We found the following complaints for FORD ESCORT (1996)
Read complaints for FORD ESCORT (1996)
No deployment of air bags during vehicle collision, driver's seat belt lock failed also, injuries due to failures.
No deployment of airbags during collision, causing injury.
Airbag warning light comes on, also chirping noise heard, consumer feels noise may be a warning signal about airbag problem.qcaw
No deployement of air bag in an accident, causing injuries. 514311 dup of 515150; posted on 09-07-1999.
As soon asconsumer turned on engineair bag light will came on, and stayed ondashboard until she turned off the engine.dealer had told consumer that the causewas a signal code for the air bag.dealer replaced wiring harness ans sensor but problem still exists. *ml
Violent deployment of air bag burned and cut consumer's eye. (attorney for consumer)
Driver's air bag didn't open on time during a collision, resulting in injuries.dup of 516816, added on 28-feb-98.
During collision there was no deployment of air bags.
While driving at 40 mph there was a tire in the middle of the road.consumer turned quicklyto avoid hitting the tire, and lost control.vehicle went into the woods and hit a pole. Upon impact, neither air bag deployed.
The vehicle was involved in an accident, the air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt did not restrain the consumer as designed, the consumer was injured.*scc
Airbags deployed in very low speed impact, causing no damage to car except rear view mirror when air bag hit it.air bag sensors were not touched, causing 1500 damage to replace airbags..
Consumer was involved in a collision traveling about 60-65 mph, impact 12:00, and the driver's and passenger's side air bags did not deploy. Consumer state the front end is a total loss.
Driver's side airbag did not come out of middle of steering wheel as intended, instead came out more to right, occupant received injuries.
Consumer crashed into a truck and was rear ended by another vehicle in which neither of the air bags experienced deployment until the second impact, one person was injured in the accident.
Consumer crashed into a truck and was rear ended by another vehicle in which neither of the air bags experienced deployment until the second impact, one person was injured in the accident.
While driving on highway,hit a puddle and vehicle started hydroplaning,hit a double beam highway sign head-on and the air bags did not deploy.
While the vehicle was parked with the ignition off, air bags ondriver's side andpassenger's side deployed for no apparent reason.vehicle had been parked for 3 weeks without any movement.manufacturer has been notified about the problem. Problem has not been corrected.
Driver's air bag didn't open on time during a collision, resulting in injuries.dup of 516816, added on 28-feb-98.
While driving 15 mph had direct frontal impact. The driver's and passenger's airbags did not deploy, which did not protect the occupants in this accident.cause unknown.please provide details.
Consumer was traveling on a country road and a deer ran in front of vehicle.airbags deployed intoconsumer's face, and substance that came out, made her very sick.
Dark road, driver hit wooden barracade and air bag deployed, resulting in burn injuries to the occupant.
Consumer states auto caught fire , burning his back seat and everything in the back seat. Consumer states he observed burned wires in his truck of his auto.
Defective spark plug, robert bosch corp. After a routine change of spark plugs in our 1996 ford escort, my car quit running. The bosch spark plug blew up in my car.we have had the top of the engine repaired for $900+ and the bottom needs repair for $1000.+ we have contacted the company on numerous occasions, and they in fact blame my car!!!!when the car was running fine before the installation of the bosch spark plug.my wife drives this car and since this happened last year, the knock in the engine is getting louder, she can not drive it on the expressway, and i hope we can resolve this matter before the engine quits entirely and someone gets hurt.precision tune, who repaired the top of the engine last year said that these bosch platinum spark plugs are defective and they have seen them explode in other autos (bosch platinum spark plug hr9hp0).*nlm
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.
Spontaneous vehicle combustion:y 1996 ford escort was stuck 3 hrs. In traffic jam on major nassau county, ny route in middle of snow storm.fire started from engine compartment, spreading to dashboard.had fire dept. Not quickly arrived on scene to extinguish fire, a chain reaction of exploding vehicles might have ensued involving hundreds of drivers.fire dept. Described fire as electrical in origin.
Fire started on passenger side of vehicle and burned through the inside of vehicle, claim 27-6082-040.
Fire started on passenger side of vehicle and burned through the inside of vehicle, claim 27-6082-040.
Battery failed.
Ignition switch failed twice.
Electrical short, when driving vehicle lost power/stalled at any speed,cause has not been found by dealership.
Consumer saw smoke coming from under the dash and could smell electrical wires burning, consumer disconnected a fuse to stop the fire, wire is burned from under the dash back to the rear of the vehicle, claim 05-4562-613.
Consumer saw smoke coming from under the dash and could smell the electrical wire burning, consumer disconnected a fuse to stop the fire, the wire was burned from under the dash back to the rear of the vehicle, claim 05-4562-613.
Electrical short, causing head lights and all electrical compoents to fail while driving.while driving,
Horn will blow on its own due to poor ground wire. Please describe details.
Consumer saw smoke coming from under the dash and could smell electrical wires burning, consumer disconnected a fuse to stop the fire, wire is burned from under the dash back to the rear of the vehicle, claim 05-4562-613.
Horn will blow on its own due to poor ground wire. Please describe details.
Wiring assembly replaced.
Fire started on passenger side of vehicle and burned through the inside, claim 27-6082-040.
Consumer saw smoke coming from under the dash and could smell the electrical wire burning, consumer disconnected a fuse to stop the fire, the wire was burned from under the dash back to the rear of the vehicle, claim 05-4562-613.
Fire started on passenger side of vehicle and burned through the inside, claim 27-6082-040.
1996 ford escort has had cylinder head and gasket replaced four times.the vehicle has low mileage and now it's just sitting.**cc
Temperature gauge defective.
While drivingengine will overheat. Also,radiator andfan had to be replaced.dealer did not state what was cause of replacement.
While drivingengine will overheat. Also,radiator andfan had to be replaced.dealer did not state what was cause of replacement.
While drivingengine will overheat. Also,radiator andfan had to be replaced.dealer did not state what was cause of replacement.
Would have no compression in ford engine cylinders. This causesengine to sputter & finally stall out.couldn't restart vehicle & took to dealership. Mechanic indicated a problem with the compression to engine. Check engine light also came on before vehicle stalled out.
The vehicle had the top of the piston brake off on the no# 4 cyclinder, causing a hole to go through the engine while in the start up mode. The ford servise manager said it was a manufacter's defect in the engine and that he said he never saw anything like it. I called ford to see assisstance in paying for this and they said no since there has not been a recall.
While traveling at 10 mph and going throughtraffic light car died. Tookto dealer, and they said valve seals let loose. Seal runseverything to the point that it's not repairable.
The engine was replaced due to broken valve seats inside the cylinder which damaged the pistons, the consumer feels that ford should pay for this expense due to the low mileage of the vehicle and because the vehicle is very well maintenanced.
The vehicle had the top of the piston brake off on the no# 4 cyclinder causeing a hole to go through the engine while in the start up mode. The ford servise manager said it was a manufacter defect in the engine and that he said he never saw anything like it. I called ford to see assisstance in paying for this and they said no since there has not been a recall.
# 4 piston disentigrated ruining engine block.stoped for red light and car acted as if it was going to stall.drove to bank parking lot 1 block away and turned car of.tried to restart car and made engine noise. Turned car off called western slope ford to speak with service department to see if i could get it towed into garage.no return call from them. Had another shop tow and inspect.
I was driving up a hill on my way to work.i heard a bang and then a clattering sound.i was able to get the car to work and then to mclean ford a total of about 35 miles.they looked at the car that friday and said they'd have to look futher on monday.they also told me it didn't look good.they said something about a piston.on monday afternoon they called me and said that the engine needed to be replaced.however, they said they had good news - ford would pay for $2,000 of the repair.my question is why would ford pay $2,000.was it because of a "hidden" warrenty.if so then why should i have to pay the remainder $698.39. S there such a thing a "hidden warrenties".if it was a defect in the engine why should the consumer have to pay?
At stop light #4 cylinder dropped valve seat destroying head and all 4 pistons. Also engine check light comes on intermittently giving code 1433. Replaced solenoid as recommended by tsb and it still fails at random intervals.
Valve guide separated fromhead.got into the cylinder and scored the cylinder walls and the valve droppped. Ruined the engine.
The engine was replaced due to broken valve seats inside the cylinder which damaged the pistons, the consumer feels that ford should pay for this expense due to the low mileage of the vehicle and because the vehicle is very well maintenanced.
While driving engine lost power.had taken vehicle to dealer where they said that problem washead gasket that blewout.
Consumer has multipleproblems with vehicle.engine light stays on & the vehicle won't pass inspection if the dealer can't find out what was wrong with it. There were gas smells coming fromhatchback. However, dealercouldn't determine were it wascoming from. As of this date 9-13-00 engine light still on,consumer replaced oxygen sensor, timing belt and water pump. Kink was found in gas line caused smell coming from front of the car.bracket off of motor mount.
When talking to a machine shop there is a tech bulletin stating that ford on 94-97 when they baked the powder metal for their intake seats something went wrong and that all seats in head should be replaced. The people at the machine shop said they had to even replace all the pistons in the motors due to the damage caused by the defective seats. And it is all a ford error and they know it
Vehicle will stall in hot weather and atany speed, this happens on a daily basis.
`vehicle stalls while driving. Ownerandhas vehicle at dealer.owner is concerned for her safety because vehicle can stall frequently and at anytime.
Consumer has multipleproblems with vehicle.engine light stays on & the vehicle won't pass inspection if the dealer can't find out what was wrong with it. There were gas smells coming fromhatchback. However, dealercouldn't determine were it wascoming from. As of this date 9-13-00 engine light still on,consumer replaced oxygen sensor, timing belt and water pump. Kink was found in gas line caused smell coming from front of the car.bracket off of motor mount.
Engine light has came on repeatedly, dealer never found major problem, the light started coming on again and vehicle would cut off when put in to gear,at 73000 miles engine failed.
Speedometer malfunctioned, causing anincorrect reading which is higher than it should be.dealer replace speedometer 3 times.also engine problems.please provide further information.
While driving on the high way engine blewout without a prior warning, leaving vehicle without power onroad.
First heard a explosion in the engine, after thet the engine ran rough 5-10 sec and shutdown.performed the compression test and found cylender 4 compression at 0(zero) and 30% leaked.replaced the engine with a new one.problems repeted with the new engine two times( one time in the town road and anather time on the highway).both times the engine was shutdown.
Engine failed.
There was an explosion in the engine, roughly work of the engine 5 to 10 seconds with metal sounds in the engine, then the engine completely shut down.found the 3rd code, 2nd code (a/c hi-pressure switch intermitent-dirty connector).
Check engine light: check engine light came on while driving and vehicle cut off. Had vehicle towed.last week check engine light came on again, drove vehicle about five miles and it cut off again. Had the vehicle towed to the house,called zone office next morning and was told to see what colorlight was,and light was yellow. Vehicle started the next morning. Third failure has occurredand dealer has called and said come pickup the car because ford cannot fix this problem at this time.
Check engine light came on, mechanic diagnosed it as a misfire on one of the cylinders.replaced plugs and wires, and two days later the engine "dropped a valve" destroying engine.this has happened a number of time on this engine according to the nhtsa website.went to ford and stated it was a defect in the engine, they refused all help or compensation.cost was over $4,000. To repair.this definitely a factory defect, and should be picked up by ford.no line of engines should be failing at 60-70,000 miles, like these are. $4,000. To repair.
Engine blew out resulting in vehicle smoking.nlm
Engine light has came on repeatedly, dealer never found major problem, the light started coming on again and vehicle would cut off when put in to gear,at 73000 miles engine failed.
Timing belt broke while driving the vehicle on highway. Although luckily there was no injury, i was surprised to find similar report from the internet whose vehicle was manufactured during the same period. I think someone has to informed the owner to check the timing belt or reccomend a replacement before anyone get hurt.the vehicle is ford escort lx 96, manufacture on 12/95.
