FaultScore

1994 Ford Escort suspension problems

20 of the 351 complaints about the 1994 Ford Escort are about the suspension — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 38,000 miles.

B

20

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Coil Springs 5 25.0%
Front 4 20.0%
Rear 3 15.0%
Leaf Spring Assembly 3 15.0%
Suspension 2 10.0%
Springs 2 10.0%
Coil Springs 1 5.0%

Suspension across every Ford Escort year

1993 19 7.4%
1994 20 7.8%
1995 40 15.6%
1996 13 5.1%
1997 71 27.6%
1998 52 20.2%
1999 42 16.3%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 38,000 miles Kittanning, PA

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. UPON INSPECTION BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE LEFT FRONT AND BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THERE WERE PIECES OF METAL FROM THE SPRINGS BROKEN OFF WHICH WAS CAUSING THE RATTLING SOUND. UPDATED 05/16/2006. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10156148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 38,000 miles Kittanning, PA

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. UPON INSPECTION BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE LEFT FRONT AND BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THERE WERE PIECES OF METAL FROM THE SPRINGS BROKEN OFF WHICH WAS CAUSING THE RATTLING SOUND. UPDATED 05/16/2006. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10156148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 85,694 miles Cleveland, OH

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING WAS CRACKED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK THE SPRING BROKE WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME. THE VEHICLE MADE A "CLUNK" NOISE WHEN IN DRIVE AND REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MIDAS AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE SPRING BROKE IT RUBBED AGAINST THE TIRE AND RUINED IT. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRE IN ADDITION TO BOTH SPRING.

NHTSA complaint #10022286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boothbay Harbor, ME

SUSPENSION

DURING ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION MECHANIC FOUND RIGHT AND LEFT COIL SPRINGS BROKEN-APPARENTLY DUE TO RUST AND LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION

NHTSA complaint #9007071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

BAY City, MI

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN. NLM

NHTSA complaint #767633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boothbay Harbor, ME

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY

REAR SPRING BROKE OFF BECAUSE OF RUST AND CORRUSION. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #8010135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Boothbay Harbor, ME

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS

REAR COIL SPRING HAS A TENDENCY TO RUST WHICH CAUSES THEM TO BREAK WITHOUT ANY WARNING. DRIVER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT COIL SPRING BEING BROKEN WHEN HE TOOK VEHICLE TO INSPECTION.

NHTSA complaint #8009348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Peru, NY

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE, VEHICLE WAS REJECTED DUE TO FAILED SUSPENSION SPRINGS.

NHTSA complaint #9004898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sewickley, PA

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS

DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION MECHANIC FOUND REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. CONSUMER COULD NOT TELL THEY WERE BROKEN WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #897415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Duncansville, PA

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY

SPRING SNAPPED AT 60 MPH ON FLAT SMOOTH ROAD NO BUMPS. RUINED LEFT FRONT TIRE.

NHTSA complaint #750468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clifton Park, NY

SUSPENSION:REAR

DURING ANNUAL INSPECTION OUR MECHANIC DISCOVERED AND FAILED THE CAR FOR SAFETY REASONS, THAT THE REAR SPRINGS WERE COLLAPSING ON OUR CAR. HE HAS INFORMED US THAT HIS SHOP HAS BEEN GETTING NUMEROUS ESCORT WAGONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS OURS. HE HAS ADVISED US TO CALL THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE DEFECT OF THE SPRINGS. ALL THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT GET THEM FIXED ANYWAY AND SAVE THE BILL IN CASE OF A RECALL. OUR VEHICLE HAS 49,000 ODD MILES AND HAS NEVER CARRIED ANYTHING HEAVIER THAN 2 SUIT CASES, A PORT-A-CRIB AND SOME TOYS. IF IT WASN'T FOR A REPAIR SHOP SHOWING ME THE RECORDS OF REPLACEMENT COILS ON THE ESCORTS I WOULD NEVER HAVE THOUGHT OF DOING THIS. THE PROBLEM WITH THE COILS THEY ARE CRACKING AT THE BASE AT THE SUSPENSION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSE OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #711612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Waterford, PA

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN CONSUMER STOPPED. CALLED A MECHANIC WHO HAD TOLD HER THAT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN, AND IF SHE WAS DRIVING FASTER THE TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #836204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pittsburgh, PA

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH REAR COIL SPRINGS. REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE CONSISTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONSUMER HAS TO START APPLYING BRAKES AT A LONG DISTANCE FROM THE DESTINATION DESIRED TO STOP.

NHTSA complaint #829546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Reedsburg, WI

SUSPENSION:REAR

VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT KIT, CAUSING THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO POCKET AND THEN OFFSETS THE ALIGNMNET. INSTALLATION OF THE KIT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, OWNER HAS GONE THROUGH FOUR SETS OF TIRE IN THREE YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #540005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Baraboo, WI

SUSPENSION

VEHICLE'S TIRES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY DUE TO A DEFECT IN SUSPENSION ALIGNMENT. THE CONSUMER HAD REAR ALIGNMENT KIT INSTALLED ON VEHICLE, HOWEVER PROBLEMS WITH TIRES WEARING OUT IS STILL OCCURRING.

NHTSA complaint #523543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Houston, TX Crash 1 injured

SUSPENSION:FRONT

(FOURTH TIME), WHEN CHANGING LANES TO THE LEFT AFTER 55MPH OR MORE THE CAR FISHTAILS (WANDERS), AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.

NHTSA complaint #803458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winchester, VA

SUSPENSION:REAR

VEHICLE MADE WITHOUT LEFT REAR DOGBONE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ALIGN REAR WHEELS. *DSH

NHTSA complaint #503027 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vancover, WA

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE SIDE, HAD SIXTEEN TIRES ON VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR.

NHTSA complaint #980319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vancover, WA

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE SIDE, HAD SIXTEEN TIRES ON VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR.

NHTSA complaint #980319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Colonia, NJ

SUSPENSION:FRONT

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY VIBRATES/PULLS TO THE LEFT. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1994 Ford Escort problems

← Full 1994 Ford Escort report