1998 FORD ESCORT Electrical System Problems

I OWN A 1998 FORD ESCORT WITH 32,000 MILES AND RECENTLY HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL MODULE REPLACED.WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A NEW PART, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN MANY PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK , WHEN SHE CALLED ME & SAID "DAD MY CAR HAS LOSS POWER & IS RUNNING VERY ROUGH". I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER & I WOULD BE THERE SHORTLY, SINCE SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. AS I WAS PREPAIRING TO LEAVE, MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME BACK & SAID THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD HER TO CALL 911 AND GET AWAY FROM THE CAR. IT TOOK ME LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO GET THERE & BY THAT TIME THE FIREMEN HAD PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING GREAT, WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.

CAR WILL LOOSE POWER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MILES AFTER SLOWING DOWN FROM HIGH SPEEDS (55-75 MPH) TO PASS THROUGH AN AUTOMATED EPASS SYSTEM (35MPH). THERE IS NO BUCKING OR SURGING, SIMPLY A LOSS OF POWER. YOU CAN PUT THE ACCELATOR TO THE FLOOR TO NO AVAIL. ONCE DOWN BELOW 10 MPH THE CAR WILL STALL OUT. AFTER WAITING 1/2 HOUR THE CAR CAN BE RESTARTED. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURED THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SUN STATE FORD. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WAS ALLOWED TO SIT AND THEN DRIVEN TO CAR MAX (PLACE OF PURCHASE) WHERE THE IGNITION COIL AND WIRES WHERE REPLACED. THE 3RD OCCURENCE WAS TODAY. THE CAR WILL BE TAKEN BACK TO CAR MAX. ALL OF THESE OCCURENCES HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST 2 WEEKS.

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.*JB

VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE INOPERATIVE AND IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE HIT BY A SURGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER. JB

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKING BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-5125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

WHILE TURNING OFF IGNITION, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CONSUMER AND HER DAUGHTER TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE THEMSELVES, HOWEVER COULD NOT, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TURNING OFF THE IGNITION AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CONSUMER AND HER DAUGHTER TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE THEMSELVES, HOWEVER COULD NOT, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKING BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-5125-333. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING, FLAMES STARTED COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH, CLAIM 13-7568-816. *SLC

WHILE TURNING OFF IGNITION, CONSUMER NOTICED A FIRE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA, CLAIM 14-1385-223. *SLC

VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE INOPERATIVE AND IT APPEARED THAT THEY WERE HIT BY A SURGE OF ELECTRICAL POWER. JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING BLINKERS, HORN AND HEAD LIGHTS NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.