Oxygen sensor failed; also automatic seat belts locked duringdeployment, injuring driver and wife and gas gauge malfunctioned, is off by at least 3 gallons.
Seat belt became stuck midway on numerous occasions, finally it came off the track. I do not have a seat belt to wear now.engine check light problem began at under 10,ooo mi vehicle was brought into dealerwasrepaired (maybe? or was it only reset?) oxygen sensor' s(2 )had to be replaced to pass emissiontest.not covered under warranty. Passenger door had problemtook to dealer who sort of fixed it.at least one could open it from the inside. But it was difficult. Eventually problem resurfaced.ihave noticed that many of the problems i havehad with the seat belts and with the check engine light are not an uncommon occurence. I am a chicago police officer and i notice that the check engine light is always on in the ford squadcars.there areproblems which needs to be addressed. The seat belt issue needs to be addressed immediately. Until i saw yourweb info in a magazine, i was not aware there was any recourse other than to complain to the manufacturer which is fruitless. Perhaps your number and information need to be listed on the vehicle information books that are supplied to new car buyers.i only wonder how many other consumers have had similar problems that have not been reportedother than to ford's customer service. .
Egr sensor assembly failed.
Radio controls have been changed from dial to a key pad, design problem causing driving to remove eyes from road.
The head light lenses on the front of my 96 ford escort from the heat of the bulbs being eventually start to melt i believe this is a problem of poor quality on fords part.
Engine checklight comes on, indicating brake failure andleakingfuel line.light still on after brake cylinder repair.
Consumer has multipleproblems with vehicle.engine light stays on & the vehicle won't pass inspection if the dealer can't find out what was wrong with it. There were gas smells coming fromhatchback. However, dealercouldn't determine were it wascoming from. As of this date 9-13-00 engine light still on,consumer replaced oxygen sensor, timing belt and water pump. Kink was found in gas line caused smell coming from front of the car.bracket off of motor mount.
Possible fuel line failure caused fuel to leak. Yh
While driving onroad and running over some deris on floor fuel line was punctured, andconsumer had to pull over. Then noticed thatfuel lines were not made out of metal, but plastic.
Fuel inertia switch failed, vehicle was involved in a crash, resulting in injuries.
At stop light #4 cylinder dropped valve seat destroying head and all 4 pistons. Also engine check light comes on intermittently giving code 1433. Replaced solenoid as recommended by tsb and it still fails at random intervals.
Fuel gauge failed.
When making a stop fuel is heard sloshing back and fourth in the fuel tank. This began happening about a week ago.vehicle was taken to the dealership. Owner was told that baffles were not put in the fuel tank for escorts that year.please provide any further information.
Oxygen sensor failed; also automatic seat belts locked duringdeployment, injuring driver and wife and gas gauge malfunctioned, is off by at least 3 gallons.
Fuel line to the fuel pump has a plastic clip that secures the rubber fuel line to the fuel pump, plastic clip failed causing high pressure fuel to leak and massively.the leak is under the back seat where the child sits
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.
Driver's side map light has little or no use.
Door handle or lock broken, owner has to open from the outside.
Passenger side door will not open. You have to get out on the driver's side.
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) updated 04/22/11
Automatic transmission. Emergency brake engaged and brakes began to smoke while driving.
Speedometer became erratic, displayed wrong speed, at between 20000 - 30000 miles.had dealer replace under warranty.new speedometer is doing same erratic behaviour at 90000 - 100000 miles.this is extreme safety hazard.can not determine safe speed while on highway.this is obviously defective design, since two manufacturer provided speedometers have failed in identical manner.safety concern!! contacted ford motor customer assistance center@ 1-800-392-3673.they will not listen or replace defective designed equipment.
Speedometer and it's cable assembly has been replaced twice in 14 months.02/15/1999 (just under 36,000 odometer) speedometer needle bounced between 60 and 90mph. 5/08/00 (48,702 odometer) speedometer needle vibrated under 50 mph and speedometer cable caused loud chirping noise in front of car.the first instance was under warranty - the second, i complained to dealer and am paying a $100 warranty deductible of some sort(?) i don't think i should have to pay anything as the speedometer and it's cable are defective.
When driving the vehicle at 50mphspeedometer starts to jump up to80-90mph,even if vehicle is not going that fast. Dealer says the head needs to be replaced.
Speedometer malfunctioned, causing anincorrect reading which is higher than it should be.dealer replace speedometer 3 times.also engine problems.please provide further information.
Speedometer jumps erratically at speeds above 50 mph. Not covered under extended warranty although brochure leads you to believe so. Dealership knew it was the speedometer itselfandnot a dry cable because of history of same problems.2nd problem; at appox 80,000 miles the drivers side rear seat belt would not retract. I recognize that things do break,but when the passenger side rear seat belt wouldn't retractjust a few months later,i came to the conclusion that there is a design defect.
In february of 1999 started noticing a clicking sound from the speedometer.problem persisted and noise started becoming a grind. Took in for service march 1999 with mileage at 37962. Replaced speedometer cable. Noise stopped and then speedometer needle started again to act erratically.
Speedodometer operates erratically, does not registercorrect levels of speed.has beeen replaced once. Cause unknown. Consumer waiting for new part to be shipped for second replacement.
Speedometer needle jumps around when speeds over 50-55 mph are reached. It is very distracting an could cause an accident.
Speedometer makes grinding sound reads much higher than actual speed.also fluctuates wildly.
Speedomter is malfunctioning for 3rd time in 3 years.dealer will not replace without charging over $400.a speedometer should last more than 1 year!! please help me and other escort owners with this problem. Thanks.
While drivingspeedometer becomes erratic; speedometer accelerates three times,actual speed being driven. Cannot determine mileage onvehicle. Vehicle also makes strang noise. Please provide any further information.
Speedometer failed.
