1994 FORD ESCORT Electrical System Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO DIM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. AS OF JUNE 18, 2007, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, POWERTRAIN, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.

Mileage: 94,000

IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CONSUMER TO START THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 55,580

WHEN THE CONSUMER PURCHASED THE USED VEHICLE, SHE WAS INFORMED THE IGNITION AND CLUTCH PLATE HAD BEEN REPLACED AND THE PARTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THE IGNITION FAILED AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *AK THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: I HAVE NO HEAD LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS OR TURN SIGNALS. POSSIBLE SHORT IN WIRING. DISCOVERED BURNT WIRES AT THE TOP OF THE HATCHBACK. TRIED TO DO A TEMPORARY FIX USING "BOOTS". DID NOT HELP. THE FAULTY WIRES POSSIBLY CAUSED THE MAIN AMP TO BLOW WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO GO. *NLM

ORIGINAL IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT--BURNED OUT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIRES (TIRE INFORMATION UNKNOWN) HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIRES (TIRE INFORMATION UNKNOWN) HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLS/ HESITATES AND MISFIRES WHILE DRIVING. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE MAKE AND MODEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WAS DRIVING WHEN VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. IT FAILED TO SLOW DOWN AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER BRAKES APPLIED. HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, THEN STOPPED. DRIVER LEFT VEHICLE , AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. WAS INFORMED THAT SENSOR WIRES TO IDLER HAD FUSED TOGETHER.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALLED . IT WAS SERVICED 15 TIMES FOR ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. *AK

KEY WAS STUCK IN IGNITION, DEALER REPLACED IGNITION. ON 12 AUG 2001, CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO SHUT OFF ENGINE, KEY WOULD NOT TURN. CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC DISCONNECT BATTERY. VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME.*AK

CONSUMER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH TWICE. THIS WILL BE THIRD TIME REPLACING IGNITION SWITCH. FORD CLAIMS THERE IS NO RECALL OR COMPLAINTS. VEHICLE IS STALLING AND KEY DOESN'T WANT TO COME OUT OF IGNITION. *AK FIRST ONE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *SLC

NO SUMMARY

DEALERSHIP IS GIVING TROUBLE: FIXED UNDER WARRANTY BUT STILL HAVE TO PAY AROUND $250

AIRBAG'S SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO A BUZZING NOISE AND A SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE CAME FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, FENDER WAS BENT, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER COULDN'T USE THE HORN DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING, DRIVER'S AIR BAG IS LOCATED ON THE SPACE WHERE THE HORN IS, AND HORN DOESN'T WORK. *AK *ML

ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSES FUSE TO BLOW, WHICH RESULTS IN LIGHTING SYSTEM FAILING. DEALER REPAIRS WOULD WORK FOR A SHORT TIME THEN THE FUSE WOULD BLOW AGAIN. NOW THE CIRCUITS WILL NOT WORK AT ALL.

FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

BATTERY CRACKED, CAPS FLEW OFF, LEAKING BATTERY ACID.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE DASH BROAD AREAS WERE BURNED. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN ABOUT (4) HOURS. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

HAZARD LIGHT FUSE REPLACED.

BATTERY REPLACED.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE BROKE OUT. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING FIRE.

OWNER STATES THAT HER HORN WAS TO0 LOW, AND THAT SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERS AND THEY FIXED PROBLEM BUT OWNER STILL FEELS THAT HORN IS TO0 LOW TO BE HEARD. *AK

WIFE DROVE TO WORK; WENT INTO BLDG.; CO-WORKER NOTIFIED OWNER THAT VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES; FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED, PUT FLAMES OUT; POLICE ARRIVED ALSO; WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. HAD CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK

BATTERY EXPLODED, EMITTING ACID FUMES INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, BURNING EYES/THROAT.

DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT SPEED 5 MPH, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT IN CIRCUIT, CAUSING THE INGNTION SWITCH TO OVER HEAT AND CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

FIRE BROKE OUT UNDERDASH; ENTIRE DASHBOARD MELTED DOWN; VEHICLE PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR; VEHICLE TOTALED; REASON UNKNOWN. TT

WIRING REPLACED. *SKD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, CAR STALLS, WIPERS FAILED. TT