FaultScore report
Owners have filed 31 complaints about the 1985 Ford Escort with NHTSA between 1995 and 2002. The largest single group is the electrical system.
31
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
10
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
0 crashes, 2 fires · median 75,000 mi
0 crashes, 2 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
REAR SAFETY BELT FIT
===
REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE
REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE
SEAT TRACKS
SUMMARY: A FRACTURED FRONT SEAT TRACK RECEIVED FROM AN ESCORT OWNER SHOWSTHAT METAL FATIGUE OCCURRED WHICH COULD CAUSE PARTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT.ANOTHER OWNER SENT PICTURES SHOWING FRACTURE AT THE SAME LOCATION. TENOF THE EIGHTEEN ODI COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.MANUFACTURER INFORMATION: FORD MADE TWO SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THESEAT TRACK; ONE INCORPORATED A DOUBLE LATCH SYSTEM, LOCKING BOTH THE IN-BOARD AND OUTBOARD TRACK ASSEMBLIES, AND THE OTHER ADDED WEB DEPTH IN THEFRONT AND REAR OF THE SEAT TRACK.FORD PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 1,741 WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING...
WINDOW SHATTERING
WINDOW SHATTERING
STALLING
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
SEAT TRACK FAILURE
SUMMARY: A FRACTURED FRONT SEAT TRACK RECEIVED FROM AN ESCORT OWNER SHOWSTHAT METAL FATIGUE OCCURRED WHICH COULD CAUSE PARTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT.ANOTHER OWNER SENT PICTURES SHOWING FRACTURE AT THE SAME LOCATION. TENOF THE EIGHTEEN ODI COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN THE PAST FOUR MONTHS.MANUFACTURER INFORMATION: FORD MADE TWO SIGNIFICANT MODIFICATIONS TO THESEAT TRACK; ONE INCORPORATED A DOUBLE LATCH SYSTEM, LOCKING BOTH THE IN-BOARD AND OUTBOARD TRACK ASSEMBLIES, AND THE OTHER ADDED WEB DEPTH IN THEFRONT AND REAR OF THE SEAT TRACK.FORD PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 1,741 WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING...
FIRES
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE ALLEGED FIRES RESULT FROMA VARIETY OF CAUSES.FIRE RATE REMAINS ABOUT THE SAME DESPITE MAJORCHANGES WITH 85-1/2 MODELS.IT BELIEVES THAT THE FIRE RATE IS LESS THANINDUSTRY AVERAGE.MFGR REQUEST COPIES OF SPECIFIC FIRE REPORTS FOR TRENDANALYSIS.ANALYSIS:SEVERAL AREAS OF FIRE ORIGIN ARE MENTIONED.ENGINE FIRESALLEGEDLY CAUSED BY LEAKAGE OF FLAMMABLE FLUIDS (OIL, GAS, TRANS FLUID).CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FREQUENTLY CITED AS OVERHEATING.CERTAIN MODELSARE REPORTED AT A GREATER FREQUENCY.EXP TURBO REPORTED MOST OFTEN ON APER UNIT BASIS.STATUS: IR SENT 2/19/88. A...
FIRES
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE ALLEGED FIRES RESULT FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF CAUSES, WITH THE REPORTEDRATES OF FIRES FOR 1984-85 MODELS VERSUS THE 85 1/2 MODELS REMAININGAPPROXIMATELY THE SAME.THESE RATES ARE SIGNIFIGANTLY LESS THAN THEINDUSTRY AVERAGE FOR NON-COLLISION VEHICLE FIRES AS REPORTED IN THE SAEPAPER MOTOR VEHICLE NON-CRASH FIRES BY PETER COOLEY OF THE HSRI.THE HEAD GASKET WAS REVISED ON THE 1.9L 2V OR EFI ENGINES TO SERVICE OILLEAKS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD SIDE OF THE ENGINE.ANALYSIS:A REVIEW OF THE REPORTED INCIDENTS SHOWED 8 GROUPS OF PROBABLE CAUSATION:A)APPEARS TO BE...
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
SEATS
THE FORWARD OUTBOARD PEDESTAL OF THE SEAT TRACK OF DRIVER'S SEAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURE.
Risk: THIS COULD RESULT IN A LIMITED DEGREE OF ROCKING MOTIONOF THE DRIVERS SEAT ASSEMBLY UPON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION, WHICH COULDCAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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.
Risk: ENGINE OIL LEAKING ONTO A HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD COULDRESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Seats And Restraints
THE FORWARD OUTBOARD PEDESTAL OF THE SEAT TRACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FATIGUE FRACTURE. FRACTURE OF THIS PEDESTAL WOULD PERMIT A LIMITED DEGREE OF ROCKING MOTION OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT ASSEMBLY UPON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION. BREAKAGE OF THE BRACKET COULD, POTENTIALLY, AFFECT THE DRIVER'S CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. CORRECTION: A REINFORCEMENT WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE SEAT TRACK OR THE SEAT TRACK WILL BE REPLACED IF FRACTURED.
