1995 Ford Escort Engine Problems

1995 FORD ESCORT WITH 136,000 MILES ON CAR CAUGHT A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT RESULTED IN TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10258671

Incident

Feb 13, 2009

Mileage

136,000 mi

THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 5 TIMES ON MY CAR. I'M A SINGLE MOM AND ON LIMITED INCOME AND HAVE HAD TO GO WITHOUT CAR MONTHS AT A TIME. I HAVE TO HAVE THE SWITCH REPLACED FOR AROUND $150 EACH TIME PLUS TOWING. I HAVE NOT KEPT THE OLD PARTS BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW I NEEDED TO. ON THIS SAME CAR THE TIMING BELT HAS GONE OUT TWICE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT, FOR THREE YEARS NOW. IS THIS DUE TO THE CAR OR IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WHEN REPAIRED?

NHTSA ID

10116045

Incident

Mar 16, 2005

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHERE THEY REPLACED A PLASTIC SENSOR, WHICH HAD MELTED ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10091422

Incident

Sep 7, 2004

Mileage

52,875 mi

ON APRIL 11, 1995 I PURCHASED A NEW 1995 FORD LX, 1.9L SEFI , VIN# [XXX]. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND SETTLING INTO IT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM WHAT TO ME SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE AREA ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE STEERING COLUMN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TEST DRIVEN AND I WAS SIMPLY TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY JUST NEW ENGINE NOISE AND IT WOULD STOP. AS TIME WENT ON THE CLICKING CONTINUED. I CALLED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES THEN I JUST GAVE UP BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OKAY AND HAD CAUSED NO CONCERN. ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1997 (CLICKING NOISE STILL THERE) I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR OTHER PROBLEMS. AS INVOICE STATES, NOISE MAY BE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA. ON MAY 22, 2002 WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT JUST STOPPED!!!!! REFERENCING NORTH CENTRAL FORD INVOICE NO. [XXX] (WHICH IS ATTACHED) YOU CAN SEE THE WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED. IN REFERENCE THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INVOICE, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED, ONE OF THE PHONE CALLS I RECEIVED WAS TO EXPLAIN THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SNAPPED. PLEASE NOTICE THAT YOU WILL FIND NOWHERE MENTIONED THAT VALVES OR ANYTHING ELSE WAS CHECKED. BY THE TIME ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE, THE CLICKING NOISE HAD BECOME MORE APPARENT AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE THAT IT WAS STILL THERE. NOW FOR THE GRAND FINALE, ON APRIL 29, 2003 I DROVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY STORE AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUT THE CLICKING NOISE TURNED INTO A NOISE AS IF THE ENGINE WERE GOING TO EXPLODE. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND IT WAS TAKEN TO NORTH CENTRAL FORD. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC THOUGHT PUSH ROD HAD GONE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MORE THAN ONE MECHANIC (ASE CERTIFIED) WHO CLEARLY BELIEVES THAT THE VALVES SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST CHECKED WHEN THAT BELT BROKE. THIS [XXX] VEHICLE WAS MY PRIDE AND JOY IT WAS PAMPERED. THE MILEAGE ON IT WAS A MERE 74,639. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10070263

Incident

Sep 15, 1997

Mileage

20,000 mi

ENGINE DEVELOPED A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THE ONLY REASON IT COST 600.00 WAS THAT I REPAIRED IT MYSELF. SEATBELTS AND TRANSMISSION HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

10069107

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

111,003 mi

CONSUMER STATES THAT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LEAK AND OVERHEAT. CONSUMER FEELS A FIRE MAY START AS A RESULT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026374

HEAD GASKET BLOWN ONLY 64K MILES AND A NICE $700 REPAIR BILL. FOR A CAR THAT DEPRECIATED 75% ANYWAYS! DT

NHTSA ID

770263

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

RADIATOR LEAKING WHERE CHEAP PLASTIC SIDE IS CRIMPED TO THE CORE ONLY FIX IS NEW RADIATOR. THANKS FOR BUILDING SUCK A CHEESEY AND UNREPAIRABLE RADIATOR! DT

NHTSA ID

770262

Incident

Nov 11, 2002

TIRED TO WORK WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF HONDA TO NO AVAIL. THEY WON'T HELP ME AND THE SOLD THE VEHICLE AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN WORKING CONDITION. *NO AFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

766335

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA, AND VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

8016358

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY THERE IS A SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING THROUGHOUT VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD WAS FIXED. VALVE COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ID

8011517

Incident

Mar 1, 2001

CONSUMER HAD A DEFECTIVE ENGINE, THE ENGINE BLEW UP WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8001370

Incident

Nov 25, 2001

AT TIMES VEHICLE WILL JUST SHUT OFF WHEN TRAVELING AT 45-50 MPH, EVERYTHING WILL SHUT DOWN.*AK

NHTSA ID

899954

Incident

Dec 6, 2001

MY CAR WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSE TO. FORD MAINTENAINCE PUT NEW TIMING BELT ON ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND IT HASN'T BEEN STARTING RIGHT SINCE *AK

NHTSA ID

754603

THE CAR STALLS AT STOPS ALOT NAD NOW IT STALED AND WONT EVEN RESTART!*AK

NHTSA ID

754477

Incident

Nov 12, 2001

VEHICLE OVERHEATS WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING. TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES TO HOT. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER WILL BE COOL WHEN FIRST STARTING THE CAR. BUT, IF VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN AIR WILL BECOME WARM. THEN, VEHICLE STARTS TO SPUDDER, AND JERK FOWARD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLETO A MECHANIC AND HAD RELAYS/ SENSORS, THERMOSTAT/ COOLANT FAN , AND RADIATOR REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE SINCE 1999. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

