28 of the 206 complaints about the 1988 Ford Escort are about the engine — 14% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 67,000 miles.
28
Complaints
0
Crashes
9
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR HAS BEEN STALLING REGARDLESS OF SPEED. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. MECHANIC HAS (SO FAR) IDENTIFIED BAD HEAD GASKET. I AM SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS ONLY 67,000 MILES ON IT. VERY FEW MILES FOR AN EXPENSIVE HEAD GASKET REPAIR!!
NHTSA complaint #10041201 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED, HAS STALLED 4 TIMES. INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED IGNITION MODULE 4 TIMES.*AK
NHTSA complaint #898484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE BEGAN - DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED NOISE PROBABLY DUE TO BENT ROD. KNOCK SEEMS TO LESSEN DURING COLD WEATHER AND WHEN OIL IS SERVICED. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP INTERMITTENTLY DURING OPERATION. REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR - PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.
NHTSA complaint #746535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY TIME AND ANY SPEED.
NHTSA complaint #885964 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
RADIATOR COOLING FAN MALFUNCTIONED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING WIRE HARNESS TO CATCH ON FIRE, AND BLOW THE FUSEABLE LINK THAT SHUTS FUEL PUMP OFF. THIS COMPLETELY CAUSED VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #871994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
PCV VALVE FAILED. NLM
NHTSA complaint #527929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
REPLACED THREE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELTS BEFORE 75,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #513796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
REPLACED THREE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELTS BEFORE 75,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #513796 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH STALLING.
NHTSA complaint #507593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE. VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF CONSUMER'S HOUSE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO THE SCENE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #831474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HESTITATES AND STALLS.
NHTSA complaint #521560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #521560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 10-40 MPH. HAD A TUNE UP THE THAT DIDN'T REMEDY THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #816416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE TIMING BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #515345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP WAS NOISY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #515345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #503586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE BEING DRIVEN.
NHTSA complaint #983735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
NHTSA complaint #507969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPAIR AFTER RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #507969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET REPLACED DUE TO LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #507969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS ON HOT WHEN THE VEHICLE "DIED."
NHTSA complaint #508574 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TIMING BELT FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #507719 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #506331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
CATALYTIC CONVERTER CLOGGED, CAUSING FUMES TO ESCAPE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AFTER RECALL REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA complaint #506220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE OWNER WENT INTO THE STORE AND WHEN SHE CAME OUT AND IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE OWNER WENT INTO THE STORE AND WHEN SHE CAME OUT AND IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE BEING DRIVEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #983735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING CAR, SMELLED SMOKE, WAS ON HER WAY HOME, PARKED CAR IN DRIVEWAY AND CAUGHT ON FIRE PLEASE DESCRIBE .
NHTSA complaint #982195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.