20 of the
413 complaints about the 1991 Ford Escort are about the
lighting — 5% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
90,000 miles.
DT: 1991, FORD, ESCORT HATCHBACK. CONSUMER'S WIFE CAME HOME YESTERDAY, AND SAID SHE SMELLED SMOKE. CONSUMER CHECKED VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED AT TOP OF REAR WINDOW SMOKED WHEN BRAKE WAS PRESSED. CONSUMER TOOK LIGHT APART, AND FOUND SAME PART AT A JUNK YARD. CONSUMER REPLACED HEAT SHIELD AND HALOGEN BULB WITH ONE FROM JUNK YARD. CONSUMER CALLED FORD AND GAVE FORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT. FORD TOLD CONSUMER THERE WERE NO RECALLS, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO TURN IT IN TO ENGINEERING. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT A LOWER WATT, COOLER BULB WOULD KEEP LIGHT FROM CAUSING FIRE.*AK BULB HOUSING HAD HOLE MELTED THROUGH IT. REPLACED HOUSING WITH GOOD HEAT SHIELD (ORIGINAL HEAT SHIELD HAD BURNED OFF CAUSING THE PROBLEM).
NHTSA complaint #10125284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
SEATBELTS: THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT STICK IN THE TRACK, USUALLY HALF WAY BETWEEN OPEN & CLOSE. NOW THEY WILL NOT OPERATE AT ALL. I TOOK ONE APART & THE PLASTIC COVERING THE CABLE IS DETERIORATING & CAUSING THE CABLE TO STICK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. YOU CAN HAVE MY SEATBELT ASSEMBLE FOR INSPECTION, AS I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE FOR MY SPOUSE'S SAFETY. FUEL: THIS CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL #92S54, AS THE PRODUDUCTION DATE WAS TOO EARLY, BUT IT HAS THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE ALREADY CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A NEW FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. YOU MAY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PART FOR YOUR INSPECTION AS WELL. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: HEADLIGHT: CLOUDY, YELLOW, AND DO NOT ALLOW LIGHT ON THE ROAD. VERY HAZARDOUS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS IS TYPICAL ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORD CARS & TRUCKS. I HAVE PURCHASED A SET FROM THE LOCAL WRECKING YARD, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE HEADLIGHT FOR YOU TO INSPECT. I THREW THEM AWAY.
NHTSA complaint #754407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Springfield, VA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #752667 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Madison, WI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
THEIR ARE THREE BRAKE LIGHTS. FROM WITHIN THE CENTER LIGHT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT BECAUSE BRAKE LIGHT MELTED THE PLASTIC. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED BOTH STEERING TIE RODS.
NHTSA complaint #842010 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EL Paso, TX
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT SHORTED CAUSING SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #545016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Burlingame, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
REAR BRAKE LIGHT GETS HOT, CAUSING THE PLASTIC COVER TO DRIP ALL OVER PASSENGER'S IN THE REAR. ALSO, THERE IS AN ODOR WITHIN THE VEHICLE, AND SMOKE IS COMING FROM THE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #834166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sterling, VA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS
HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT BULB MELTED THE SOCKET.
NHTSA complaint #536324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bellevue, WA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SMOKE COMES FROM THE THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT. DEALER FOUND AN OIL PAN GASKET LEAK, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. OWNER STILL EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUING TO SMOKE. OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #824035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Santa FE, TX
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
SOCKET IN THE MIDDLE TAIL LIGHT IN THE BACK WINDOW MELTED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #822548 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fair Lawn, NJ
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WIRES/BULBS ARE CORRODED, PLASTIC CASING GOING AROUND LIGHT FIXTURE MELTED, NOT CHECKED BY DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #814158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Merritt, MI
INTERIOR LIGHTING
DASHBOARD LIGHTS FOR RPMS WENT OUT.
NHTSA complaint #513974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wauseon, OHFire
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BULB IN PLASTIC HOUSING OF HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT CAUGHT FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #509917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Trenton, NJ
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
THIRD (3RD) LIGHT STARTED SMOKING, CASING AROUND LIGHT COMPLETELY MELTED, WHOLE BRAKE LIGHT/CASING REMOVED.
NHTSA complaint #987349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Trenton, NJ
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
THIRD (3RD) LIGHT STARTED SMOKING, CASING AROUND LIGHT COMPLETELY MELTED, WHOLE BRAKE LIGHT/CASING REMOVED.
NHTSA complaint #987349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Trenton, NJCrash
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
THIRD (3RD) LIGHT STARTED SMOKING, CASING AROUND LIGHT COMPLETELY MELTED, WHOLE BRAKE LIGHT/CASING REMOVED.
NHTSA complaint #987349 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Palm Coast, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT, 3 THIRD LIGHT, LAMP WHEN OVER HEATED MELTED FROM THE BOLT.
NHTSA complaint #984593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lopez, WA
INTERIOR LIGHTING
DOME LIGHT FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #487339 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Alameda, CA
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
PURCHASE CAR NEW HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD LIGHT TEN TIMES ON BOTH SIDE . TT
NHTSA complaint #970746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murrayville, 00
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AT NIGHT WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #967870 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shelby Towns, MI
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
THIRD BRAKE LIGHT MELTED DOWN AROUND THE BULB, RELEASING SMOKE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
NHTSA complaint #967343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.