894141

Incident

May 1, 1999

WE PLEASE SEND ME TWO SIGNATURE CARDS FOR BOTH VEHICLES JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR ARE DAUGHTER ON 7/01/01 WHAT WAS FUNNY IS THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD WHEN WE GOT IT THEN 9 DAY'S LATER THE RAIDIATOR SATRTED TO LEAK THE SAME PLACE MY 92 TAURUS WAS LEAKING FROM THE DRIVE SIDE SEAL OF THE RAIDIATOR SO I CALLED FORD AND I WANTED TO KNOW WHY THERE MAKING PARTS THAT ARE FAILING IN NOT ONE CAR MADE BUT TWO DIFFERENT CAR'S AND I ALSO WAS TOLD BUT VARIOUS MECHANICS THAT FORD KNOWS OF THESE PROBLEMS WITH BOTH THE TAURUS AND ESCORT BUT WON'T FIX THE PROBLEM WHY WOULD TWO DIFFERENT CARS FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS FORD KNOWS THE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THE US HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE 3 MAIN THINGS TRANSMISSION RAIDAITOR AND EGNITION SWITCHS SO WHY ARE YOU NOT LOOKING IN TO THIS CONSUMER FRAUD I'LL BE GLAD TO FILE A CIVIL SUIT AGAINST FORD IF NEED BE AS THEY ARE SCREWING THE PUBLIC. *AK

NHTSA ID

748700

Incident

Jul 1, 2001

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING AND IDLING HARD TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. AFTER TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE, THE SPARK PLUG WIRES WERE REPLACED AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED. 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALMOST ALL POWER AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 30MPH. IF LEFT IDLING TOO LONG IT WOULD CUT OFF COMPLETELY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PRIVATE GARAGE AND UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE VALVES HAD DROPPED INTO A CYLINDER, THUS DESTRYOYNG THE PISTON. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL MECHNICS TELL ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE SEEN BEFORE AND THAT THIS MODEL OF ENGINE IS"KNOWN" FOR THIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

747518

Incident

Jun 21, 2001

EMISSION HOSE ELBOW HAS MELTED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND DIE WHILE IDLING. *AK

NHTSA ID

888684

PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING HAS BEEN COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

888422

Incident

May 8, 2001

ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED/ MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

888421

Incident

May 8, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN ENGINE OVERHEATED, AND AT TIME OF DRIVING ENGINE STALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID

888420

Incident

May 8, 2001

THE CAR GOT ALCOHOL SMELL SINCE THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT IT. THEN IT MADE ME DIZZY & COUGH BADLY ALL THE TIME , SOMETIME I WAS THINKING THAT IF SOMEBODY LIGHT UP A CIGARETTE WHICH MAY PUT MY CAR INTO FIRE SINCE THERE ARE ALCOHOL SMELL ALL OVER. I BEGAN OPEN ALL THE WINDOWS WHENEVER I DRIVE THIS CAR ( NO MATTER HOW COLD IT IS, OR EVEN WHEN IT IS RAINING.). AND BESIDES DRIVE IT TO WORK, I NEVER DRIVE IT DURING THE WEEKEND. BECAUSE I THINK MY BODY NEED SOME REST FROM THIS CAR. I DID NOT KNOW HOW BAD IT COULD BE UNTILL I READ A BOOK TALK ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THE EMITTED GASSES FROM THE CAR COULD HURT PEOPLE'S HEALTH, AFTER I READ THAT BOOK I STOPPED TO DRIVE THE CAR & BEGIN TO FIND OUT HOW TO TAKE CARE THE PROBLEM. BEFORE I AM SURE THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE, I WOULD NOT DRIVE IT OR SALE TO OTHER PEOPLE. I WISH NO BODY WILL GET HURT BY THIS CAR. PLEASE TAKE CARE THIS CAR'S PROBLEM. OTHERWISE I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO WITH THIS CAR. I AM TAKING BUS EVEYDAY TO GO TO WORK SINCE JAN. AND THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. FORD TOLD ME TO CALL YOUR DEPT. IS THERE A KIND EQUIPMENT WHICH CAN TEST THE INSIDE CAR AIR QUALITY TO SEE IS IT SAFE TO HUMAN HEALTH. ? , IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD IF ANY BODY GET DIZZY (CO,O3,HC,...) FROM THE BAD AIR QUALITY INSIDE THE CAR ON THE HIGH WAY. I THINK THERE SHOUD BE A EQUIPMENT FOR THE PUBLIC TO CHECK THEIR INSIDE CAR AIR QUILITY, SO EVERYBODY KNOW THEY ARE SAFE TO BREATH IN THE CAR AND SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT HURT THEIR HEALTH & NOT HURT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE HIGH WAY. WE NEED SUCH A EQUIPMENT. & EVERY CAR SOLD FROM THE DEALER SHOULD. PASS THE "INSIDE AIR QUILITY " TEST. PLEASE HELP ME !!!!! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

742600

Incident

Nov 12, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE STARTED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SPREAD TO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 40-2480-791. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900588

Incident

Feb 21, 2001

SERPENTINE BELT LOCKING UP WHILE ENGINE STILL RUNNING. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER ALSO HEARD THE MOTORIZED SOUND WHILE ENGINE WAS CUT OFF AND DOORS ARE AJAR.

NHTSA ID

880596

Incident

Jun 1, 2000