1998 FORD ESCORT Electrical System Problems

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED HORN HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 31,000 MILES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE , AND THAT ITWAS CAUSING THE HORN NOT TO WORK. THE HORN HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT IT STILL DID NOT WORK. THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN WOULD JUST COME ON AND WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT NOW THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. THE DEALER CHECKED THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT HAD A LEAK IN THE FIREWALL. THE CONTACT HAD THE LEAK REPAIRED FOUR TIMES. *AK

AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY FROM A 20 MILE TRIP, THE IDLE ON THE VEHICLE BECAME ROUGH WHEN STOPPED. THE BEST DESCRIPTION WAS THAT THE IDLE STARTED TO SURGE AND PULSE WITH THE BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE FULLY STOPPED. JUST PRIOR TO PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY (LESS THAN A MILE FROM HIGHWAY) THE RADIO AND VENTILATION SYSTEM BEGAN TO CUT IN AND OUT. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONE HOUR LATER, VEHICLE WAS STARTED, DASHBOARD BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON, IDLE BECAME ROUGH AND PULSED CLOSE TO A STALL. *JB

Mileage: 67,000

DT: THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO LIGHTS, NO NOISE BEFORE THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ALONG A CROWDED HIGHWAY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD AND WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THIS HAPPENED FRIDAY JULY 15TH, 2005. *AK *NM

Mileage: 100,000

I OWN A 1998 FORD ESCORT WITH 32,000 MILES AND RECENTLY HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL MODULE REPLACED.WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A NEW PART, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN MANY PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

Mileage: 32,400

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK , WHEN SHE CALLED ME & SAID "DAD MY CAR HAS LOSS POWER & IS RUNNING VERY ROUGH". I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER & I WOULD BE THERE SHORTLY, SINCE SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. AS I WAS PREPAIRING TO LEAVE, MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME BACK & SAID THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD HER TO CALL 911 AND GET AWAY FROM THE CAR. IT TOOK ME LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO GET THERE & BY THAT TIME THE FIREMEN HAD PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING GREAT, WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.

Mileage: 10,200

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH A COMPUTER CHIP FELL FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. AND THEN THE FUEL GAS GAUGE SYSTEM INDICATOR STOPPED WORKING. *AK *SC *JB

HORN SOUNDS AT ALL HOURS. UNPLUGGED. *AK

SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD AND CANNOT GET CAR OUT OF PARK.ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEMS?*AK

CAR WILL LOOSE POWER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES AFTER SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) TO PASS THROUGH AN AUTOMATED EPASS SYSTEM (35MPH). THERE IS NO BUCKING OR SURGING, SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER. YOU CAN PUT THE ACCELATOR TO THE FLOOR TO NO AVAIL. ONCE DOWN BELOW 10 MPH THE CAR WILL STALL OUT. AFTER WAITING 1/2 HOUR THE CAR CAN BE RESTARTED. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURED THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN STATE FORD. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WAS ALLOWED TO SIT AND THEN DRIVEN TO CAR MAX (PLACE OF PURCHASE) WHERE THE IGNITION COIL AND WIRES WHERE REPLACED. THE 3RD OCCURENCE WAS TODAY. THE CAR WILL BE TAKEN BACK TO CAR MAX. ALL OF THESE OCCURENCES HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS.

Mileage: 51,950

FAX FWD FM FMCSA FM ELOISE J. QUINN (CT) SEEKING ASSISTANCE IN GETTING FORD TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THE REPAIR OF THE IGNITION MODULE ON HER 1998 FORD ESCORT.*MR THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE. FORD REFUSE TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER. *TS *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE PARKED AND WITH NO WARNING THE HORN WILL OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE HORN HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THE HORN WOULD NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER ALSO, STATES THAT THIS IS A REOCCURING PROBLEM. ALSO THE DIRECTIONALS ARE INOPERABLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ACTIVATES THE DIRECTIONALS THEY WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY GO OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED. BLN

WHILE DRIVING HIT THE HORN AND IT STUCK. HAD TO UNPLUG FUSE TO CUT HORN OFF. DEALER CONTACTED. TARGO SWITCH INSIDE STEERING WHEEL PAD BROKE.*AK

