBLEM. AS A SIDE NOTE, I HAVE SEEN WHERE THIS YEAR AND SEVERAL AFTER IT WEREN'T TESTED FOR SIDE IMPACT. ANY INFORMATION YOU MAY HAVE TO SHARE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS, TOM DAVIS

NHTSA ID

10191761

Incident

Mar 16, 2007

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAS MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS. THE BELT WILL TIGHTEN INADVERTENTLY, FEELING AS IF CONSUMER WAS BEING CHOKED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIRS WILL COST $400.00. *AK....ALSO, FRONT FENDER AND MIDDLE OF THE VEHICLE ABOVE THE FENDER IS PEELING PAINT, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING AND GOES OFF WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES AT STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT OR WHENEVER CONSUMER APPLIES THE BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103195

Incident

Dec 15, 2003

Mileage

27,000 mi

1993 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON. SHARP METAL EDGE AT WIRING HARNESS ENTRANCE TO STATION WAGON HATCH, CAUSED ABRASION OF WIRING LEADING TO SHORT CIRCUIT AND VEHICLE FIRE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051200

Incident

Dec 27, 2003

Mileage

115,330 mi

1993 FORD ESCORT WAGON - REAR WINDOW DEFROST - ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORTED AT HATCHBACK DOOR. WIRE HARNESS WAS CRACKED AT BEND POINT FOR REAR DOOR TO OPEN. ALL MOST ALL WIRES GOING TO HATCHBACK DOOR HAD BEEN EXPOSED DOWN TO THE CORE WIRE! WHEN REAR DEFROST WAS TURNED ON A SMELL OF BURNT PLASTIC WAS DETECTED, THEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE DASH. DEFROST AT HATCHBACK DOOR HAD SHORTED WITH TAIL LIGHT WIRING, MELTING WIRING BACK INTO FUSE BOX. FIRE WAS PREVENTED BY SHUTTING OFF DEFROST. BUT REAR BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043458

Incident

Nov 26, 2000

Mileage

130,000 mi

1993 FORD ESCORT STATIONWAGON ROLLED OVER AT 50 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ROOF CAVED IN CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES TO THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER'S HEAD AND FACE. THE SEAT AND SHOULDER BELTS WERE IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION AND PROPERLY USED. THE ROOF AND SIDE BODY PILLARS DO NOT GIVE SUFFICIENT ROLLOVER PROTECTION TO PREVENT SEVERE HEAD AND FACIAL INJURIES TO FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS. THE ROOF CAVES DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE SEATBACK. IF THE SEATBACK CAN HOLD UP THE ROOF, WHY AREN'T THE ROOF AND SIDE PILLARS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT?*AK

NHTSA ID

10036833

Incident

Aug 25, 2003

Mileage

65,000 mi

WALMART AUTO SERVICE CENTER, MCMINNVILLE, TN IS CROSS-THREADING LUGS: NUTS AND BOLTS DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF HIGH-SPEED IMPACT WRENCHES. WHEN IT DOES SO, IT "OUTSOURCES" REPLACEMENT OF BOLTS TO SMALL REPAIR SHOPS, WHO USUSALLY LACK THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT, I.E., A PRESS, WHICH IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE BRAKE SPLASHGUARD. SO IN ORDER TO INSTALL NEW BOLTS, THEY SIMPLY REMOVE THE SPLASHGUARD, WHICH WILL PERMIT BLOWUP TO HYDRATE THE DISC BRAKES, AND THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN FAILURE. WALMART NEEDS TO REVISE ITS "OUTSOURCING" OF THIS JOB ONLY TO QUALIFIED SUBCONTRACTORS WHO WILL LEAVE THE MANUFACTURER'S SPEC SPLASHGUARD INTACT, TO AVOID FAILURES AND THE RESULTING SAFETY ISSUES AND LIABILITY.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID

760728

WHILE TRAVELING HEARD NOISE FROM UNDER VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, AND TECHNICIAN STATED THAT CATALYTIC CONVERTER SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK HEAT SHIELDS ARE COMING LOOSE AND ARE RATTLING, TSB 98-20-10 HAS BEEN ISSUED, HOWEVER MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPAIR. *SLC

NHTSA ID

894435

TRUNK LID, ONCE UP, WOULD FALL DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. ARM ATTACHMENT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE TRUNK LID IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER'S MECHANIC TO CHECK.*AK

NHTSA ID

870224

TRUNK CYLINDER COLLAPSED WHEN OPENED DUE TO DEFECTIVE SPRINGS. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

869892

WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON CAR ACCELERATES AND DECELERATES ON ITS OWN. TT AIR CONDITIONER ALSO MAKES NOISES AND HAS AN ODOR. TRANSMISSION TAKES 3 TO 4 ATTEMPTS BEFORE ENGAGING IN REVERSE. STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT LOCK. HATCHBACK DOES NOT OPEN AND CLOSE PROPERLY. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LENSE IS CRACKED. FRONT BUMPER IS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. DOORS ARE NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY, CAUSING THEM NOT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. WINDOW SEAL BROKE CAUSING WIND NOISE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

973461

Incident

Aug 12, 1994

SUNVISOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAS DOOR THAT COVERS UP LIGHT IN MIRROR MADE OF VELCRO/KEEPS DOOR CLOSED; GLUE OVERHEATS/DOES NOT HOLD;RESTRICTS DRIVER'S VIEW OF ROAD

NHTSA ID

971694

Incident

May 15, 1994