Sodaspilled on red gear shift release button, preventing gears from engaging when button is depressed.
While driving car, the vehicle stopped pulling. When checked, i was told by the inspector that the clutches in the transmission were burnt out. He told me it would cost $27oo to repair.i contacted ford about the extended warranty i purchased on the car was no good becausei surpassed the mileage. What they didn't tell me was that the car is initially covered for the first 100,000 miles and the extra warranty i purchased was to give me an extension of 60, 000 miles or whichever comes first. I feel as though ford should replace my transmission at no cost to me because the life of the transmission should be longer than it lasted. I have even finished paying for the car yet.
Transmission failed.
Front wheels seized while driving at approximately 60 mph which resulted in an accident,possibly due to fautly transmission. Vehicle was totaled.*ml
Overdrive warning light illuminated.
Shift are erratic.
Brake failure, pedal went to the floor, loss of complete effectiveness.wheel bearing failure.cv joint failure.steering wheel off center.
Passenger was leaning forward when the brakes were applied and the shoulder belts did not retract or extend.the belts locked in postion after occupants heard a loud rattle and clunk sound from the rear cargo compartment.
Sealt belt on the driver's side snapped off intrack and caused a concusion as well as a large contusion to my head. It required 14 stitches and 10 staples.the air bags depolyed late causeing my husband to hit his head on the windsheild.and rupturing my spleen.
Restrain belts automatic system front seat driving side is not work properly, dealer has replaced twice and still reoccurring the problem. Please provide further information. Mr
Car was in a flood while parked in the driveway, motorized seat belts began rattling on both sides and operated erratically.
Driver's side passive shoulder belt motor failed at half-way point on its track.this is my 16 year old nephew's car.local ford dealer says the seat belt was "twelve(12) days past warranty"and wants to charge the kid over $300. For repair.this is a safety item, isn't it the manufacture's responsibility?the kid doesnt want to spend the money on the repair if he drives it the way it is now he is breaking michigan's seatbelt laws not to mention risking serious injury.any info you can give would be very helpful.
Tracking of seat belt got stuck. Driver side seat belt is automatic adjustment, which has to be disconnected for the seatbelt to retract. Seatbelt must be manually clipped.
Motorized seat belt cableonpassenger's side broke, andone ondriver's side is not working any more.
My driverside automatic seatbelt has come off track, therefore leaving me with no driverside seatbelt.if i was to get in an accident, i would have to rely on the airbag only.if i get stopped by the police, then i will get a seatbelt ticket.then i would have to pay a fine for something i couldn't control or better yet that ford couldn't control.i called them and since my 50,000 mile safety restraint warranty was expired there was nothing that they could do for me.now all i can do is hope i don't get in an accident or get pulled over because now my life is in ford's hands (by their choice, not mine).i mean plain and simple, that's a lifesaving device that's just not there for me.
Electronic shoulder belt track sticks in the middle positionfailing to lock into a position that would restraindriver. Dealership has examinedvehicle, and will repair the problem atconsumer's cost. Please provide any additional information/attachments.
Driver's shoulder belt got stuck which caused the driver's seatbelt to become inoperative and will not protect occupant in the event of a crash.then the passenger's seatbelt malfunctioned. Currently, the driver's seatbelt malfunctioned again.
Automatic seat belt failed to operate.dealer notifed, and informedconsumer thatthe cost would go to consumer because vehicle was out of warranty.
Both the driver's side and passenger's side motor seat belts stopped working. Driver's side motor stopped moving. The seatbelt in the middle of the track.sometimes i get hit in the head when i get out.the tool that came with the car to manually move the seat belt does not work.luckily, the passenger side seat belt motor stopped when it was in the normal position.when going faster than 45 mph the speedometer jumps to 70 mph or faster and makes a weird noise.
The automatic seat belt on the drivers side has jammed in it's track.i have been advised i will have to replace the seatbelt motor as well.the warranty covering this part is only 5 yrs/50,000 miles.i feel that ford installed faulty equipment on my car and am disappointed in the quality of this major part of the safety system.i think ford needs to recall this product given the serious nature of this obvious defect.
Seat belt track malfunctions inconsistently.
Oxygen sensor failed; also automatic seat belts locked duringdeployment, injuring driver and wife and gas gauge malfunctioned, is off by at least 3 gallons.
The belt stopped in the track on drivers side.it is stuck. The motor cant be turn as indicated in the owners manual.
Seat belt became stuck midway on numerous occasions, finally it came off the track. I do not have a seat belt to wear now.engine check light problem began at under 10,ooo mi vehicle was brought into dealerwasrepaired (maybe? or was it only reset?) oxygen sensor' s(2 )had to be replaced to pass emissiontest.not covered under warranty. Passenger door had problemtook to dealer who sort of fixed it.at least one could open it from the inside. But it was difficult. Eventually problem resurfaced.ihave noticed that many of the problems i havehad with the seat belts and with the check engine light are not an uncommon occurence. I am a chicago police officer and i notice that the check engine light is always on in the ford squadcars.there areproblems which needs to be addressed. The seat belt issue needs to be addressed immediately. Until i saw yourweb info in a magazine, i was not aware there was any recourse other than to complain to the manufacturer which is fruitless. Perhaps your number and information need to be listed on the vehicle information books that are supplied to new car buyers.i only wonder how many other consumers have had similar problems that have not been reportedother than to ford's customer service. .
Driver's side lap/shoulder belt failure,automatic shoulder belt retractor caused the seat belt to catchon the sunvisier
Drivers side shoulderbelt motor is stuck midway. This will not allow the belt to properly restrain a passenger. 3fasp11j8t. *ml
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???
Driver's seat belt stopped inopen position, 4 weeks later,passenger's seatbelt stopped working, alsoopen position.
