1999 Ford ZX2 (Escort)

1999 FORD ZX2, ROUGH IDLE AND VIBRATION. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO CHECK WHY IT WAS IDLING SO ROUGH, COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. FOUND TSB 031515, WHICH SAYS THAT THE BUSHINGS ON THE ENGINE MOUNT WERE DEFECTIVE. FORD REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE MOUNT IN CARS MADE AFTER MINE WAS BOUGHT. REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $400. FORD REFUSED TO CONSIDER REIMBURSEMENT. TSB 031515 IS SECOND BULLETIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

MY 1999 FORD ESCORT ZX2 HAS A VERY BAD VIBRATION PROBLEM. THE VIBRATION IS FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL, THROUGH THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VIBRATION IS SO BAD THAT WHEN STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND STOPPED AT LIGHTS MY HANDS AND FEET SOMETIMES GO NUMB. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS "NORMAL" FOR ESCORTS. I CONTACTED FORD, WHO STATED THAT THEIR ENGINEERS SAY THIS IS A "NORMAL" CONDITION. I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A PERFORMANCE/COMFORT ISSUE BUT A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T FEEL THE BRAKE PEDAL OR HOLD ON TO THE STEERING WHEEL PROPERLY DUE TO NUMBNESS CASED BY THE VIBRATION, IT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, SOMETIMES THE VIBRATION IS SO BAD THAT YOU CAN NOT SEE PROPERLY WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS, WHICH IS ANOTHER SAFETY CONCERN. ACCORDING TO WEB SITES WHERE PEOPLE LOG THEIR COMPLAINTS, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH VIBRATIONS AND HAVE RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE FROM FORD. *CB

I HAVE A 1999 FORD ESCORT ZX2. THE CAR HAS A ROUGH IDLE IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. THE CAR SHAKES SO BAD THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS BOUNCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, HAD THE MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED AND PCM COMPUTER UDGRADED, AND STILL DOES IT. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM IN ESCORTS AND MYSTIQUES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS HOW COME THE CONSUMER GETS STUCK PAYING THE BILL.*AK

ON 06/12/03 WHILE DRIVING, THE TIMING BELT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. DEALER REPAIRED. ON 06/24/03 WHILE DRIVING, THE TIMING BELT BROKE AGAIN, AND CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE "CRANK" HAD TOO MUCH "PLAY" WHERE IT FITTED INTO THE DRIVETRAIN. THIS CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK TWICE, WHICH RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE. *AK THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT A PART FROM THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO THE ENGINE FROM AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. *SCC *JB