1995 Ford Escort

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN !995, AND FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM. DURING THE PERIOD OF 6/3/97 THRU 6/17/97 ALONE, THE PROBLEM OCCURED 5 TIMES. BERGE FORD HAS REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM EACH AND EVERY YEAR THAT I HAVE OWNED IT. I AM NOT COMPLETELY SURE WHAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM BUT THE SAME COMPONENTS ARE INVOLVED EACH TIME. THE FAILURE CAUSES THE RELAYS TO BURN OUT INITIALLY, OR THE WIREING HARNESS TO SUFFER DAMAGE AND THESE FAILURES CAUSE THE COOLING FAN TO EITHER BECOME INOPERATIVE OR BURN OUT AS WELL. I HAVE SERVICE RECORDS (SO FAR) FOR 15 SUCH REPAIRS SINCE 1995. THEY CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. THIS YEAR I HAVE ONCE AGAIN HAD TWO FAILURES, AND THE ONE THAT CAUSES ME TO CONTACT YOU HAPPENED ON 8/17/2000. THIS ONE WAS NOT A COMPLETE FAILURE BUT WAS AN INTERMITENT COOLING PROBLEM AND I WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE DEALER SO I DROVE IN. THEY ACCEPTED THE VEHICLE AS USUAL, AND MY ADVISOR AGREED TO COVER THE REPAIR AT NO CHARGE AND PROVIDE ME A RENTAL CAR AS THEY HAVE DONE COUNTLESS TIMES IN THE PAST.. ONLY THIS TIME MY SERVICE ADVISOR MENTIONED THAT FORD HAD A "NEW" BOSCH RELAY AND WIRE SYSTEM WHICH HE CLAIMED WOULD SOLVE MY PROBLEM. OF COURSE I WAS INTERESTED, ALL I EVER WANTED WAS FOR THEM TO KEEP THEIR ORIGINAL PROMISE OF "REPAIRING IT RIGHT THIS TIME". THE DIFFERENCE ON THIS OCCASION WAS THAT NOW THAT THEY HAD THE "RIGHT" PARTS TO REPAIR THE CAR ONCE AND FOR ALL, AND THESE PARTS WOULD COST ME OVER $400.00 I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNFAIR AS THE COST OF REPAIR HAS BEEN COVERED FOR THE MOST PART FOR OVER SIX YEARS WITH PARTS WHICH CONTINUE TO FAIL OVER AND OVER. AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE THE CORRECT PARTS, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO COVER THEM. I HOPE THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME AND OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IF NOT, CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY ADVISE AS TO WHAT MY RIGHTS ARE IN THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.

WHEN THIS COMPONENT FAILED, IT OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE WIRING HARNES. I WORKED FOR THE SELLING DEALER AND MADE THE REPAIRS MYSELF. HAVING WORKED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP, I CAN CONFIRM THAT THIS MELTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE FAILURE RESULTS IN NO BLOWER OPERATION AND THEREFORE NO DEFROSTERS IN CASE OF ICE OR FOG BUILDUP. THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURING AND WE CAN SMELL THE WIRING OVERHEATING AGAIN. THE WIRING WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED AGAIN BEFORE WINTER. AS YOU KNOW, FORD HAS A LONG HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESSES IN MOST OF IT'S PRODUCT LINE.

THIS WAS MY MOTHER'S CAR-PEARL LEE. SHE SUBSEQUENTLY DIED-2MONTHS LATER. IN THE ACCIDENT SHE WAS REAR ENDED YET HER SEAT BELT BROKE AND HER SEAT WAS SLAMMED BACKWARDS INTO THE BACK SEAT. HER HEAD SLAMMED INTO THE DASH AND SHE WAS KNOCKED OUT. I BELIEVE THE FAULT WAS PROBABLY IN THE SEAT BELT AND SEAT TRACK. SHE WAS NOT DRIVING FAST OR RECKLESS. THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY STATE FARM IN DECATUR ILLINOIS. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

WE ARE JUST SUPRISED THAT THE CAR WOULD NEED A VALVE JOB AFTER ALL IT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. WE BOUGHT IT WITH THE ORIGANAL WARRENTY AND PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRENTY TO 60,000 MILES WHICH HAS NOW EXPIRED. WE HAVE BEEN GOOD WITH DAILY MAINTNENCE AND HAVE HAD THE CAR IN ON MANY WARRENTY REPAIRS. HAVE HEARD THAT FORD HAS BEEN HAVING SOME COMPLAINTS ON THE CYLINDERS MALFUNCTIONING.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SEAT BELTS IN REAR, RESTRAINING CHILDREN, WOULD MAKE RETCHING NOISES BEFORE JAMMING. TOP OF SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER CHILD HAS LEANED FORWARD QUICKLY BECAUSE THE BELT IS LOOSE. BEEN REPAIRED TWICE ON BOTH SIDES. PARTS WERE BACK AN ORDER, AND DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR IT. *AK CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM BECAUSE IT FAILED 3 TIMES IN 5 YEARS. *YH

ON JULY 9, 2000 WE REALIZED WE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE NIGHT BEFORE I HAD FILLED THE GAS TANK COMPLETELY FULL AND ON JULY 9, 2000 WHEN WE GOT INTO THE CAR IT HAD ONLY 3/8 TANK OF GAS. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN .5 MILES SINCE THE FILL UP. ON JULY 11, 2000 I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY LOOKED AT IT THE NEXT DAY AND SAID I HAD A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MECHANIC SAID THE PART SHOULD BE IN THE NEXT DAY AND THE CAR READY THE NEXT AFTERNOON WHICH WOULD BE JULY 13, 2000. BEFORE NOON ON JULY 13, 2000 THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE FUEL TANK WAS ON BACKORDER AND HAD NO CLUE WHEN IT WOULD BE IN. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 RECALLS ON THE EXACT MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF MY CAR; HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED. YOUR COMPLAINT FILE HAS OVER 24 COMPLAINTS WITH THE EXACT SAME THING AND THEY WERE ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY FUEL TANK HAS BEEN ON BACKORDERED FOR 33 DAYS, WHY ARE THEY IN SUCH DEMAND?? IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE 1995 FORD ESCORTS. IT IS GOING ON THE 6TH WEEK SINCE I TURNED MY CAR INTO THE DEALER. IT HAS BEEN 33 DAYS SINCE THE DAY THE FUEL TANK WAS ORDERED AND STILL NO IDEA ON WHEN I WILL GET MY CAR BACK.*AK