The motor driven shoulder harness stopped in a forward position, making the shoulder harness unusable. It stopped in a position where you would bump your head on the belt lock as you entered the vehicle. I have talked with other escort owners that have had the same failure. Given the amount of money paid to crash victims of much older vehicles, i think it is incumbent upon the manufacturer to guarantee the safety of passengers by providing a restraint system that works correctly for at least the average lifetime of a vehicle, not just three years. By the way, after being charged $250 for a repair, the belt worked once before failing again. Should i be in an accident between now andmonday when i can return to the dealers, i will not be protected by a shoulder harness.being that an escort is such a small car, i believe i'm at significant risk of injury should an accident occur. These kinds of failures should be fixed free, no questions asked.
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.
Driver's side automatic seat belt unraveled and malfunctioned.whensudden brakes were appliedtension inseat belt didn't respond. Dealer was notified. Please provide more information.
Driver's side motorized seat belt inoperable which resulted in failure to pass state required safety inspection, and car is illegal to drive except for repairs.dealer replacement cost: $600+.manufacturer contacted and related there is nothing they would do as warranty is 5 yr/50,000.
Consumer states then when drvr's door is shut the automatic driver's side shoulder belt does not fully release or secure occupant.the belt will only move to the halfway point on the track.consumer states that while driving the belt will continously click as if trying to move but consumer is unable to adjust manually.nlm
Three seat belts of 5 in my 1996 ford escort do not work.the springs of the shoulder harness of the two rear seat belts do not work.the escort was under warranty but ford refused to fix without substantial cost for the parts because seat belts were no longer covered.the front driver side shoulder harness motor does not work properly, causing the shoulder harness to not be in a safe position.no injuries at this point.if there was an accident passengers and driver would not be adequately protected by seat belts. Incident date below is approximate date rear seat belts failed.
Tries to accelerate and push through stoplights when my foot is on the brake. Accelerates with out me and even trying to brake won't stop. Stop and put it in park and it revs the enging to very high rpm's.
I started up the vehicle and the retractable seat belt stopped half-way through its normal track.the motor is audible, however, the belt continues to stay stationary half-way through its track.the motor is constantly "making an attempt" to move the seat belt through the rest of its track, but to no avail.the seat belt light is on also.
Power seatbelt stopped halfway in track, will cost over $600, check engine light comes on intermitantly, while everything checks out okay mechanically, can't figure what's causing it to come on
When i closed the door to my car, the seatbelt activation cable jumped the track and quit half way. I contacted several ford dealers in oklahoma city, and the final answer to me was that the warranty had expired.i forced the belt to the end of the track and pulled the fuse, disabeling both the driver and passenger seatbelts. My question is have there been any fatalities due to this condition, and if there have how many does it take to warrant a safety recall.
Automatic front seat belts don't work properly. The belts are attached to door. Will not move along door track. Shorted out after following instructions. Taking vehicle to dealer to have them check it.
Right before i was due for my safety inspection, my automatic safety belt mechanism stopped working, so when i went to have it inspected at dobbs auto center, of course, it did not pass because of this and i had to have a new motor installed at a cost of $363.77. Even the guy who inspected it said this should have been a recall because of safety issues and that i should be reimbursed. I can fax you a copy of the bill if necessary.thank you for your help.
Consumer called complaining about the front seat belts do not hold the driver neither the passenger in the seat. Dealer has been notified. Please provide further information. Ph
My 1996 ford escort's driver side shoulder belt won't move to the locked position on the b-pillar.it is stuck toward the rear of the track just past the upper bend in the track.i disconnected the electrical wiring harness following the owner's manual.the shoulder belt would not move manually when i used the emergency handle turning it clockwise.everything i tried to move this into position has not worked.i went to the dealer.they said it isn't a recall item but the person in the parts department said the should harness is a frequent problem with escorts.he did not have all of the parts in stock.i went to several car repair facilities inclucing suburban ford in waterford, mi.everyone said this is a very costly repair because the interior body would have to be dismantled to get to the source of the problem.i also spent a good deal of time online tonight researching whether this shoulder belt problem is common.bingo.stuck, stalled, sticking driver side shoulder retstraint complaints are common for the 1996 ford escort.iconsider this a serious safety issue and escorts should be recalled to repair this as soon as possible.i work for a fire department and a malfunctioning or non-functioning shoulder harness during an accident could be the cause of death or serious disability.many of the complaints i reviewed complained that the shoulder harness was stuck in the same position mine is.this stinks of a design flaw.how do i get ford motor to accept responsibility and make this repair at their expense?
The vehicle was involved in an accident, the air bags failed to deploy and the seat belt did not restrain the consumer as designed, the consumer was injured.*scc
No deployment of air bags during vehicle collision, driver's seat belt lock failed also, injuries due to failures.
Seat belt did not hold consumer in accident, causing injuries to neck.
No summary listed for above vehicle.
Driver's side seat belt is not functioning properly.nlm
When the accident occurred seat belt failed and received injuries.
The cable that operates the driver's side passive restraint seatbelt stopped working and then literally snapped in two. The shoulder belt is now no longer operable. If i am in an accident, i will likely go through the windshield because of the defective cable. I contacted ford and they refuse to fix it. The dealer also said he didn't want bothered with it 'cause it's a tough one to fix and will take a long time to do. He told me to go to a junkyard, buy the part and put it in myself. Ford motor co. Refused to do anything.in documenting my complaint, they indicated i am angry because i cannot afford the repair. That is not true. I want them to pay to repair it because their product is faulty and puts my life at risk every time i have to drive the vehicle. Please initiate a recall soon, before someone dies. There are dozens of other ford owners listed on your site as having the same problem.
Consumer was traveling about 70mph on a side street i was traveling on northbound, and he was traveling onsame lane, but opposite street. Seat belts did not function properly.
Both rear passenger seat belts failed (became inoperable) within 1 week of each other, through normal usage.ford refused to replace the seat belts at no cost because the warranty expired less than 2 months before.since 3 young children are normally seated in the rear, this became a major safety issue.this was a very costly repair and had there been an accident involved, there most would likely would have been major injuries.
While driving, drivers seat belt broke, causing seat belt to become inoperable.also seat belt sensors are not properly engaging.
I have had the seat belts fixed 3 times now and they have continued to tear up.they are now stuck the drivers side is stuck in the back position and the front passenger side is now stuck in the forward position.i do not think that i should have to continue to have this repaired.my son was involved in a crash and hit a road sign with the car head on and neither air bag deployed although the car had a lot of damage to the front.and now i am having problems with the cooling fan not coming on.i feel that this car should be checked out for these defects before someone gets hurt bad or even killed.i am just thankful that my child was not injured in the crash.i would have written sooner but i just found this web site.
The cable that operates the driver's side passive restraint seatbelt stopped working and then literally snapped in two. The shoulder belt is now no longer operable. If i am in an accident, i will likely go through the windshield because of the defective cable. I contacted ford and they refuse to fix it. The dealer also said he didn't want bothered with it 'cause it's a tough one to fix and will take a long time to do. He told me to go to a junkyard, buy the part and put it in myself. Ford motor co. Refused to do anything.in documenting my complaint, they indicated i am angry because i cannot afford the repair. That is not true. I want them to pay to repair it because their product is faulty and puts my life at risk every time i have to drive the vehicle. Please initiate a recall soon, before someone dies. There are dozens of other ford owners listed on your site as having the same problem.
The passenger and driver defective passive seatbelt restraint malfunctioned causing the track to be worn out in 41,000 miles for right side and 51,000 mils for left side, which will not protect the occupant in event of a crash.
I filled out a questionnaire before and made a mistake in the vin number.
When making a sudden stopseat belt would not lock up. Please provide further information.
Speedometer jumps erratically at speeds above 50 mph. Not covered under extended warranty although brochure leads you to believe so. Dealership knew it was the speedometer itselfandnot a dry cable because of history of same problems.2nd problem; at appox 80,000 miles the drivers side rear seat belt would not retract. I recognize that things do break,but when the passenger side rear seat belt wouldn't retractjust a few months later,i came to the conclusion that there is a design defect.
Both rear retractor belts were twisted across body, and was unable to straighten them out.believed this problem was due to parts installed backward. Dealer notified, and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer. *ml
Driver's side seat belt retractor does not work. It gets stuck on the track. Vehicle repaired by dealer, and currently the passenger side retractor is having the problem.owner believes a recall should be issued. *ml
Driver side and passenger side automatic shoulder safety belts will only go half way up the door, then they appear to be stuck.the passenger side shoulder belt cable is out side of the track and appears to be frayed.neither should beltworks properly and would not restain driver or passenger if a crash should occur.
Driver's seat belt does not fully extend fromretracting mechanism, cause unknown.please give any further details.
The front automatic seat belts failed to retract fully, and the rear seat belts failed to retract at all. This made it impossible to restraint the occupants or a child safety seat.
On 7/17/2003 the driver side rear seat belt was pulled out for use and would not retract.the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who repaired the retractor. Currently,passenger side rear seat belt has done the same thing.*nlm
Front seat belt retractor failed.consumer stated that sheowned a another ford escort of adifferent year and the seat beltsfailed.
Both seatbelts failed within a month of each other. They just quit retracting. When i contacted the dealer, they said that they were not liable any more because after 36000 miles, the warranty was out. I cannot take my children in this vehicle because i cannot belt them in properly. Will it take an injury or fatality before something is done? no one has been hurt -yet. Manufacturers should be liable for any safety related devices to at least 100,000 miles on vehicles that are built today.
Driver's side seat belt retractor failure at approximately 86,000 miles.system failure creates a safety hazard in event of crash.
The automatic seat belt in my 1996 ford escort failed to move several times upon opening the door.on one occasion when it failed to release i went to get up under it when it moved forward dragging me with it and injuring my neck.
Both rear seat shoulder belts will not retact in retractors; dealer notified and informed that vehicle was not covered under a recall. Any repairs would be at consumer's cost.
Rear seat belts on driver side failed to retract to original position. Had placed child seat in seat belt that kept coming loose. It needed a locking for child seat to tighten& shorten the belt.
Do people have to die before someone takes action and how many. No safety defec tmentioned.
Retracting mechanism for rear left shoulder strap failed.
Rear seat belt retractorfailed.there was no upper body restraint for passengers.
Both rearshoulder systems have failed.shoulder harnesses are fully extended and will not retract.
Driver's shoulder belt does not properly return intoretracting mechanism, causing the seat belt to become inoperable,cause unknown.please give any further details.
Driver's side seat belt retracter does not retract.
Both rear seatbelt retractors no longer work, parts were replaced in july 1997.
My son owns a 1996 ford escort which has a motorized shoulder harness assembly.the shoulder harness jammed and he could no longer use that part, although the seat belt worked.i took it to the local ford dealership.they said parts & labor to replace the track & motor were over $500!this is probably half of what the car is worth.he was then stopped for a seat belt violation and told by the wisconsin state trooper it had to be fixed.after several calls to salvage yards i was fortunate enough to find a used one at at reasonable price.howeveri was surprised to find out this is a very common problem, and most of the salvage yards didn't have them because of the demand.i don't think such an important safety item should cost so much to replace, especially when they are apparently a poor design and commonly need fixing.
Consumer complained of aseat belt problem.vehicle was equipped withautomatic retractable seat belts, and the technician had to disconnect the motor of the retractable seat belts because it was getting too hot.
Both rear seat belts will not retract or lock.
Both rear shoulder belts will not retract; leaving occupants without any restraint. Dealer notified and informed that vehicle was out of its warranty, and any repairs would be at consumer cost. Please feel free to provide any further details.
Seatbelt retractor is broken . Dealer was notified.
Failed driver side restraint system.
At times the driver's automatic seat belt does not retract after closing the door and the seat belt also blocks the driver'svision.please describe details.
Both rear seat belts are broken and won't move or lock into plac.dealer has been aware of the problem.
