1996 Ford Escort

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  FRONT DISC BRAKES LOCK UP ON SUDDEN STOPS, RESULTING IN FISHTAILING. *AK

• 12/27/1996· SEAT BELTS

  DRIVER'S SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILURE, AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO CATCH ON THE SUNVISIER

• 12/24/1999· SEAT BELTS

  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 AND MONDAY 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. *AK

• 12/22/2000· STEERINGCrash

  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.*AK

• 12/22/1998· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  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

• 12/18/2001· SEAT BELTS

  WHILE DRIVING, DRIVERS SEAT BELT BROKE, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO BECOME INOPERABLE. ALSO SEAT BELT SENSORS ARE NOT PROPERLY ENGAGING. *AK *SLC

• 12/15/2000· POWER TRAIN

  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. *AK

• 12/14/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2005 WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPIRED A SUDDEN SPIKE IN TEMPERATURE ON MY 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT MY "PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION AND HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY SORT OF CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION FROM FORD. I HEARD ABOUT THE MANIFOLD ISSUE FROM A FELLOW EMPLOYEE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS FAULTY MANIFOLD WAS $978.00. I FEEL IF THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED TO UPDATE IT WITH AN ALUMINUM MANIFOLD THAN THEY KNEW THE PLASTIC ONES WERE FAULTY.*JB

• 12/09/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  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.*AK

• 12/09/2002· SEAT BELTS

  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

• 12/09/1998· STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THEERE IS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE 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. *AK

• 12/07/2007· 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

• 12/07/1999· SEAT BELTS

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/03/1999· AIR BAGS

  WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE IGNITION OFF, AIR BAGS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'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. *AK

• 12/03/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WOULD HAVE NO COMPRESSION IN FORD ENGINE CYLINDERS. THIS CAUSES ENGINE 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. *AK

• 12/02/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT COME OUT OF MIDDLE OF STEERING WHEEL AS INTENDED, INSTEAD CAME OUT MORE TO RIGHT, OCCUPANT RECEIVED INJURIES. *AK

• 11/30/2000· SEAT BELTSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON A SIDE STREET I WAS TRAVELING ON NORTHBOUND, AND HE WAS TRAVELING ON SAME LANE, BUT OPPOSITE STREET. SEAT BELTS DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *AK

• 11/29/1999· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK

• 11/23/1999· SEAT BELTS

  THE BELT STOPPED IN THE TRACK ON DRIVERS SIDE. IT IS STUCK. THE MOTOR CANT BE TURN AS INDICATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. *AK

• 11/22/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  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. *SLC

• 11/18/1996· SEAT BELTS

  CAR WAS IN A FLOOD WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS BEGAN RATTLING ON BOTH SIDES AND OPERATED ERRATICALLY. *AK

• 11/17/1999· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK

• 11/14/2001· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD AND RUNNING OVER SOME DERIS ON FLOOR FUEL LINE WAS PUNCTURED, AND CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER. THEN NOTICED THAT FUEL LINES WERE NOT MADE OUT OF METAL, BUT PLASTIC. *AK

• 11/10/1999· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50MPH SPEEDOMETER STARTS TO JUMP UP TO80-90MPH,EVEN IF VEHICLE IS NOT GOING THAT FAST. DEALER SAYS THE HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

• 11/08/2000· TIRES

  TREAD ON RIGHT REAR TIRE PARTIALLY SEPARATED, WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY (DOT NUMBER: HY8JNJB466 TIRESIZE: P175/65R14)

• 11/06/2000· SUSPENSION

  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.*AK

• 11/05/2003· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK *TS *NLM

• 11/05/1999· POWER TRAIN

  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.

• 11/04/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  # 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. *AK

• 11/04/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED.

• 11/01/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  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. *SLC

• 10/28/1999· SEAT BELTS

  BOTH REAR SEAT BELTS ARE BROKEN AND WON'T MOVE OR LOCK INTO PLAC. DEALER HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/27/1997· STEERING

  STEERING COLUMN FAILED.

• 10/27/1997· STEERING

  POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN NOISE.

• 10/26/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THIS M/V HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT LEAST 15-20 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE BEGINING CAR WAS TAKEN TO SULLIVAN BROS WHILE UNDER WARRENTIE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SINCE 7-2000 THIS CAR WAS AT TWO DEALERS AND THE COST CLOSE TO $800,00 CAR STILL HAS SAME PROBLEMS. STALLS THE PAST WEEK THIS CAR HAS ALMOST BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS AS THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN INTO ON COMING LANES. CAR STALLS AND EVERY THING GOES DEAD. SINCE AUGUST THE CAR HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT SHIRETOWN FORD INC 147 SAMOSET ST PLYMOUTH MA #02360 STILL WAITING FOR PHONECALL TO BRING CAR BACK AGAIN WHAT CAN I DO. *AK

• 10/22/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  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. *AK

• 10/16/1996· STEERING,SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  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.*AK

• 10/15/2004· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK *NM

• 10/15/2002· SEAT BELTS

  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

• 10/14/2005· SEAT BELTS

  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. *JB

• 10/10/2008· 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

• 10/09/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR 8 TIMES/FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE DRUM AND THE ROTOR ON THE RIGHT REAR. *AK

• 10/08/2000· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK

• 10/08/1999· SEAT BELTS

  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. *AK

• 10/06/2005· SEATS

  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. *NM

• 10/04/2001· SEAT BELTS

  BOTH REARSHOULDER SYSTEMS HAVE FAILED. SHOULDER HARNESSES ARE FULLY EXTENDED AND WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK

• 10/04/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE FAILED.

• 10/02/2002· SEAT BELTS

  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

• 10/02/1998· SUSPENSION

  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 PASSENGER SERIOUSLY INJURED.

• 10/01/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  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. *AK