1995 Ford Escort

PLASTIC FUEL TANK STARTED LEAKING CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. I CONTACTED TWO LOCAL FORD DEALERS AND BOTH TOLD ME THAT THE PLASTIC FUEL TANKS IN FORD ESCORTS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND WERE SUBJECT TO EMERGENCY MAJOR RECALLS. AFTER RESEARCH ON RECALLS 97V144 AND 97V145, BOTH DEALERSHIPS TELL ME THAT FOR SOME REASON MY VIN NUMBER IS EXCLUDED BUT BOTH DEALERSHIPS FEEL IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN DEFECT AND POSES A "SEVERE" SAFETY HAZARD TO LIFE. I CONTACTED FORD CONSUMER SERVICE ND THEY BASICALLY SHINED ME ON. I FEEL FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE FUEL TANK AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WHY IF THEY RECALLED 64,600 OTHER 1995 FORD ESCORTS WITH LEAKING PLASTIC FUEL TANKS WOULD THEY EXCLUDE MY VEHICLE. THIS DEMONSTRATES GROSS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY. AND , FOR A CONSUMER THAT HAS BOUGHT 6 "NEW" FORD CARS SINCE JANUARY 2001, IT TELLS ME THAT I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANYMORE NEW FORDS. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER TO CONVINCE FORD TO STAND BEHIND THE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THANKS, JASON HOLLAND, ESQ. **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**770830

I CANNOT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IN MY 1995 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON. THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO RUN EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION IS TURNED TO OFF AND THE KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED. THERE HAVE BEEN 4 IGNITION SWITCHES INSTALLED IN THIS CAR, BUT THE LOCKSMITH DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH IS THE PROBLEM. HE BELIEVES THAT SOMETHING IS NOT WORKING IN THE COMPUTER THAT TELLS THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS CAR WAS TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE AND THEN REMOVE THE SPARK PLUG, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DO WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING.

WHEN I HAD THE CAR IN TO REPAIR A LEAKING RADIATOR I WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR SPRINGS OF THE CAR WERE BROKEN - THESE WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TWO REAR TIRES WHICH HAD BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO THE BROKEN SPRINGS. SIX MONTHS LATER BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE PUNCTURING THAT TIRE - PER THE GARAGE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS ARE BROKEN AND MUST BE REPLACED. SINCE I'VE HAD THE CARE IN TWO DIFFERENT GARAGES I'VE HEARD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE FORD ESCORTS.

THE DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT IS STUCK FOUR INCHES ABOVE THE LOCK POSITION. IT CAN NOT BE MOVED USING THE MECHANICAL OVER RIDE. A FORD SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE HAS INSPECTED IT AND CLAIMS THE TRACK ITSELF IS DAMAGED AND AS A RESULT, THE MOTOR IS BURNED OUT. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS MORE THAN $500. THERE ARE A NUMBER IF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN THE NHTSA DATABASE, INCLUDING AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY FORD SERVICE PERSONAL THAT THE PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD. IT IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION, AS THE DRIVER IS NOT SECURELY STRAPPED IN, EVEN WHEN FASTENING THE BELT MANUALLY, BECAUSE IT IS TOO FAR FROM THE SHOULDER TO PROTECT THE DRIVER IN A COLLISION. *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****769306