NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
98 reports35,900 miles · Aug 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
I WOULD LIKE TO REFERENCE ODI CASES # 8016196, 1451010 AND PARTICULARLY 881231 IN REFERENCE TO MY FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, MY POWER STEERING, AC AND ALTERNATOR WENT OUT WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. THE BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE WATER PUMP TENSIONER, WHICH LITERALLY SNAPPED AWAY FROM THE WATER PUMP HOUSING …
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I WOULD LIKE TO REFERENCE ODI CASES # 8016196, 1451010 AND PARTICULARLY 881231 IN REFERENCE TO MY FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED, MY POWER STEERING, AC AND ALTERNATOR WENT OUT WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. THE BELT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE WATER PUMP TENSIONER, WHICH LITERALLY SNAPPED AWAY FROM THE WATER PUMP HOUSING AND BROKE THE WATER PUMP HOUSING IN 3 PIECES. MY MECHANIC ALSO SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS - BUT HE FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING THAT FORD HAD THE WATER PUMP HOUSING IN STOCK IN THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT. THE WATER PUMP, THE HOUSING, THE TENSIONER AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WERE ALL REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S COST.
NHTSA ODI #10086733
Mileage unknown · Jul 29, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
I'VE HAD MY FORD ESCORT ZX2 FOR A YEAR NOW. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A DEALERSHIP. RECENTLY I'VE NOTICED A MAJOR DECLINE IN PERFORMANCE. IT IDLES LOW, THE HORSEPOWER IS GONE, AND WHEN SITTING FOR PERIODS OF TIME IT HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. LAST WEEKEND I HAD A FORD CERTIFIED MECHANIC PERFORM A COMPUTER AND MECHANICAL DIAGNOSTIC O…
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I'VE HAD MY FORD ESCORT ZX2 FOR A YEAR NOW. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A DEALERSHIP. RECENTLY I'VE NOTICED A MAJOR DECLINE IN PERFORMANCE. IT IDLES LOW, THE HORSEPOWER IS GONE, AND WHEN SITTING FOR PERIODS OF TIME IT HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. LAST WEEKEND I HAD A FORD CERTIFIED MECHANIC PERFORM A COMPUTER AND MECHANICAL DIAGNOSTIC ON IT TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. SO, HE CHECKED SERVICE BULLETINS FOR IT AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN ON ITS VARIABLE CAM TIMING DTC. HE FELT THAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10082968
Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE ENGINE STALLED. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THAT ENGINE BLEW OUT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10080142
61,000 miles · Jun 22, 2004
Equipment
DUE TO A POOR DESIGN AIR CONDITIONER HOSE WAS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE'S RADIATOR. THIS CAUSED A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONER HOSE, WHICH CASED FREON TO ESCAPE, AND POSSIBLY CAUSE HARM TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE BUT WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10079631
48,000 miles · May 21, 2004
Air BagsCrashInjury
MY DAUGHTER HAD A FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT RELEASE. SHE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND A 2000 HONDA ACCORD CAME AROUND THE CORNER AND HIT HER HEAD ON ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10072948
102,000 miles · May 12, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
MY CAR HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 40,000 MILES AND NOW AT 102,000 MILES I'M HAVING TO PUT A NEW MOTOR IN. THIS CAR HAS HAD EXCELLENT CARE AND MAINTENCE AND NO REASON FOR THIS. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND LOUD NOICE STARTED SO I STOPPED AND HAD IT TOWED FORD SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR WAS NO GOOD KNOW. THIS CAR HAD …
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MY CAR HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS BEFORE 40,000 MILES AND NOW AT 102,000 MILES I'M HAVING TO PUT A NEW MOTOR IN. THIS CAR HAS HAD EXCELLENT CARE AND MAINTENCE AND NO REASON FOR THIS. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND LOUD NOICE STARTED SO I STOPPED AND HAD IT TOWED FORD SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR WAS NO GOOD KNOW. THIS CAR HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE MOTOR TILL THEN.
NHTSA ODI #10072496
20,000 miles · Apr 29, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS SITTING IDLING, THERE IS A SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE THROW OUT AND MAIN BEARING ON THE CRANK SHAFT. *NM THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE MORE OPTIONS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10065527
60,000 miles · Apr 1, 2004
Power Train
CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION PREMATURELY. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 60, 000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10065445
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2004
Suspension
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT PASSENGER SIDE SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10064754
71,050 miles · Feb 8, 2004
Electrical System
ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS FROM AUGUST, 2002 THROUGH THE PRESENT (FEBRUARY 7, 2004), WE HAVE HAD THE FUSES LABELLED "STOP" AND "HAZARD" HAVE BLOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS RESULTS IN THE FOLLOWING FAILURES: (1) WHEN THE "STOP" FUSE BLOWS, THE STOP LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION (WHICH IS UNKNOWN TO THE DRIVER AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH IF THE PER…
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ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS FROM AUGUST, 2002 THROUGH THE PRESENT (FEBRUARY 7, 2004), WE HAVE HAD THE FUSES LABELLED "STOP" AND "HAZARD" HAVE BLOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS RESULTS IN THE FOLLOWING FAILURES: (1) WHEN THE "STOP" FUSE BLOWS, THE STOP LIGHTS DO NOT FUNCTION (WHICH IS UNKNOWN TO THE DRIVER AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH IF THE PERSON FOLLOWING DOES NOT REALIZE WHEN THE CAR HAS ITS BRAKES APPLIED); (2) THE "STOP" FUSE BLOWING ALSO CAUSES THE SHIFT LOCK TO NOT FUNCTION, RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE UNLESS THE OVERRIDE IS APPLIED; (3) WHEN THE "HAZARD" FUSE BLOWS, THIS RESULTS IN AN IMMEDIATE STALLING OF THE CAR, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF IT OCCURS IN TRAFFIC AND COULD CAUSE A FATALITY; (4) THE "HAZARD" FUSE BLOWING ALSO RESULTS IN THE TURN SIGNALS AND THE HAZARD LIGHTS FAILING TO FUNCTION, SO OTHER DRIVERS DO NOT EVEN KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF FUSES TO TEMPORARILY FIX THESE PROBLEMS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10056781
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