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 1997 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
DT: HEADLIGHTS ARE FOGGING UP DUE TO MOISTURE. CALLER IS CONCERNED THAT THEY WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION IF THEY GET ANY WORSE. DEALER SAID HEADLIGHTS NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND THAT WAS ALL THEY COULD DO. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CALLED YET.*AK THE 2 HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED. CONSUMER THOUGHT WHEN THE RIGHT DIRECTIONAL MALFUNCTIONED , IT WAS DUE TO THE MOSITURE TOO. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THE PLASTIC LENS THAT COVERED THE HEADLIGHTS WAS FROSTED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
WE HAVE A 1997 FORD ESCORT, AND THE PLASTIC LENS THAT COVERS THE HEADLIGHTS IS EXTREMELY FROSTED. THIS MEANS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT OUTPUT BY THE HEADLIGHTS IS REDUCED, LIMITING THE VISIBILITY OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD BE HAZARDOUS. WHEN THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON, THE ADDITIONAL LIGHT OUTPUT IS SMALL, ONCE AGAIN DUE TO THE FROSTED LENS ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON ANOTHER ESCORT, AND NO DOUBT IT EXISTS ON OTHERS. A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT IS A DEFECT. THE PLASTIC LENS SHOULD REMAIN CLEAR. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD REPLACE THEM. THEY SHOULD REMAIN FREE OF ANY HAZE FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED AND TO REPLACE BOTH, IT WOULD COST I BELIEVE SOMETHING LIKE $250 OR $300 DOLLARS! *AK
HEADLIGHT LENS DULL, CLOUDY. HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AS BRIGHT AS THEY SHOULD BE. *LA
THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS WERE DULL WHICH IMPAIRED THE DRIVERS VISION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEEN ON ALL THE TIME ON THE PANEL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY RECALLS SO THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING. TS
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IS OCCURRING WITHIN VEHICLE WHICH IS CAUSING VEHICLE BATTERY TO COMPLETELY LOSE POWER. *AK CONSUMER STATES RADIO CAUSED BATTERY TO DRAIN AND SPEAKERS TO POP, RADIO REPLACED 3 TIMES, EXPERIENCING OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMING WHEN THE HEATER IS ON OR WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, AND POOR ACCELERATION WHEN GOING UP A HILL. *TT
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD, TURN SIGNALS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE GIVES NO PRIOR WARNING. WHEN USING TURN SIGNAS, BOTH LIGHTS WILL BLINK ON DASH, BUT ONE WILL BLINK ON OUTSIDE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE FLASHER, AND FLASHER WAS REPLACED. BUT, PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALER. CONSUMER FILED A COMPLAINT AROUND MARCH. *AK *SLC
THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT SEAL FAILED. *YH
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, TURN SIGNAL FOR RIGHT SIDE WILL ACTIVATE WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING TO OTHER DRIVERS THAT CONSUMER WILL MAKE A TURN.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS A SHORT. *SLC
INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERABLE. HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN CA RIS WARM. IF CONSUMER RUNS THE CAR FOR AN HOUR WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THEN SHUTS CAR AND LIGHTS OFF, THEN TURNS SIT BACK ON WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO, HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. DEALER CHECKED AND REPLACED RELAY, BUT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. POSSIBLE FAULTY WIRING. *AK
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
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