HORN WENT OFF ON ITS OWN,. DEALER REPLACED HORN ASSEMBLY. IN JUNE 2002, HORN SOUNDED AGAIN ON ITS OWN, HAD TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME.*AK

WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE IGNITION MODULE HAD CAUSED A SURGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER THAT IMPACTED THE ALTERNATOR AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT OF MONIES PAID. *JG

HORN BLOWS CONTINUOUSLY WITH VEHICLE PARKED. MUST REMOVE FUSE TO TURN OFF HORN.*AK

AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF KEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION. NO MATTER WHAT CONSUMER DID , KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CONSUMER AND HER DAUGHTER TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE THEMSELVES, HOWEVER COULD NOT, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CONSUMER AND HER DAUGHTER TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE THEMSELVES, HOWEVER COULD NOT, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

CAR STALLS WHILE ACCELARATING FROM LOW SPEED -0-5MPH, CAR HAS STALLED WHILE ON 605 FREEWAY WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED, STARTS AFTER WAITING ABOUT 20 MIN. HAVE REPORTED TO SERVIC DEPT. CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE INOPERATIVE AND IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE HIT BY A SURGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER. JB

VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE INOPERATIVE AND IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE HIT BY A SURGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER. JB

THE IGNITION KEY AND LOCK WERE EXTREMELY HOT TO TOUCH WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS.*JB

MY SON WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HIS VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHILE HE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. MY SON'S CAR SPUN 90 DEGREES AND LANDED ON THE SIDE OF AN EMBANKMENT. THE CAR DID NOT FLIP AND LANDED RIGHT SIDE UP. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MY SON NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. LUCKILY, HE WAS NOT KNOCKED UNCONSIOUS AND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY. WITHIN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, HE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE FLOORBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES WITHIN 10-15 MINUTES. IF THIS ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED ON A REMOTE ROAD AND MY SON WOULD OF BEEN INJURED MORE SERIOUSLY, AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF HIS CAR, AND WOULD HAVE BURNED TO DEATH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE CAR TO START ON FIRE. EVEN THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER SAID THE CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE STARTED ON FIRE.*AK

WHILE TURNING OFF IGNITION, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

WHILE TURNING OFF IGNITION, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

VEHICLE CONTINUOSLY STALLS OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSUMER MUST PULL OVER AND WAIT ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE, BUT DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THERE WAS A RECALL ON EMISSION AND SERVICE WAS DONE BY THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE STALLING PROBLEM. *YH

WHILE DRIVING HORN KEPT GOING OFF WHICH MIGHT STARTLE OCCUPANT AND CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 59,000 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

OPENING AND CLOSING OF HATCHBACK DOOR HAS CAUSED INSTALLATION ON WIRING HARNESS TO FRAY OFF, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE POTENTIAL. *AK THE RUBBER COVERING THE WIRE HARNESS FOR HATCHBACK DOOR WAS FRAYED AND THREE OF THE TOP WIRES WERE EXPOSED. THIS HAS POTENTIAL FOR ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. *YH

ENGINE VIBRATES, AND HAS A HIGH IDLE. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND SHAKES. ENGINE SURGES AND HESITATES. CAR STALLS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS SAME REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF IT. THE MECHANICS HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL GUAGE, FUEL FILTER, VALVE IDLE AIR CONTROL, VAPOR MANAGEMENT, MOTOR MOUNTS. THE DEARLERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH REPLACED A CABLE SOMETHING (THE SERVICE MANGER QUIT AND A TICKET WAS NOT FOUND FOR THIS REPAIR.) THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY FIXED. THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR STALLING, THE REPAIR WAS DONE, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL. AS OF THIS DATE, I AM TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. PLEASE NOTE: IN REVIEWING THE INFORMATION AFTER SUBMITTTING I NOTICED THAT IN # OF FAILURES PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED 8 TIMES WITH THE DATE OF 7/24/98. THIS IS INCORRECT, CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS WERE NOT USED.*AK

HORN WILL GO OFF WITHOUT ANY ONE TOUCHING IT. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH STEREO. *AK

SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FIXED VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, AND PROBLEM CAME BACK THREE MONTHS AGO.DEALER TOLD HER TO RIDE WITH SENSOR LIGHT ON. *AK SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON STEADY DUE TO POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) FAILURE. *YH