We are the owners of a 1996 ford escort wagon vin: [xxx]. We have been the only owners of this vehicle. We are writing to complain about the failure of the lap shoulder safety belts in the rear seat on both sides. Both of the rear lap shoulder belt retractor mechanisms have failed within a short time of each other. This means the seat belts will no longer retract or pull tight when someone tries to use the rear seat belts. The reason we feel compelled to complain about this failure is that until around 9 months ago, we rarely (a handful of times at the most) used the rear lap shoulder seat belts. In august 2004 we switched our son's car seat over to a booster seat, moved the seat from the middle to the driver's side and started using the lap shoulder safety belt. In early november we were forced to move our son's booster seat to the passenger side because the driver's side belt failed to retract and was unusable. Today we were driving home in our car when we heard a loud metallic noise from the rear of the car, and we noticed that there was something wrong with our son's lap shoulder seat belt. When we stopped to see what the problem was we discovered that the same thing that happened to the driver's side lap shoulder seat belt had happened to the passenger side one as well. So, in the nine months since we switched over to the two point system on our son's booster seat, where the seat belt was regularly deployed and retracted, the retractor mechanism has broken on both sides. This seems like a suspiciously concurrent event. We believe the retractor mechanisms on the rear seat belts were either defective or were installed incorrectly when our car was built. Both mechanism broke while the seat belt was on our son, not while we were putting on the seat belt. The seat belt was already buckled and in place when they failed. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)
The front automatic seat belts failed to retract fully, and the rear seat belts failed to retract at all. This made it impossible to restraint the occupants or a child safety seat.
While stopping at a red light vehicle was rear ended by a van, upon impact, the driver's seat broke in half.vehicle has been repaired. Please provide any further information.
The winshield wiper will come on and off intermittenly.without prior warning the dealership is aware of the problem.
When talking to a machine shop there is a tech bulletin stating that ford on 94-97 when they baked the powder metal for their intake seats something went wrong and that all seats in head should be replaced. The people at the machine shop said they had to even replace all the pistons in the motors due to the damage caused by the defective seats. And it is all a ford error and they know it
I do not have any events leading up to the failure. The failure consisted of my seat back on the drivers side snapping at the base. After pulling the seat cover off i noticed that the stainless steel frame on the seat completely broke/snapped allowing the seat to fall back uncontrollably. I was driving at the time and almost wrecked. I replaced the seat with a like seat from a used vehicle.
Antilock brakes locking up after hard stop.
Consumer has been experiencing brake problems. Vehicle has been to the dealer for repair8 times/forreplacement of the brake drumand the rotor on the right rear.
Brakes: intermittent brake loss, brakes failed when driving at 15mph and attempting to stop,and there were no brakes. Car has been in shop approximately five times.last time a master cylinder was put in ,but the problem is still there.
Upon applying force to the brake pedal the brake pedal goes to the floor,brakes fade away,extended stopping distance. Consumer also states after pumping the brake pedal consumer noticed filling in the pedal.consumer has contacted the dealer.
Theere is a loud crackingnoise coming from the steering gear. Also,consumer is having problem with brakes, and the vehicle has been in the shop two times. Dealer can't determine the problem.
Engine checklight comes on, indicating brake failure andleakingfuel line.light still on after brake cylinder repair.
Brake failure, pedal went to the floor, loss of complete effectiveness.wheel bearing failure.cv joint failure.steering wheel off center.
Front disc brakes lock up on sudden stops, resulting in fishtailing.
The right and left front brake calipers malfunctioned,causing the rotors to be warped and the braking system to fail.dealer replaced rotors, problem is still reoccurring. Dealer cannot determine problem.
Consumer has been experiencing brake problems. Vehicle has been to the dealer for repair8 times/forreplacement of the brake drumand the rotor on the right rear.
During vehicle operation a severe pull to the left is experienced. The rack and pinion, right front shocks, and the front brakes have been replaced as a result.
Brake rotors failed.
Speedometer failed to operate (15,000), second speedometer has now failed(35800mi).
Brake failure, pedal went to the floor, loss of complete effectiveness.wheel bearing failure.cv joint failure.steering wheel off center.
Theere is a loud crackingnoise coming from the steering gear. Also,consumer is having problem with brakes, and the vehicle has been in the shop two times. Dealer can't determine the problem.
While driving on highway the harmonic balancercame off, causingsteering to make loud noises.
While driving it was hard to turn the steering wheel. Dealership informed the consumer that the problem pertained to the steering fluid leakage. The problem had not be resolved.
Tie rod failed.
The left, outer tie rod broke, traveling on a staight, smooth road at about 35 mph. A police report is available. Unable to steer the vehicle, it went out of control and left the road. It came to a stop against a tree, causing slight body damage.
Tie rod failure on the left side.the tie rods on both sides were replaced about 3 years ago.when taken in to the shop they found the right side was very bad also.this car has 59,000 miles.the failure happened while driving.pretty scarry stuff...
During vehicle operation a severe pull to the left is experienced. The rack and pinion, right front shocks, and the front brakes have been replaced as a result.
Rack and pinion has been changed twice and the vehicle still has problems with steering and pulling to the left or the right.
Several months after purchase the vehicle started making this popping or cracking sound at low speedsand on side to side movements and on uneven terrain. Dealer has not found the cause but yet changed all shock absorbers and finally informed me it was design flawfor 96 models - chassis and body - will send me a bulletin but never received one.the noise persist and much louder.
Rear welds both left and right sides on quarter panels separated, causing water leaks.
Seat belt became stuck midway on numerous occasions, finally it came off the track. I do not have a seat belt to wear now.engine check light problem began at under 10,ooo mi vehicle was brought into dealerwasrepaired (maybe? or was it only reset?) oxygen sensor' s(2 )had to be replaced to pass emissiontest.not covered under warranty. Passenger door had problemtook to dealer who sort of fixed it.at least one could open it from the inside. But it was difficult. Eventually problem resurfaced.ihave noticed that many of the problems i havehad with the seat belts and with the check engine light are not an uncommon occurence. I am a chicago police officer and i notice that the check engine light is always on in the ford squadcars.there areproblems which needs to be addressed. The seat belt issue needs to be addressed immediately. Until i saw yourweb info in a magazine, i was not aware there was any recourse other than to complain to the manufacturer which is fruitless. Perhaps your number and information need to be listed on the vehicle information books that are supplied to new car buyers.i only wonder how many other consumers have had similar problems that have not been reportedother than to ford's customer service. .
