1998 Ford Escort Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,998. *AS

NHTSA ID

11256695

Incident

Sep 18, 2019

Mileage

144,998 mi

I HAVE HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS RELATING TO CAR FUEL PUMP OR TRANSMISSION SHOPS COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS BUT THE DRIVABLITY OF MY 98 ESCORT ZX2 COST ME MORE MONEY IN PROBLEM SOLVING, 1,500 PLUS IN RECENT REPAIRS INCLUDING EMERGENCY AND REPEAT REPAIRS AND FAULTY REPAIRS. MY FUEL ECONOMY IS 160 MILES PER TANK TO ALMOST 200 MILES. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM(S). LARGE THUNKING IN REAR TRUNK (SCARY)WHEN IM TAKING OFF AND REACHING A STEADY SPEED. TAKE THE CAR TO MAJOR FORD DEALERSHIPS, TO NO AVAIL. CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS "GO" FROM A COMPLETE STOP IN TRAFFIC,THIS HAS CAUSED QUITE A SCARE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR HELPING AND MAKING NOTE OF MY ACCOUNT. DEBBIE

NHTSA ID

10157775

Incident

Apr 26, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED HOWEVER THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED NO PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

NHTSA ID

10156961

Incident

May 8, 2006

Mileage

81,000 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

THE VEHICLE'S BELT TENIONER ASSEMBLY BROKE 3 TIME. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE HOUSING FOR WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT TENIONER AND MICO V BELT. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10111441

Incident

Apr 7, 2003

EACH TIME WHEN VEHICLE SPLASHES IN A PUDDLE OF WATER THE SERPENTINE BELT COMES OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103206

Incident

Nov 11, 2003

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHOOK AND MADE NOISE. THEN, SUDDENLY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK CAR SHOOK AND MADE NOISES. THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START OR MOVE AFTER IT SHUT OFF. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. *TC UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

NHTSA ID

10091650

Incident

Sep 8, 2004

Mileage

135,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10089303

Incident

Aug 19, 2004

AT 123,00MI I NOTICED WATER LEAKING FORM BEHIND WATER PUMP TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP HOUSING PART #F8RZ-8501-EN IT HAD ERODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT RESULTING IN A PINHOLE LEAK I ALSO HAD THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT REPLASED JUST IN CASEAT A COST OF 625 DOLLARS. 13 MONTHS AND 33,000MI LATER SAME PROBLEM WITH WATER PUMP HOUSING ERODING FOR INSIDE OUT OF CORSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE TIMING BELT WAS FAILING DO TO A SEIZED IDLER COST TO REPAIR 700 DOLLARS. THE IDLER YOU CAN CHALK UP TO BAD LUCK THE HOUSING ON THE OTHER HAND IS RIDICULOUS IT HAS NO MOVING PARTS OTHER THAN ANTIFREEZE RUNNING THROUGH IT AND THE MECHANICS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. I DON'T CARE TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY EVERY YEAR FOR SOME BAD CASTING ON FORDS PART 1 YEAR OR 12,00 MI SHOULD NOT APPLY TO APART THAT SHOULD LAST A WHOLE LOT LONGER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074856

Incident

Jun 2, 2004

Mileage

156,000 mi

VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. PARTS HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

NHTSA ID

10039831

Incident

Sep 8, 2003

ENGINE IS FAILING PREMATURELY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10031558

Incident

Jul 16, 2003

I HAVE A 1998 FORD ESCORT I ONLY HAVE 19.099 MILES. I PURCHASE THIS CARD ON NOVEMBER OF1998, THEREFORE THE DRIVING TIME WILL BE 4 YEARS ON THIS NOVEMBER. MY ENGINE WENT DEAD. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT MY CAR NO LONGER HAS ANY WARRANTY.*AK I HAVE EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE EXPENDED $14.000 FOR THE USE OF THIS NEW CAR FOR 4 YEARS. AN AS FAR I COLD SEE. THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY DEFECTIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE IF I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR 20.000 MILES ON THE FIRST TWO YEARS THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE WOULD HAD GONE LONG BEFORE THAT. AND YOU WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS ENGINES A LEMON AND I WOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT THEN. I HAVE THIS CAR SERVICE BY THEM. THEY HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS OF MY VEHICLE ENGINE CHECKS. SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT WENT WRONG WHEN THERE WERE SERVICING MY CAR ALL THIS TIME? I DO NOT HAVE A CAR NOW WHEN I MOST NEED IT.YOU SEE THE REASON I BOUGHT A NEW CAR WAS BECAUSE MY WIFE BECAME DISABLE AND I NEED IT A DEPENDABLE CAR. MY WIFE HAS MS.

NHTSA ID

10025331

Incident

Jun 27, 2003

Mileage

19,095 mi

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10021869

Incident

May 29, 2003

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE CAUSE. PH...*AK

NHTSA ID

10006758

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 FORD ESCORT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN AUGUST, 1998. THE MOST SEVERE AND RECENT PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER, 2002. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING MAJOR OVERHEATING PROBLEMS IN MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE HEAD GASKET BECAME FAULTY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING BUILT, OR IF FULLERTON FORD DAMAGED THE GASKET WHILE DOING WORK ON MY VEHICLE, AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SODDER THE PART TOGETHER. ACCORDING TO CORBO'S AUTO SERVICE IN SOMERVILLE, THE GASKET HAD A "SODDERED" HOLE IN IT WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO BLOW. FULLERTON FORM WAS THE ONLY REPAIR FACILITY I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO CORBO'S. I HAVE CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE WORK AT FULLERTON. I HAVE EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT I BELIEVE FULLERTON FORD WAS HURTING MY VEHICLE MORE THAN IT WAS HELPING IT. THE FORD COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE IN MY EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE FULLERTON FORDS SERVICE PRACTICES.

