1997 FORD ESCORT Electrical Systemwiring Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN IDLE POSITION A SMELL OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. UPON INSPECTION, THE ENGINE FUSE BOX WAS FOUND TO BE BURNT. BEFORE THE SMOKE ERUPTED, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN BLINKED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE CONDENSATION FROM THE EVAPORATOR CASE MAY HAVE DRIPPED ONTO THE AIRBAG DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR OR WIRING HARNESS. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM A SECOND REMEDY REPAIR UNDER RECALL # 02S44. THE MANUFACURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER THEY CONFIRMED THE DEALER'S CONSENSUS.

WHILE PARKED ON DEALER 'S PROPERTY FOR REPAIRS THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE WAS AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. CONSUMER STATED SHE ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR THREE WEEKS, AND DEALER CLAIMED NO RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

CAR STALLED TRY TO RESTART CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE, NOW TOTAL LOSS. *AK

WIRING HARNESS BREAK IN WAGON HATCH CAUSING ALL ELEC. COMPONENTS TO MALFUNCTION, LSO ENGINE UNABLE TO SHUT OFF(WITH KEY REMOVED FROM IGNITION). *AK

CONSUMER STATED WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 3 MONTHS AGO AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND LATER WENT OFF. ON DECEMBER 22, 2003, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON UPON STARTING , AND THEN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE DASH. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED FIRE WAS DUE TO A SHORT IN A WIRE. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH WIRING HARNESS RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. *MR WHILE THE CONSUMER PROCEEDED THROUGH A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACT ERRATICALLY, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT LATER CAUGHT FIRE AWAITING DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THIS FAILURE BUT THE CONSUMER DIDN'T RECEIVED THE NOTICED PRIOR TO THE FIRE (RECALL # 02V323000). THE CONSUMER ALSO REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC *NLM

CONSUMER CAME TO VEHICLE AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND INTERIOR WAS SMOKEY, DASHBOARD AND INTERIOR WERE BURNED, ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLAIM 05-4593-366. *SLC

VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING DUE TO ELECTRICAL FIRE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 28-3088-664. *SLC

FIRE STARTED IN THE DASH AREA, ALL THE WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM A LOOSE WIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 40-2555-468. *SLC

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SHOP, THE SHOP ASKED CONSUMER TO BRING VEHICLE BACK IN 2-3 DAYS, HOWEVER A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE CENTER MODULE LOCATED IN THE CONSOLE, CLAIM 28-3088-664. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN ALARM SOUNDED, DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING SHORTED OUT THE HORN, ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING BURNED INTO THE HORN, CLAIM 40-2507-626. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE AT DASH PANEL, CLAIM 18-0486-942. *SLC

VEHICLE BURNED FROM THE INSIDE, POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL, FIRE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD BY THE FLOORBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, CLAIM 04-1295-042. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING AND PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A SHORT WITH A WIRE IN THE DASH, CAUSING A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 60-C180-623. *SLC

DASH WAS ON FIRE AND ALL WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING TO THE STORE, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 40-2555-468. *SLC

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ALARM WENT OFF, ACCORDING TO ONE DEALERSHIP THE WIRING SHORTED OUT THE HORN AND CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO NEED REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING BURNED INTO THE HORN, CLAIM 40-2507-626. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SOMETHING BURNING AND PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A SHORT WITH A WIRE IN THE DASH AND THIS CAUSED A FIRE, CLAIM 60-C180-623. *SLC

DASH WAS ON FIRE AND ALL WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING TO THE STORE, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 40-2555-468. *SLC

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ALARM WENT OFF, ACCORDING TO ONE DEALERSHIP THE WIRING SHORTED OUT THE HORN AND CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO NEED REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING BURNED INTO THE HORN, CLAIM 40-2507-626. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED SOMETHING BURNING AND PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A SHORT WITH A WIRE IN THE DASH AND THIS CAUSED A FIRE, CLAIM 60-C180-623. *SLC

FIRE STARTED IN THE DASH AREA, ALL THE WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC

CONSUMER CAME TO VEHICLE AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND INTERIOR WAS SMOKEY, DASHBOARD AND INTERIOR WERE BURNED, ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLAIM 05-4593-366. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM A LOOSE WIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 40-2555-468. *SLC

VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING DUE TO ELECTRICAL FIRE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 28-3088-664. *SLC

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SHOP, THE SHOP ASKED CONSUMER TO BRING VEHICLE BACK IN 2-3 DAYS, HOWEVER A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE CENTER MODULE LOCATED IN THE CONSOLE, CLAIM 28-3088-664. *SLC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN ALARM SOUNDED, DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING SHORTED OUT THE HORN, ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING BURNED INTO THE HORN, CLAIM 40-2507-626. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE AT DASH PANEL, CLAIM 18-0486-942. *SLC

VEHICLE BURNED FROM THE INSIDE, POSSIBLY ELECTRICAL, FIRE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD BY THE FLOORBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, CLAIM 04-1295-042. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING AND PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A SHORT WITH A WIRE IN THE DASH, CAUSING A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 60-C180-623. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. CONSUMER SHUT ENGINE OFF, RESULTING IN VEHICLE NOT RESTARTING. CONSUMER TRIED TO INVESTIGATE, AND FOUND THE ANTIFREEZE FLUID OVERFLOWING, AND CAUSING ELECTRICAL WIRES TO MELT. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERABLE. HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN CA RIS WARM. IF CONSUMER RUNS THE CAR FOR AN HOUR WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THEN SHUTS CAR AND LIGHTS OFF, THEN TURNS SIT BACK ON WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO, HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. DEALER CHECKED AND REPLACED RELAY, BUT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. POSSIBLE FAULTY WIRING. *AK