Undercarriage noise.
While traveling onhighwayvehicle hit a bump and shook infront and rear.dealership was aware ofproblem.
During vehicle operation a severe pull to the left is experienced. The rack and pinion, right front shocks, and the front brakes have been replaced as a result.
Consumer tookvehicle torepair shop, and mechanic told her that coil springs were broken,andneeded to be replaced.
Brought vehicle to auto center to get new tires and alignment.service tech noticed that the right rear coil had snapped in two pieces.having been driving for 17 years, i was more than surprised because i had never even heard of a coil snapping, much less ever had it happen to a vehicle i owned.the service tech mentioned that he had seen it more than a few times on the ford escort, which led me to believe it could be a manufacturer's defect.he recommended having it replaced that day, as he said it was a high safety hazard.if the coil came loose the jagged edge could rip into the tire, thus causing a massive blowout.this could be extremely dangerous, or even fatal, at high speeds.the strange thing was that i didn't know it had happened.the only thing i noticed was a squeak in the rear of the vehicle, and i thought it was just my struts wearing out.in other words, i would have continued driving with this broken spring if i hadn't needed new tires because there was nothing obvious that would indicate the broken coil other than a slight squeaking noise.
Brake failure, pedal went to the floor, loss of complete effectiveness.wheel bearing failure.cv joint failure.steering wheel off center.
The back end spins out, causing vehicle to go into a spin. It happened twice before, causing an accident (3 times); the vehicle spins out of control until it stops or hits something. Driver and passengerseriously injured.
Both rear coil springs snapped just above the "cup" securing them to the frame.
Rear coil springs have cracked. Dealer has inspectedvehicle.parts are on back order.
I never hauled anything heavy in the back of my station wagon.the rear coil springs were hollow not solid and failed because they rusted through as a result of water collecting in the bottom of the support which holds the base of the spring in the correct position.my mechanic said that many times when you hit a bump the broken spring will twist and puncture the sidewall of the tire that it is adjacent to the spring.he also said that the same spring failure occurs with all the ford escort station wagons.ford should be required to issue a recall on all these station wagons and repair the problem. Nlm
Abnormal rate of rear springs on late 90's ford escort station wagons. I am a mechanic with brownies auto repair in walkersville,md. I personally have replaced the rear springs on at least 8 escort wagons. I have checked other escort wagons and find most broken in the same spot. Could puncture tire.
Both springs also broke on a 1995 ford escort wagon (separate report submitted) owned by our agency, also my daughters 1994 ford escort just had two broken rear springs (report not submitted) that were replaced.
Coil springbroke, causing the back in of the car to sag. This could cause the tires to go flat. Dealer had to replace coil spring. *ml
At 20,000 miles schedule maintanice service,rear leaf spring had to be replaced because of breakage.at the 30,000 miles schedule maintaince,right rear spring was replaced because of breakage.dealership stated that this is a common problem with escorts,and is seen all the time. Please provide any further information.
Tread on right rear tire partially separated, while driving on freeway (dot number: hy8jnjb466tiresize: p175/65r14)
Right rear goodyear eagle tire blew out.(p18560r14)
Check engine light: check engine light came on while driving and vehicle cut off. Had vehicle towed.last week check engine light came on again, drove vehicle about five miles and it cut off again. Had the vehicle towed to the house,called zone office next morning and was told to see what colorlight was,and light was yellow. Vehicle started the next morning. Third failure has occurredand dealer has called and said come pickup the car because ford cannot fix this problem at this time.
Speedometer needle out of control above 50 mph. Not a safe situation. Manufacturer is apparently aware of the problem but doesn't have a problem charging me up to $500 to fix their defect
Dashboard noise.
Engine checklight comes on, indicating brake failure andleakingfuel line.light still on after brake cylinder repair.
Tries to accelerate and push through stoplights when my foot is on the brake. Accelerates with out me and even trying to brake won't stop. Stop and put it in park and it revs the enging to very high rpm's.
Engine warning light illuminated.
Purchased a 1996 escort and my complaint is that the originalgreen paint job was not worthy of the car its on.*nlm
While leaving a parking structure the auto suddenly accelerated up to 50 mph and could not be stopped, not even the emergency brakes stopped the auto. Consumer pulled key out of ignition and then the auto came to a sudden stop.
The vehicle suddenly accelerated while backing out and caused serious accident. Yh
Started vehicle on morning of 1/28. Revving at extremely high speed. Thought that something (throttle?) was frozen. Drove 2 miles to service station. Tech worked for 10 days trying to find electrical problem. Towed to dealer on 2/8/99. Dealer could figure out where problem is. Car still with dealer.
Intermittently when the brakes are applied accelerator pedal goes to the floor, causing the vehicle to surge. The dealer has inspected the vehicle on three occasions.
Clicking sound coming from the front left side of the car.had it looked at by mechanic and was told it had something to do with the speedometer cable.the sound is getting louder and can be very annoying. Was shocked and surprised to learn that left rear coil spring was broken and had to be replaced.check engine light comes on and the code reads 1443.mechanic could not find any problem and said it might have a been loose gas cap.he reset the light. Check engine light came back on after driving 15 miles, took it back to service station and got same code.mechanic could not find the problem and has asked me to take it to the dealer for a smoke test.
Wheels out of round on delivery causing vibration.
Two of the four lugs:nuts on the rear passenger's side tire came off and two were loose . The lugs:nuts were tightened and replaced by the owner. But the lugs:nuts continue to loosen and come off.
1996 ford escort's left front wheel fell off while driving.the left front quarter panel was destroyed and the front bumper and hood buckled/dented.there were no injuries.
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