NHTSA Complaint #10054301 — 1999 FORD ZX2 (ESCORT)

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