Engine
ON 1984 MODELS, EXTERNAL CRACKS MAY DEVELOP IN THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEADS, WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN OIL LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. ON 1985 MODELS, THE ENGINE ROCKER COVER GASKET MAY SPLIT, WHICH COULD ALLOW OIL TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. BOTH THESE CONDITIONS CREATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE OIL IGNITING CAUSING AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. CORRECTION: ON 1984 MODELS, THE CYLINDER HEADS WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED IF FOUND TO CONTAIN EXTERNAL CRACKS. ON 1985 MODELS, THE ROCKER COVER GASKETS WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED UNLESS THEY ARE OF A LATER DESIGN.
VEHICLES WITH 1.9L ENGINE AND AIR CONDITIONING. A PIN LOCATED ON THE THROTTLE LEVER WHICH ACTUATES THE AIR-CONDITIONER SHUT-OFF SWITCH MAY BE SUBJECT TO MISALIGNMENT SUCH THAT THE SWITCH COULD JAM BEHIND THE ACTUATING ARM OF THE SWITCH. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE THROTTLE LEVER WOULD BE PREVENTED FROM RETURNING TO THE IDLE POSITION AND VEHICLE CONTROL COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #503874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED 60MPH IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER AND PASSENGER LAP/SHOULDER BELTS FAILED,IMPACT 12:00 POSITIONS , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #986849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE LOST POWER, CAUGHT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #504663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION COLUMN, TOTALLY BURNED.
NHTSA complaint #985580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #504259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #984262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
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.
NHTSA complaint #8015102 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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.
NHTSA complaint #764545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
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.
NHTSA complaint #561204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT LATCH INCORPORATES A PLASTIC SPACER WHICH HOLDS METAL BAR IN POSITION, THE METAL BAR HOLDS THE SEAT BELT WEBBING IN PLACE, THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND NO LONGER HOLDS THE BAR IN POSITION, ALLOWING THE SEAT BELT NOT TO STAY FASTENED, CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SELL PLASTIC PART, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE HIM TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY.
NHTSA complaint #561204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE DISTRIBUTOR MOUNTED IGNITION MODULE FAILED CAUSING INSTANT ENGINE STOPPAGE.
NHTSA complaint #561204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD AFTER BEING SET, CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM STARTED AFTER DEARLERSHIP DID A BRAKE REPAIR ON VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #561204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DRIVING AT ROAD SPEED AND CAR STALLS OUT 'IT WILL ONLY START AFTER THE CAR SETS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES THIS HAS HAPPEND SEVERAL TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #740631 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSTANT OIL LEAK ONTO THE MANIFOLD WHICH REQUIRES ME TO USE A HEAVIER OIL SO IT WONT RUN OUT. OIL LEAKING ON MANY AREA'S OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS BEING DONE REGARDING THE OIL LEAK PROBLEM RECALL AND WHERE DO I GO TO GET IT CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #723533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
A PLASTIC PART INSIDE OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BECOME BRITTLE, REDUCING THE STRENGTH OF THE SEAT BELT. EVEN THOUGH IT LATCHED NORMALLY, MY BELT BUCKLE FELL APART AS I WAS DRIVING. I EXAMINED THE SAME PLASTIC PART ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE SEATBELT, (WHICH HAS ALMOST NEVER BEEN USED), AND FOUND THAT IT WAS BRITTLE AND FALLING APART AS WELL. THIS PLASTIC PART HOLDS IN POSITION A METAL BAR, AROUND WHICH THE SEAT-BELT WEBBING WRAPS. THE PLASTIC BECOMES BRITTLE WITH AGE, AND CAN ALLOW THE METAL BAR TO FALL OUT OF THE BUCKLE, RELEASING THE SEAT BELT. THIS BELT DESIGN IS IN MILLIONS OF FORD VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY, ALL OF WHICH MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEAT-BELT FAILURE IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DETERIORATING PLASTIC PART. FRANKLY, IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SEAT BELTS IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC. EVEN WORSE, IT IS A PLASTIC THAT DISINTEGRATES WITH AGE.
NHTSA complaint #715241 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #503874 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE IN PARK AND RUNNING. THIS CONDITION DAMAGES VEHICLE. DEALER/MFR. NOT NOTIFED AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #832666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
SEAT FRAME AND SLIDE RAIL SUPPORTS CRACKED. (SECOND VEHICLE FROM 514712)
NHTSA complaint #602876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEATS
THE SPRING THAT SUPPORT THE SEAT CUSHIONS WERE CUTTING THROUGH THE MATERIAL AROUND THEIR ATTACHMENT HOLES.
NHTSA complaint #602876 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #510468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #508204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED 60MPH IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER AND PASSENGER LAP/SHOULDER BELTS FAILED,IMPACT 12:00 POSITIONS , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #986849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE LOST POWER, CAUGHT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #504663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION COLUMN, TOTALLY BURNED.
NHTSA complaint #985580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
GAS GAUGE INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #504454 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #504259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #984262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER A HEAVY RAIN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OR GO OVER 50MPH AND THERE IS NO POWER. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #982854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. *TT CONSUMER STATES FIRE STARTED IN THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL,VEHICLE ALSO STARTED BY ITSELF.
NHTSA complaint #979180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. *TT CONSUMER STATES FIRE STARTED IN THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL,VEHICLE ALSO STARTED BY ITSELF.
NHTSA complaint #979180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE OWNER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT BURNING SMELL AND DRIVER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD AND SMOKE AND FIRE WAS EVERYWHERE. TT
NHTSA complaint #979008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.