Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 50 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.
The 25 most recent of 50, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE IN 2003 AND WERE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A REPAIR SHOP GETTING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 26,000. UPDATED 01/04/11*LJ UPDATED 01/10/11*JB
FAILURE OF THE REAR SPRINGS ON 1998 FORD ESCORT FIRST IN 2003 AT 12,195MILES AND THE REPLACEMENTS BOTH FAILED AGAIN IN 2009 AT 36, 000 MILES. FAILURE APPEARS DUE TO SALT CORROSION ENHANCEMENT DUE TO COVERED SPRING SURFACE. FORD WAS CONTACTED AND EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE THEY WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. FAILURE RATES ARE VERY SHORT. VEHICLE WAS NEVER OVERLOADED AND IS GENTLY DRIVEN. *TR
DURING A STATE REQUIRED INSPECTION FOUND BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKEN. FORD WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. *TR
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
COIL SPRING ON 1998 FORD ESCORT BROKE AND ALMOST BLEW OUT THE TIRE. BROUGHT IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO GET IT FIXED AND REPLACED THE TIRE.*AK
BROKEN REAR SPRINGS. *JB
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THEN 6 MONTHS FOR THE 2002. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW IN FORD ESCORT. I HAVE A 1998 & 2002 AND BOTH HAVE BROKEN REAR SPRINGS. ALSO EVERY TECHNICIAN I HAVE TALKED TO KNOWS THE PROBLEM. *JB
WHILE HAVING POSSIBLE BRAKE NOISES CHECKED, THE MECHANIC, WHILE THE CAR WAS ON THE LIFT, SAW THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. HE STATED THAT THE MARKS HE SAW INDICATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR A WHILE. *JB
WAS HAVING MY 1998 ESCORT SERVICED. MECHANIC FOUND BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD FRACTURED IN SAME SPOT. HAD THEM REPAIRED THERE INSTANTLY AT A COST OF $710.10 . I CALLED FORD THEY SAID NO RECALL, I THEN BROUGHT SPRINGS TO MY FORD DEALER TO SHOW THEM AND TO ASK FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS, I AM STILL WAITING FOR AN ANSWER. HOWEVER FORD DID OFFER TO GET RID OF THE SPRINGS FOR ME BUT I STILL HAVE THEM IN MY TRUNK. *JB
DT: CONSUMER TOOK 1998 FORD ESCORT FOR A OIL CHANGE ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2005. THE MECHANIC FOUND BOTH REAR COILS SPRINGS BROKE. THE REAR STRUTS WERE DAMAGED, AND THE LEFT FRONT TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE AT TIME OF SERVICE WAS 71, 127 MILES. THE CONSUMER USED THE CAR FOR SHOPPING AND PLEASURE WITH NO HARD DRIVING AT HER AGE. SHE WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS WAS COMMON FOR THE 1997 AND 1998 FORD ESCORTS. I HAD OTHER FORD ESCORTS PRIOR TO THIS ONE AND I HAD NO PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM COST THE CONSUMER $732. HAD NOT CONTACTED DEALERSHIP OR MANUFACTURER. HAD NO ACCIDENTS. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE DRIVES MUCH BETTER AND IS QUIETER SINCE HAD THE PROBLEMS FIXED. *AK
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
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT WAGON. WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLE THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE WITH SOMETHING HOLDING IT INTO PLACE. THE REAR COIL SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT SHE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK
DT: VEHICLE BROKE REAR SPRINGS 2 YEARS AGO. *AK
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE HAS SEEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES AND IS WELL KEPT. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM ,AND WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE REAR BRAKES. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOUND. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE THE STATE INSPECTION STATION WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE INSPECTOR INFORMED CONSUMER THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND THEY INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL.*AK
WHILE HAVING MY OIL CHANGED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTED THAT THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION SPRING WAS BROKEN NEAR THE BOTTOM. THE BROKEN SPRING DID NOT PERCEIVABLY ALTER THE FUNCTION OF THE CAR NOR DID IT MAKE NOISE. IT WAS CLARIFIED TO ME THAT THE SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE I FEEL IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE BOTH SPRING REPLACED. THE ESTIMATE FOR THIS REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT ABOUT $400. *JB
THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPRINGS AND STRUTS ON VEHICLE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT SHE HAD BEEN DRIVING WITH CRACKED SPRINGS DURING A MAINTENANCE CHECK. *SC *JB
BROUGHT MY CAR TO SHOP TO HAVE STRUTS REPLACED. WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AND HAD DESTROYED THE STRUTS AS WELL. VEHICLE HAS 80,00 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THE MECHANIC HAS ONE EVERY WEEK INTO HIS SHOP. *JB
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH REAR END TOOK OFF. AS A RESULT, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND LANDED IN A DITCH. NO REPORT OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *AK
WHILE SWERVING TO AVOID HITTING AN ANIMAL REAR END FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO A TREE, THEN FLIPPED, AND LANDED ON ALL FOUR TIRES. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
REAR COIL STRINGS BROKE AT 70,000 MILES ON 1998 FORD ESCORT WAGON.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH VEHICLE MADE A CLUNKING SOUND. DROVE VEHICLE TO A REPAIRS SHOP. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT RIGHT REAR STRUT SPRING BROKE. *AK
FAILURE OF VEHICLE'S REAR SUSPENSION COILS. NAR 08/01/2003*MR *CB
REAR (BOTH) SPRINGS ON 1998 FORD ESCORT BROKE PRIOR TO 55,000 MILES. CAR WAS NOT USED FOR ANY HEAVY DUTY DRIVING.*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
Data on this page last refreshed .