1998 Ford Escort Brakes Problems

I WAS SOLD A 1998 FORD ESCORT ZX2 FOR 800 DOLLARS, FROM BUT BEHIND A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DID THE NOTARY, AND THEY WERE THE ONES WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE CAR AND GAVE ME A HAND WRITTEN RECEIPT WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S NAME ON IT. THEY ALSO DID THE INSPECTION LATER ON AFTER WE REPLACED ONE OF THE BALL JOINTS. WE HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT BY ANOTHER OFFICIAL INSPECTION STATION AND THEY SAID THE CAR WAS A DEATH TRAP. WE CONTACTED A STATE TROOPER. HE DID AN INSPECTION, FAILED THE CAR, AND TOOK THE STICKER. THERE WAS A LONG LIST OF PROBLEMS. I TRIED TO GET A REFUND BEFORE I GOT THE COPS INVOLVED AND HE REFUSED. THIS WAS ALSO BEFORE THE 10 DAYS WERE UP FOR THE INSPECTION. I PAID FOR THE CAR ON THE 13TH OF FEB. 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10220292

Incident

Feb 13, 2008

Mileage

187,000 mi

DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE SERVICED, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN , APPROXIMATELY 1 TURNS FROM THE TOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN NO NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS.*AK THE CAPLIPERS WERE REPLACED DUE THEM BEING FROZEN. THE CRANK PULLEY AND SERPENTINE BELT WERE REPLACE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10132258

Incident

Jul 25, 2005

Mileage

65,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL LATER THAT DAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10111174

Incident

Feb 8, 2005

MY ESCORT'S ROTORS GET HOT AND OUT OF ROUND, CONSEQUENTLY I NEED MY THIRD BRAKE JOB IN 26000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID

765046

Incident

Jul 16, 2001

ACCELERATOR CAN EASILY BE MASHED DOWN DUE TO BRAKE PEDAL BEING SMALL. ALSO, BECAUSE BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT SIT HIGH OVER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT IS CAUSING SOME DRIVING DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8008593

Incident

Feb 2, 2002

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY LOCKED ON ONE SIDE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SPIN, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION/ ROLLOVER. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

898859

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE, AND LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF BRAKES AND LANDED IN A DITCH, AND SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT A BOLT NEVER SNAPS FROM THE BOOSTER IN THAT WAY, FUTHERMORE THE DELAER STATES THAT THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AND A NEW ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE.*JB

NHTSA ID

785451

Incident

Jul 30, 2001

WHILE DRIVING WOULD STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP, BUT PEDAL WILL GO ALWAY TO FLOOR ,AND TIRES WILL NOT SKID.*AK

NHTSA ID

889020

Incident

May 18, 2001

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

561310

NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. DEAELR HAS REPLACED 3-4 SETS OF BRAKES. ALSO, REPLACED ROTORS TWICE, AND RESURFACED ROTORS TWICE.THERE WAS CONSTANT SQUEAKING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ID

887691

REPORTING DEALER / INDEPENDENT AUTO PARTS SHOP ARE UNABLE TO GET OR HAVE REPLACEMENT HARDWARE( SPRING & CLIPS) NEEDED TO REPAIR BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDER BRAKES. MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS STILL LOOKING FOR PARTS FOR SPRINGS, CLIPS AND PINS. *YH

NHTSA ID

883893

Incident

Mar 22, 2001

FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FREEZES, HALF OF PADS IS BEING APPLIED TO ROTORS, RESULTING IN PREMATURE WEARING OF ROTORS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

882730

ENTERED EXPRESSWAY AND THROTTLE LINKAGE STUCK OPEN. GOT VEHICLE SLOWED FROM UPWARDS TO 75 MPH BY SMASHING BRAKES AND SLOWED ENOUGH TO EXIT. WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP SO TURNED RIGHT ON EXITED STREET AND ONCE STRAIGHTENED OUT, WHILE STILL MOVING AT APPROX. 30MPH, SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL, LETTING THE MOTOR RACE UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. AT THAT TIME LEVER WAS PUT INTO PARK AND MOTOR TURNED OFF. DRIVER SHAKEN UP AND VEHICLE MOTOR MAY BE COMPROMISED DUE TO STUCK ACCELERATOR OVER-REVVING. LOOKED FOR A RECALL FOR MODEL TYPE FOR STUCK THROTTLE LINKAGE-NONE FOR ESCORT BUT THERE IS ONE FOR FORD LIKE MODEL, THE CONTOUR, RECALL # 99V194000. ESCORT WAS BUILT IN 3/1998 WHICH FALLS UNDER TIME OF RECALL FOR OTHER FORD PRODUCT.*AK

NHTSA ID

737364

Incident

Dec 5, 2000

VEHICLE MOVES WHILE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. CONSUMER TRIES TO BRAKE, AND FOOT GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR.*AK

NHTSA ID

870035

Incident

Aug 28, 2000

BRAKES MADE 'CLICKING' NOISE WHEN CHANGING DIRECTIONS, FIXED IN DECEMBER, AND AGAIN IN JUNE. I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT! 2ND PROB - WHEN TURNING RIGHT, THERE IS A 'CLICK'. WAS INFORMED BY SERVICER THAT THEY WERE ADVISED NOT TO FIX IT PER FORD MOTOR CO. *AK

NHTSA ID

727121

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. DEALER DISCOVERED THAT STEERING/ BRAKES SQUEAKED. *AK

NHTSA ID

859771

Incident

Mar 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING & THEN APPLYING BRAKES, WOULD HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REPLACED CALIPERS. CURRENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD STICK & MAKE GRINDING NOISES WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-55MPH. THEN AFTER A WHILE NOISE WOULD STOP. TAKING VEHICLE BACK AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK. *AK

NHTSA ID

854182

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN WET CONDITIONS VEHICLE SLIDES INTO THE LANE BESIDE IT, LEFT OR RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

854038

ABS LOCKED UP RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION. YH

NHTSA ID

549849

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY., SHE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES AND APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VECHICLE SWERVED INTO TRAFFIC AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

850924

Incident

Oct 6, 1999

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN AN UPHILL POSITION WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND HIT A TREE. *AK

NHTSA ID

850923

Incident

Oct 6, 1999

VECHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL IN AN INCLINE POSITION AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS IN A UPRIGHT POSITION, VECHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND HIT A TREE. *AK

NHTSA ID

850921

Incident

Aug 26, 1999

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RIGHT FRONT WHEEL GRINDS. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ANY KIND OF BRAKING SITUATION. BRAKE PADS AND SHOES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED. THIS HELPED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 500 MILES, AND THEN PROBLEM STARTED OVER AGAIN. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE WILL BE SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

845714

Incident

Jul 3, 1998

VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. WOULD START REVVING AT STOP LIGHT/SIGN. MANUA CLUTCH MAKES NOISE. SPEED NOT A FACTOR. THE BRAKES WOULD JERK & JIGGLE WHEN APPLIED. HAD RATTLE IN RIGHT FRONT AFTER REPAIRS. WAS INFORMED THAT WAS NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

844854

Incident

Mar 4, 1999

BRAKES PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN ENGAGING. *YC

NHTSA ID

546335