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKING BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-5125-333. *SLC

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKING BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-5125-333. *SLC

THE BATTERY FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING ON THE DASH. THE CAR WAS JUMP STARTED AND RAN FOR ANOTHER 40MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR DIED AGAIN IN TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE THREE LANE HIGHWAY ONTO TO THE SHOULDER. I RECEIVED ANOTHER JUMP START TO THE BATTERY WITH A BATTERY PACK CONNECTED TO THE CAR BATTERY TERMINALS WHICH ENABLED ME TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. IMMEDIATELY UPON REMOVAL OF THE BATTERY PACK ,THE CAR DIED AGAIN. I WAS TOWED TO A SAFE LOCATION. THE FOLLOWING DAY I INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY AND THE CAR STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER REMOVING THE POSTIVE CABLE CONNEDTED TO THE CAR'S BATTERY. A CO-WORKER INFORMED ME TODAY HE REGULARLY HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY ON HIS ESCORT ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS. HE ALSO HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF IMMINENT BATTERY FAILURE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION. *AK

WHEN TRYING TO USE THE HORN IT WON'T WORK, BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK BY ITSELF. *AK

VEHICLE STARTED, ENGINE RATTLED UPON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS AT 2300 MILES. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY DEALER,I SENT COMPLAINT TO FORDS DSB BOARD.WORKING THROGH ARBITRATION VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY ENGINEER.THEY REPLACED PCM.PROBLEM GOT WORSE,ALONG WITH NEW PROBLEMS,LACK OF POWER,HARD START,TRANSMISSION HESITAING.THEN THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP,DIDNT HELP, THEN IGNITION SWITCH, DIDNT HELP,THEN MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND AIR FILTER, DIDNT HELP.FINALLY VEHICLE STARTED STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DURING ACC. TOWED BACK TO SHOP, FORD HAD IT SIX WEEKS THIS TIME REPLACED PCM TWO MORE TIMES.I HAVE VEHICLE BACK,STILL PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION HESITATING.VEHICLE IN SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR SAME OR RELATED PROBLEMS AND TOTALLING ALMOST THREE MONTHS IN SHOP. STILL IN ARBITRATION, CONSDERING CLOSING CASE AND TAKING TO DSB. PERSONALLY. *AK

VEHICLE STARTED, ENGINE RATTLED UPON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS AT 2300 MILES. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY DEALER,I SENT COMPLAINT TO FORDS DSB BOARD.WORKING THROGH ARBITRATION VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY ENGINEER.THEY REPLACED PCM.PROBLEM GOT WORSE,ALONG WITH NEW PROBLEMS,LACK OF POWER,HARD START,TRANSMISSION HESITAING.THEN THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP,DIDNT HELP, THEN IGNITION SWITCH, DIDNT HELP,THEN MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND AIR FILTER, DIDNT HELP.FINALLY VEHICLE STARTED STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DURING ACC. TOWED BACK TO SHOP, FORD HAD IT SIX WEEKS THIS TIME REPLACED PCM TWO MORE TIMES.I HAVE VEHICLE BACK,STILL PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION HESITATING.VEHICLE IN SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR SAME OR RELATED PROBLEMS AND TOTALLING ALMOST THREE MONTHS IN SHOP. STILL IN ARBITRATION, CONSDERING CLOSING CASE AND TAKING TO DSB. PERSONALLY. *AK

ROUGH IDLE IN COLD WEATHER. SPARK PLUGS REPLACED TO ELIMINATE FAILURE. *YC

HORN FAILED. *TT

CONSUMER COMPLAINED OF ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE NOT STARTING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED & PARTS REPLACEMENT MADE, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *AK

WIRING ASSEMBLY FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST LOST POWER, THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. WHEN DRIVER TURNED OFF THE KEY IT WORKED FINE. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER, WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE JUST IDLED. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST WEEK. THE VEHCLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED. *AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING BLINKERS, HORN AND HEAD LIGHTS NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

WHEN IN A PARKING LOT VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. ALSO, AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO START ON COLD MORNINGS DUETO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE.