1996 FORD ESCORT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILLER LINE FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

THE DRIVER SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING AND IS NOW STUCK MIDWAY ALONG THE TOP PART OF THE SEAT BELT TRACK. THIS BEING THE CASE THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT PROTECT THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP. IN THIS POSITION IT IS LIKELY THAT IN A SUDDEN STOP THE DRIVER'S HEAD WOULD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND A MORE SEVERE THAN NORMAL WHIPLASH IN THE NECK WOULD OCCUR. I HAVE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SEAT BELT ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE ONLINE. I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE AND THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON FORD'S PART. AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, WHO HAS WORKED IN A HOSPITAL NEUROSURGERY UNIT, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY RESULTING FROM A MALFUNCTIONING SEAT BELT SUCH AS REPORTED ABOVE IS VERY REAL. IT SHOULD NOT BE AN OPTION FOR FORD TO NOT REPLACE SUCH A FAULTY SAFETY DEVICE - FORD SHOULD BE MANDATED TO REPLACE SUCH DEFECTIVE SAFETY DEVICES AND THERE SHOULD BE NO TIME LIMIT ON SUCH A REPLACEM

Mileage: 140,000

I AM ADDING ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO THE VAST LIST OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING MY 1996 FORD ESCORT AND THE FAILURE OF MY PASSIVE RESTRAINT SHOULDER BELT. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 8-10 YEARS. IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STOP MID-TRACK AND "BOUNCING" THE DOOR AGAINST THE HINGE WOULD GET IT TO MOVE. TWO WEEKS AGO, IT STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. I, TOO, COULD HEAR THE MOTOR TRYING TO MAKE IT GO. I LEFT IT ALONE AND ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER, IT RESUMED OPERATING. NOW A WEEK LATER, IT HAS FROZEN AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE FORWARD IN THE TRACK THAN PREVIOUSLY. I AM DISHEARTEN TO LEARN THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE TRIED THE PROCESS EXPLAINED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO MANUALLY MOVE THE BELT IN THE TRACK HAS FAILED. I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHY FORD, HAVING BEEN NOTIFIED OF SO MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME EXACT FAILURE OF THEIR SAFETY EQUIPMENT, HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE IT! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT IF THIS IS EVIDENCE OF HOW THEY TREAT THEIR FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS! CAN

Mileage: 30,000

1996 FORD ESCORT, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. UNIT 1'S HOOD OPENED AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. UNIT 1 CONTINUED ON TO THE NEXT EMERGENCY PULL OFF TO FILE THE REPORT. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0142-90)*JB UPDATED 04/22/11 *BF

MY WIFE & I HAVE A 1996 FORD ESCORT WAGON THAT WE PURCHASED USED IN 2008. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE IT HAD A SET OF 4 BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL TIRES THAT STILL HAD REASONABLE TREAD DEPTH REMAINING, SO WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO USE THE TIRES UNTIL THE TREAD HAD WORN DOWN MORE AND NEEDED REPLACING. ON FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN PART OF THE REAR PASSENGER-SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND SHOT AGAINST THE SHEET METAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. IT RIPPED A LARGE HOLE IN THE VEHICLE'S SHEET METAL, SHOT MANY SMALL PIECES OF TIRE THROUGH THE HOLE INTO THE INTERIOR CARGO AREA IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AT THE SAME TIME. THANKFULLY MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO HANDLE THE CAR DURING THIS CATASTROPHIC EVENT AND SUCCESSFULLY MANEUVER IT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME SINCE IT WOULD NO LONGER START, AND WHEN IT ARRIVED I NOTICED THE LARGE HOLE THAT HAD BEEN MADE INSI

Mileage: 151,600

I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE CORRECT SECTION TO FILE THIS IN. I AM BEING UNSUCCESSFUL IN A CONTINUED EFFORT TO CORRECT A MALFUNCTION IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR. I HAVE DONE ALL I KNOW TO CORRECT THIS MATTER INCLUDING CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB WITH NO SUCCESS. THIS MALFUNCTION IS CONTINUING TO CAUSE ME NOT TO PASS A SIMPLE SMOG TEST. IS THERE ANY RECORD OF THERE BEING A MANUFACTURE DEFECT TO THIS PART. *TR

Mileage: 20,734

1996 FORD ESCORT HAS HAD CYLINDER HEAD AND GASKET REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE AND NOW IT'S JUST SITTING. **CC *NM

TIRE SEPARATION WITH CHUNKS OF TIRE GONE LEAVING RADIAL BELT EXPOSE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE, SAME COMPANY AND SAME TIRE THAT HAS SEPARATED. BOTH LEAVING LARGE AREAS OF RADIAL BELT EXPOSED. HAVE PICTURES. NO ACCIDENT NO INJURIES, DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BOTH EVIDENTLY SEPARATED BASED ON NOISE AND SHAKING. *JB

1996 FORD ESCORT'S LEFT FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL WAS DESTROYED AND THE FRONT BUMPER AND HOOD BUCKLED/DENTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *NM

THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IN MY 1996 FORD ESCORT FAILED TO MOVE SEVERAL TIMES UPON OPENING THE DOOR. ON ONE OCCASION WHEN IT FAILED TO RELEASE I WENT TO GET UP UNDER IT WHEN IT MOVED FORWARD DRAGGING ME WITH IT AND INJURING MY NECK. *JB

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTER DOES NOT RETRACT. *JB

THE HEAD LIGHT LENSES ON THE FRONT OF MY 96 FORD ESCORT FROM THE HEAT OF THE BULBS BEING EVENTUALLY START TO MELT I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM OF POOR QUALITY ON FORDS PART. *JB

Mileage: 129,400

THREE SEAT BELTS OF 5 IN MY 1996 FORD ESCORT DO NOT WORK. THE SPRINGS OF THE SHOULDER HARNESS OF THE TWO REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE ESCORT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT FORD REFUSED TO FIX WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL COST FOR THE PARTS BECAUSE SEAT BELTS WERE NO LONGER COVERED. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS MOTOR DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, CAUSING THE SHOULDER HARNESS TO NOT BE IN A SAFE POSITION. NO INJURIES AT THIS POINT. IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT PASSENGERS AND DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED BY SEAT BELTS. INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS APPROXIMATE DATE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED. *JB

I DO NOT HAVE ANY EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONSISTED OF MY SEAT BACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SNAPPING AT THE BASE. AFTER PULLING THE SEAT COVER OFF I NOTICED THAT THE STAINLESS STEEL FRAME ON THE SEAT COMPLETELY BROKE/SNAPPED ALLOWING THE SEAT TO FALL BACK UNCONTROLLABLY. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND ALMOST WRECKED. I REPLACED THE SEAT WITH A LIKE SEAT FROM A USED VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 154,000

WE ARE THE OWNERS OF A 1996 FORD ESCORT WAGON VIN: [XXX]. WE HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. WE ARE WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE LAP SHOULDER SAFETY BELTS IN THE REAR SEAT ON BOTH SIDES. BOTH OF THE REAR LAP SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR MECHANISMS HAVE FAILED WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF EACH OTHER. THIS MEANS THE SEAT BELTS WILL NO LONGER RETRACT OR PULL TIGHT WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO USE THE REAR SEAT BELTS. THE REASON WE FEEL COMPELLED TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS FAILURE IS THAT UNTIL AROUND 9 MONTHS AGO, WE RARELY (A HANDFUL OF TIMES AT THE MOST) USED THE REAR LAP SHOULDER SEAT BELTS. IN AUGUST 2004 WE SWITCHED OUR SON'S CAR SEAT OVER TO A BOOSTER SEAT, MOVED THE SEAT FROM THE MIDDLE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND STARTED USING THE LAP SHOULDER SAFETY BELT. IN EARLY NOVEMBER WE WERE FORCED TO MOVE OUR SON'S BOOSTER SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE BELT FAILED TO RETRACT AND WAS UNUSABLE. TODAY WE WERE DRIVING HOME IN OUR CAR WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD METALLIC NOISE

Mileage: 89,535

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES. SYSTEM FAILURE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD IN EVENT OF CRASH. *JB

Mileage: 86,000

MY 1996 FORD ESCORT'S DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER BELT WON'T MOVE TO THE LOCKED POSITION ON THE B-PILLAR. IT IS STUCK TOWARD THE REAR OF THE TRACK JUST PAST THE UPPER BEND IN THE TRACK. *AK I DISCONNECTED THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS FOLLOWING THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT MOVE MANUALLY WHEN I USED THE EMERGENCY HANDLE TURNING IT CLOCKWISE. EVERYTHING I TRIED TO MOVE THIS INTO POSITION HAS NOT WORKED. I WENT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT ISN'T A RECALL ITEM BUT THE PERSON IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT SAID THE SHOULD HARNESS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH ESCORTS. HE DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THE PARTS IN STOCK. I WENT TO SEVERAL CAR REPAIR FACILITIES INCLUCING SUBURBAN FORD IN WATERFORD, MI. EVERYONE SAID THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR BECAUSE THE INTERIOR BODY WOULD HAVE TO BE DISMANTLED TO GET TO THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. I ALSO SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME ONLINE TONIGHT RESEARCHING WHETHER THIS SHOULDER BELT PROBLEM IS COMMON. BINGO. STUCK, STALLED, STICKING DRIVER

RIGHT BEFORE I WAS DUE FOR MY SAFETY INSPECTION, MY AUTOMATIC SAFETY BELT MECHANISM STOPPED WORKING, SO WHEN I WENT TO HAVE IT INSPECTED AT DOBBS AUTO CENTER, OF COURSE, IT DID NOT PASS BECAUSE OF THIS AND I HAD TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR INSTALLED AT A COST OF $363.77. EVEN THE GUY WHO INSPECTED IT SAID THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BECAUSE OF SAFETY ISSUES AND THAT I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. I CAN FAX YOU A COPY OF THE BILL IF NECESSARY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *JB

FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED.CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE OWNED A ANOTHER FORD ESCORT OF A DIFFERENT YEAR AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED. *AK

Mileage: 53,334

THE FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT FULLY, AND THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT AT ALL. THIS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RESTRAINT THE OCCUPANTS OR A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. *AK *NM

Mileage: 100,000