1998 FORD ESCORT Engine And Engine Coolingengine Problems

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TROUBLE DATED BACK TO THE RECALL, PRIOR TO THE RECALL THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AN OVER SENSITIVE SENSOR OR AIR BEING IN THE GAS TANK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BOGUS CODE. *JB NAR 1/21/2003

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SHOOK AND MADE NOISE. THEN, SUDDENLY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK CAR SHOOK AND MADE NOISES. THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START OR MOVE AFTER IT SHUT OFF. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. *TC UPDATED 11/29/2005 - *NM UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. PARTS HAS BEEN REPAIRED THREE TIMES BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *PH

ENGINE IS FAILING PREMATURELY. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 FORD ESCORT I ONLY HAVE 19.099 MILES. I PURCHASE THIS CARD ON NOVEMBER OF1998, THEREFORE THE DRIVING TIME WILL BE 4 YEARS ON THIS NOVEMBER. MY ENGINE WENT DEAD. THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THAT MY CAR NO LONGER HAS ANY WARRANTY.*AK I HAVE EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE EXPENDED $14.000 FOR THE USE OF THIS NEW CAR FOR 4 YEARS. AN AS FAR I COLD SEE. THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY DEFECTIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE IF I HAVE DRIVEN THIS CAR 20.000 MILES ON THE FIRST TWO YEARS THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE WOULD HAD GONE LONG BEFORE THAT. AND YOU WOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS ENGINES A LEMON AND I WOULD HAVE A REPLACEMENT THEN. I HAVE THIS CAR SERVICE BY THEM. THEY HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS OF MY VEHICLE ENGINE CHECKS. SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT WENT WRONG WHEN THERE WERE SERVICING MY CAR ALL THIS...

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE CAUSE. PH...*AK

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 1998 FORD ESCORT SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN AUGUST, 1998. THE MOST SEVERE AND RECENT PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED IN DECEMBER, 2002. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING MAJOR OVERHEATING PROBLEMS IN MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE HEAD GASKET BECAME FAULTY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING BUILT, OR IF FULLERTON FORD DAMAGED THE GASKET WHILE DOING WORK ON MY VEHICLE, AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO SODDER THE PART TOGETHER. ACCORDING TO CORBO'S AUTO SERVICE IN SOMERVILLE, THE GASKET HAD A "SODDERED" HOLE IN IT WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO BLOW. FULLERTON FORM WAS THE ONLY REPAIR FACILITY I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO CORBO'S. I HAVE CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SERVICE WORK AT FULLERTON. I HAVE EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT I BELIEVE FULLERTON FORD...

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50-60MPH THE ENGINE'S TIMING BELT BROKE CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL. TS

WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT HEARD GRINDING NOISE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN CRANKSHAFT SLID OFF, AND WENT INTO STEEL FRAME OF VEHICLE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

HARMONIC BALANCER FOR THE KING PIN BROKE.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE EXITING PARKWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD VIBRATION COMING FROM THE FRONT END, THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS HITTING INTO THE WALL OF THE VEHICLE, CONSUMERS HUSBAND CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, HIS HAND SLIPPED AND GOT CAUGHT BETWEEN THE BELT AND THE BALANCER, RESULTING IN HIS FINGER HAVING TO BE AMPUTATED. *SLC

WHEN YOU TRY TO USE THE WASHER FLUID IT LEAKS ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR CAUSING THE HOOD TO BECOME DISCOLORED FROM THE WINDSHEILD WASHER FLUID. ALSO WHENEVER YOU ARE AT A STOP THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THEY FORD SAY THAT IT IS FROM THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND THAT IT IS NOT HAZARDOUS SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT. LAST THEIR IS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISION, WHENEVER YOU ARE MOVING SLOW OR IN A STOP POSITION AND START TO MOVE THE CAR JERKS REALLY BAD. IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE SOMEONE RAN INTO YOU OR THAT YOU RAN SOMETHING OVER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE COMPANY, BUT THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT. I HAVE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE ECAXT SAME CAR HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS

HARMONIC BALANCER SEPARATED/BROKE CAUSING SERPENTINE AND TIMING BELTS TO MALFUNCTION.NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE AND LUCKILY IT OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING.ORIGINAL WARRANTY "EXPIRED" LESS THAN 2 MONTHS PRIOR.UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM MECHANICS AND THE NHTSA WEBSITE.

CRANKSHAFT/ PULLEY CAME LOOSE FROM MOUNTING AND SHIFTING OVER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE ALL POWER. PIECE THAT BROKE OFF JAMMED GEAR, AND TIMING BELT WAS CHANGED AND RESET. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER DID NOT KNOW OF A PROBLEM ,AND DIDN'T OFFER TO DO ANYTHING. WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. PART NUMBER AND NAME IS DAMPER PART# F7CZ-6316-BA. *AK THE PULLEY WAS LOOSE AND SHIFTED HALF INCH CAUSING THE BELT TO SHRED. *YH *TR

DAMPNER PULLEY CAME APART FROM CRANKSHAFT. INSIDE WALL OF VEHICLE WAS THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT FROM FALLING OUT ONTO THE GROUND. I NOTIFIED FORD COMPANY THAT A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE PARTS FALLING OFF. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD RAN OUT. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE ATTITUDE THEY HAVE TOWARDS THEIR CUSTOMERS. *AK

BECAUSE CRANKSHAFT DAMPNER IS DEFECTIVE SERPENTINE BELT WAS WORN OUT AND REPLACED. WHEN IT WAS WORN OUT AGAIN IN ONLY 5000 MILES THE PROBLEM WITH THE CRANKSHAFT DAMPNER WAS FOUND.*AK

PULLEY HAD FROZEN AND SERPENTINE BELT HAD CAME OFF. IT WAS FRAYED. IT THEN SHOT UP INTO THE TIMING BELT. THIS CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO JUMP & CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC HAD REPAIRED IT THE FIRST TIME AT 24,000 MILES.*AK THE SURPENTINE BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 25000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 54000 MILES. *YH

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A MOTOR MOUNT PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, SO THE CONSUMER WAS ROLLED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE WHERE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY WAS LOST. *SLC

ENGINE VIBRATES, AND HAS A HIGH IDLE. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND SHAKES. ENGINE SURGES AND HESITATES. CAR STALLS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS SAME REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF IT. THE MECHANICS HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL GUAGE, FUEL FILTER, VALVE IDLE AIR CONTROL, VAPOR MANAGEMENT, MOTOR MOUNTS. THE DEARLERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH REPLACED A CABLE SOMETHING (THE SERVICE MANGER QUIT AND A TICKET WAS NOT FOUND FOR THIS REPAIR.) THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY FIXED. THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR STALLING, THE REPAIR WAS DONE, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL. AS OF THIS DATE, I AM TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. PLEASE NOTE: IN REVIEWING THE INFORMATION AFTER SUBMITTTING I NOTICED THAT IN # OF FAILURES PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED 8 TIMES WITH THE DATE OF 7/24/98. THIS...

THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE APPARENTLY WEAKENED AND ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY, BEGINNING AT THE TIME OF VEHICLE PURCHASE AND CONTINUING, GROWING WORSE, THROUGH APRIL 2000, WHEN I HAD THE PARTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY; I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB INVOLVING THEM BUT NO RECALL AND NO PUBLIC NOTICE... THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS IF THE WEAKENED MOUNTS BREAK! MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HAD SOME WARNING FROM FORD OR NHTSA THAT THIS MIGHT OCCUR.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK A GRINDING TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND MORE CONSTANT THE CLOSER I GOT TO HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I OPENED THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION DAMPNER PULLEY HAD SLID OUT AND WAS RUBBING ON THE INNER FENDER WELL. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DESTROYED FROM NOT BEING CENTERED ON THE TENSIONER PULLEY AND RUBBING ON THE FENDER WELL. I AM GOING TO CALL THE DEALER TOMORROW TO REPORT THIS AND SEE IF THEY WILL FIX IT. I JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU.

CRANSHAFT PULLEY BROKE, AND THEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SLID. CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING, AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. *AK

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE BALANCER THAT CAME APART THROUGH THE SERPERTINE BELT, ENGINE HEAD GASKET TO BLEW OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO, STALL UNEXPECTLY WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. *AK

AT 40000 MILES BOLT THAT HELD THE CRANKSHAFT BECAME LOOSE WITHOUT A WARNING. A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE TIMING GEAR CHAIN DROPS OFF WHEN IN THIRD GEAR AT 3300 RPM'S. DOZEN VISITS, NO REASON FOUND AS TO WHY. *AK