NHTSA ID

10004950

Incident

Nov 22, 2002

Mileage

39,500 mi

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TROUBLE DATED BACK TO THE RECALL, PRIOR TO THE RECALL THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AN OVER SENSITIVE SENSOR OR AIR BEING IN THE GAS TANK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BOGUS CODE. *JB NAR 1/21/2003

NHTSA ID

10004735

Incident

Dec 2, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60MPH THE ENGINE'S TIMING BELT BROKE CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL. TS

NHTSA ID

8022390

Incident

Nov 6, 2002

WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT HEARD GRINDING NOISE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN CRANKSHAFT SLID OFF, AND WENT INTO STEEL FRAME OF VEHICLE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8017414

Incident

Aug 17, 2002

HARMONIC BALANCER FOR THE KING PIN BROKE.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE EXITING PARKWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT END, THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS HITTING INTO THE WALL OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMERS HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, HIS HAND SLIPPED AND GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE BELT AND THE BALANCER, RESULTING IN HIS FINGER HAVING TO BE AMPUTATED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

8017248

Incident

Aug 9, 2002

WHEN YOU TRY TO USE THE WASHER FLUID IT LEAKS ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR CAUSING THE HOOD TO BECOME DISCOLORED FROM THE WINDSHEILD WASHER FLUID. ALSO WHENEVER YOU ARE AT A STOP THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THEY FORD SAY THAT IT IS FROM THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND THAT IT IS NOT HAZARDOUS SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT. LAST THEIR IS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISION, WHENEVER YOU ARE MOVING SLOW OR IN A STOP POSITION AND START TO MOVE THE CAR JERKS REALLY BAD. IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE SOMEONE RAN INTO YOU OR THAT YOU RAN SOMETHING OVER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE COMPANY, BUT THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT. I HAVE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE ECAXT SAME CAR HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS

NHTSA ID

757475

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE VEHICLE PROBLEM OF HIGH PITCH WHINING SOUND THAT DEVELOPED AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. IN MY OBSERVATIONS I NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT CIRCULATING THE ENGINE OIL PROPERLY. WHEN PULLING OUT THE OIL DIPSTICK IT WAS APPARENT THAT A VACUUM PROBLEM EXISTED IN THE ENGINE. ALSO WHEN TAKING OFF THE OIL FILLER CAP A VACUUM SOUND WAS DETECTED. FINALLY I REMOVED THE PART AT THE TOP REAR OF THE ENGINE WHICH IS CONNECTED WITH HOSES TO THE AIR FILTER HOUSING. I IMMEDIATELY NOTED THAT THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN SMOOTHER AND AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 2 HRS NO NOISE WAS DETECTED FROM THE ENGINE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE VACUUM CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE FILTER DID NOT ALLOW THE ENGINE TO BE PROPERLY CIRCULATED IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND THE COOLANT HAD TO BE TOPPED OFF. I FEEL THE DEFECTIVE FILTER HAS CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE. I TOOK THE PART #F8CZ-6A768-AB TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP PARTS DEPT AND HAVE ORDERED A REPLACEMENT. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT FORD AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS COULD NOT DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM THAT COULD LEAD TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OVERHEATING.*AK

NHTSA ID

754450

Incident

Aug 15, 2001

CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY CAME LOOSE FROM MOUNTING AND SHIFTING OVER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER. PIECE THAT BROKE OFF JAMMED GEAR, AND TIMING BELT WAS CHANGED AND RESET. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW OF A PROBLEM ,AND DIDN'T OFFER TO DO ANYTHING. WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. PART NUMBER AND NAME IS DAMPER PART# F7CZ-6316-BA. *AK THE PULLEY WAS LOOSE AND SHIFTED HALF INCH CAUSING THE BELT TO SHRED. *YH *TR

NHTSA ID

894494

Incident

Aug 9, 2001

HARMONIC BALANCER SEPARATED/BROKE CAUSING SERPENTINE AND TIMING BELTS TO MALFUNCTION.NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE AND LUCKILY IT OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING.ORIGINAL WARRANTY "EXPIRED" LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR.UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM MECHANICS AND THE NHTSA WEBSITE.

NHTSA ID

750558

Incident

Aug 7, 2001

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, IT OFTEN REVS AT HIGH RPM AND DOES NOT RETURN TO A NORMAL RPM UNLESS VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*JB

NHTSA ID

785442

DAMPNER PULLEY CAME APART FROM CRANKSHAFT. INSIDE WALL OF VEHICLE WAS THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT FROM FALLING OUT ONTO THE GROUND. I NOTIFIED FORD COMPANY THAT A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE PARTS FALLING OFF. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE ATTITUDE THEY HAVE TOWARDS THEIR CUSTOMERS. *AK

NHTSA ID

749637

Incident

Jul 29, 2001