2001 Ford Escort

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE REAR SPRING COILS ON MY 2001 FORD ESCORT (59,000 MILES) WERE NOTICEABLY WORN DOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, AS TO NOT PUNCTURE MY TIRES. HE SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN ESCORTS AND TAURUS AND THAT TIRES CAN BE PUNCTURED BY THESE REAR COIL SPRINGS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I HAD THE REAR SPRINGS REPLACED, WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR. *TR

ON SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX MY VEHICLE I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND THE TROUBLE UNTIL I SAW THE RECALL LIST, I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH MY SHIFTER, AIR FLOW DEVICE FOR IDLE, TO MY BACK LIGHT ON THE TOP SHORTING OUT, TO STALL WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON AND NOT BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM, I HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND MONEY ON THESE PROBLEMS AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT PARTS GOING WRONG ON MY CAR, I HAVE A ESCORT 2001 ZX2. NOW IT MAKE A WEIRD SOUND WHEN DRIVING SLOW! I HAVE PUT NEW BRAKES ON IT AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR OVER TWO HOURS. HE SMELLED SMOKE AND CHECKED IN THE GARAGE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD IN FRONT OF THE STEERING COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE AND THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THE PRELIMINARY REPORT INDICATED THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. REPORTS WERE TAKEN BY THE POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

2001 FORD ESCORT 4-DOOR 477-LXX. I HAD STARTED UP MY CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN MY CAR REFUSED TO RUN. I TRIED TURNING IT OVER SEVERAL TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. SO I CONTACTED A MECHANIC, WHO TOWED THE CAR IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. HE CALLED ME TODAY WITH THE FOLLOWING: THERE WAS DEFECTIVE WIRING ON FUEL PUMP HOUSING OF MY CAR. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FROM THE FACTORY ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. ONE SET OF 4 TERMINALS ON THE PUMP WERE ANGLED BACK PROPERLY, BUT THE OTHER SET OF 4 WERE STRAIGHT SO THAT THE TERMINALS WERE ALMOST TOUCHING. THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TERMINALS ON THE TWO CENTER TERMINALS OF THE STRAIGHT SET WERE FUSED UPON INSPECTION. HAD SHORTED OUT THE FUEL PUMP. THE INSULATION WAS BURNED OFF, AND THE MECHANIC ASSUMED THAT THE TWO POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TERMINALS PROBABLY HAD BEEN ARCING ABOVE THE GAS TANK EACH TIME THE CAR STARTED SINCE IT LEFT THE FACTORY, SINCE THE FUEL PUMP HAD BEEN BASICALLY UNTOUCHED. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE CAUSED A VIOLENT EXPLOSION OF GAS IN THE FUEL TANK, AND KILLED BOTH ME AND MY MOTHER, AND POSSIBLY BURNED OUR HOUSE DOWN. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED BY THE MECHANIC BY BENDING THE TERMINALS BACK TO THEIR PROPER POSITION. *AK