1996 Ford Escort

1996 Ford Escort 4-DR.

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Campaign: 06E026000

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILLER LINE FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVER SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING AND IS NOW STUCK MIDWAY ALONG THE TOP PART OF THE SEAT BELT TRACK. THIS BEING THE CASE THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT PROTECT THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP. IN THIS POSITION IT IS LIKELY THAT IN A SUDDEN STOP THE DRIVER'S HEAD WOULD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND A MORE SEVERE THAN NORMAL WHIPLASH IN THE NECK WOULD OCCUR. I HAVE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SEAT BELT ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE ONLINE. I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE AND THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON FORD'S PART. AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, WHO HAS WORKED IN A HOSPITAL NEUROSURGERY UNIT, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY RESULTING FROM A MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELT SUCH AS REPORTED ABOVE IS VERY REAL. IT SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION FOR FORD TO NOT REPLACE SUCH A FAULTY SAFETY DEVICE - FORD SHOULD BE MANDATED TO REPLACE SUCH DEFECTIVE SAFETY DEVICES AND THERE SHOULD BE NO TIME LIMIT ON SUCH A REPLACEMENT OR RECALL. A MEDICAL LEGAL LIABILITY CASE WOULD COST FORD MORE THAN THE COST OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT. *TR

SEAT BELTS

I AM ADDING ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO THE VAST LIST OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING MY 1996 FORD ESCORT AND THE FAILURE OF MY PASSIVE RESTRAINT SHOULDER BELT. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 8-10 YEARS. IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STOP MID-TRACK AND "BOUNCING" THE DOOR AGAINST THE HINGE WOULD GET IT TO MOVE. TWO WEEKS AGO, IT STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. I, TOO, COULD HEAR THE MOTOR TRYING TO MAKE IT GO. I LEFT IT ALONE AND ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER, IT RESUMED OPERATING. NOW A WEEK LATER, IT HAS FROZEN AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE FORWARD IN THE TRACK THAN PREVIOUSLY. I AM DISHEARTEN TO LEARN THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE TRIED THE PROCESS EXPLAINED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO MANUALLY MOVE THE BELT IN THE TRACK HAS FAILED. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHY FORD, HAVING BEEN NOTIFIED OF SO MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME EXACT FAILURE OF THEIR SAFETY EQUIPMENT, HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE IT! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT IF THIS IS EVIDENCE OF HOW THEY TREAT THEIR FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS! CAN ANYTHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS??? *TR

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

1996 FORD ESCORT, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. UNIT 1'S HOOD OPENED AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. UNIT 1 CONTINUED ON TO THE NEXT EMERGENCY PULL OFF TO FILE THE REPORT. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0142-90)*JB UPDATED 04/22/11 *BF

TIRES

MY WIFE & I HAVE A 1996 FORD ESCORT WAGON THAT WE PURCHASED USED IN 2008. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE IT HAD A SET OF 4 BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL TIRES THAT STILL HAD REASONABLE TREAD DEPTH REMAINING, SO WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO USE THE TIRES UNTIL THE TREAD HAD WORN DOWN MORE AND NEEDED REPLACING. ON FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN PART OF THE REAR PASSENGER-SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND SHOT AGAINST THE SHEET METAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. IT RIPPED A LARGE HOLE IN THE VEHICLE'S SHEET METAL, SHOT MANY SMALL PIECES OF TIRE THROUGH THE HOLE INTO THE INTERIOR CARGO AREA IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT THE SAME TIME. THANKFULLY MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO HANDLE THE CAR DURING THIS CATASTROPHIC EVENT AND SUCCESSFULLY MANEUVER IT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME SINCE IT WOULD NO LONGER START, AND WHEN IT ARRIVED I NOTICED THE LARGE HOLE THAT HAD BEEN MADE INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL BY THE TREAD SEPARATION. THE TIRE STILL HAD PRESSURE, BUT AT THAT TIME I SAW THAT ABOUT HALF OF THE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY MISSING. SINCE THE FORD ESCORT HAS ITS FUEL CUTOUT SWITCH INSTALLED AGAINST THE PASSENGER-SIDE WHEEL WELL, I CHECKED TO SEE IF THAT HAD TRIPPED AND IT HAD. ONCE IT WAS RESET THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AND THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY. AS A RESULT OF THIS CATASTROPHIC TIRE FAILURE MY WIFE WAS PLACED IN AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION, STRANDED ON THE ROAD, AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS DONE TO OUR VEHICLE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS A FORMER AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER THAT TIRE FAILURES OF THIS KIND ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AND ANY TIRE THAT IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS FAILURE MUST NOT BE USED. I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH NEW TIRES OF A DIFFERENT BRAND AND AM WORKING ON HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT I HAD CHECKED THE PRESSURE IN ALL 4 TIRES AND HAD INFLATED THEM JUST UNDER THE MAXIMUM LISTED ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE (44 PSI). *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

FIRST MY ENGINE SEEMED TO OVERHEAT A BIT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GRINDING ON SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T STOP.. SOUNDED LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAINS IN MY HOOD. BUT THEN ON OCCASIONS THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS MAKING THE CHAIN SOUND, EVEN WITH MY KEY OUT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW THE THING SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING AND I HAVE NO POWER WHAT SO EVER IN MY VEHICLE. BEFORE WHEN IT FINALLY SHUT OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SPARK. THEN IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THAT WASN'T COOL. *TR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE CORRECT SECTION TO FILE THIS IN. I AM BEING UNSUCCESSFUL IN A CONTINUED EFFORT TO CORRECT A MALFUNCTION IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR. I HAVE DONE ALL I KNOW TO CORRECT THIS MATTER INCLUDING CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB WITH NO SUCCESS. THIS MALFUNCTION IS CONTINUING TO CAUSE ME NOT TO PASS A SIMPLE SMOG TEST. IS THERE ANY RECORD OF THERE BEING A MANUFACTURE DEFECT TO THIS PART. *TR

AIR BAGS

1996 FORD EXPLORER, 4X4. DRIVING IN DESERT WENT OVER A BUMP A LITTLE FAST, WHICH SET OFF MY AIRBAGS. MY RIDER IS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR BROKEN NOSE, CHEEK AND SOME KIND OF SMOKE INHALATION. MY WINDSHIELD IS BROKEN BECAUSE THE BAG HIT THE MIRROR WHICH THEN HIT THE WINDSHIELD. MY STEERING WHEEL IS DESTROYED, CRUISE CONTROL AND HORNS ARE OUT OF SERVICE. BEFORE I COULD DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN I HAD TO CUT THE AIRBAGS OUT. WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR EXCEPT WHAT THE AIRBAGS DID. I WANT THIS ALL FIXED AT FORD'S EXPENSE. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR 10 YEARS WITH NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT; RECALLED TIRES, STEERING BARS AND BRAKES (ALL RECALL). *TR

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MY 1996 MERCURY VILLAGER DEVELOPED A FAILURE IN THE AIR FLOW SENSOR (PART $330) THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLS, INCLUDING STOPS ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT NEARLY RESULTED IN CRASHES. THE REQUIRED REPAIRS EXCEEDED $500. I KNOW FORD HAS A SIMILAR RECALL OUT NOW FOR THE 1997-2003 (/) MODELS). *TR

TIRES

TIRE ON 2 CASES BLEW THE TREAD AND BELT, THE LATER OF THE TWO INCIDENCES WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTED IN TWO INJURIES TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER. BOTH NEEDED TO BE HOSPITALIZED.*AK