1985 FORD ESCORT — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
31
Owner Complaints
3
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
3
Investigations
Overview of the 1985 FORD ESCORT
The 1985 FORD ESCORT has received a total of 31 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SEATS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. The most commonly reported problems involve the Electrical Systemignitionswitch (5 complaints), Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline (3 complaints), and Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood (2 complaints).
Recalls for the 1985 FORD ESCORT
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 1985 FORD ESCORT, potentially affecting up to 1,866,549 vehicles.
Recall 89V170000 — SEATS
| 1,375,500 vehicles affected
Defect: THE FORWARD OUTBOARD PEDESTAL OF THE SEAT TRACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURE.
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A LIMITED DEGREE OF ROCKING MOTIONOF THE DRIVERS SEAT ASSEMBLY UPON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION, WHICH COULDCAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL A REINFORCEMENT ON ALL MODELS AND A NEW SEAT TRACK AS NECESSARY
View full details →Recall 89V095000 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
| 481,049 vehicles affected
Defect: EXTERNAL CRACKS ABOVE THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER (1984 MODELS) OR ROCKER ARM COVER GASKETS SPLITTING (1985 MODELS) COULD ALLOW OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.
Consequence: ENGINE OIL LEAKING ONTO A HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD COULDRESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Remedy: REPLACE CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS (1984 MODELS); REPLACE ROCKER ARM COVER GASKETS (1985 MODELS).
View full details →Recall 85V054000 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
| 10,000 vehicles affected
Defect: THE THROTTLE LEVER MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE POSITION DUE TO MISALIGNMENT OF THE AIR CONDITIONER SHUT OFF SWITCH TO THE THROTTLE LEVER PIN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: A JAMMED THROTTLE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: ADJUST SHUTOFF SWITCH AND ASSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT TO THROTTLE LEVER PIN.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1985 FORD ESCORT
31 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1985 FORD ESCORT. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Systemignitionswitch | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasoline | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsfrontanchorage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bagsfrontal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemignition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemignitionmodule | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemwiringinteriorunder Dash | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Coolingengine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lightingheadlights | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainautomatic Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainautomatic Transmissionparkneutral Start Interlock Switch | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Trainmanual Transmission | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat Beltsfrontbuckle Assembly | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywindshield | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED PROBLEM WITH IGNITION MODULE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ALSO VEHICLE EMITS FUMES THAT SMELL LIKE ACETONE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO PURCHASE NEW IGNITION MODULE FOR FEAR THAT VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE.*AK EXHAUST, IGNITION SWITCH, ALTERNATOR, VOLT REGULATOR, IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL REPLACED HOWEVER FUMES WERE STILL PROMINENT. *TT
PUT A STOP TO HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLIGHTS: WHEN AN SUV WITH THOSE LIGHTS COMES UP BEHINE ME, EVEN A FLIPPED DOWN REARVIEW MIRROR DOES NOT PROTECT ME. *AK
THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTED IGNITION MODULE FAILED CAUSING INSTANT ENGINE STOPPAGE. *JB
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD AFTER BEING SET, CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM STARTED AFTER DEARLERSHIP DID A BRAKE REPAIR ON VEHICLE. *JB
THE RUBBER BOOT SURROUNDING THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER IS SO TIGHT, THAT IN COLD WEATHER IT WILL PULL LEVER OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT PUT ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL AND ROLLED DOWN A HILL AND HIT A PARKED CAR, CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *JB
Safety Rating for the 1985 FORD ESCORT
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1985 FORD ESCORT in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1985 FORD ESCORT
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1985 FORD ESCORT
NHTSA has opened 3 investigations into potential safety defects in the 1985 FORD ESCORT.
Other Model Years of the FORD ESCORT
- 1981 FORD ESCORT — 2 complaints
- 1982 FORD ESCORT — 5 complaints
- 1983 FORD ESCORT — 7 complaints
- 1984 FORD ESCORT — 27 complaints
- 1985 FORD ESCORT (current)
- 1986 FORD ESCORT — 53 complaints
- 1987 FORD ESCORT — 65 complaints
- 1988 FORD ESCORT — 206 complaints
- 1989 FORD ESCORT — 199 complaints
- 1990 FORD ESCORT — 128 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints