19 of the 351 complaints about the 1994 Ford Escort are about the transmission — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 45,000 miles.
19
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER WE CAME HOME OUR CAR LOCKED INTO PARK, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE COVER , THE SPRING INSIDE IS TOTALLY SCREWED UP. IT WOULD BE FATAL IF THIS LOCKED UP WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. WE HAVE TWO KIDS THIS IT A FORD SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #10156900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IDLING WHEN IT SUDDENLY WENT IN REVERSE. THE DRIVER HUNG ON TO THE OPEN DOOR OF HIS 1994 FORD ESCORT AND WAS DRAGGED FOR 100 FEET. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS DRAGGED 100 FEET AND HAD GOTTEN TRAPPED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE PAVEMENT AND WAS SUFFOCATED.
NHTSA complaint #10114900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FATAL DEATH DUE TO POSIBLE TRANSMISSION GOING INTO REVERSE FROM PARK WHILE VEHICLE IN IDLE.
NHTSA complaint #10107741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM. ALSO, GEARS WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #880320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH OR LOW GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #857193 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER BOUGHT CAR IN MARCH. WITH 20 MILES ON VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. THE SECOND TIME, TRANSMISSION FELL APART AN HOUR AFTER SHE PICKED IT UP. THIRD TIME, TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE, AND FOURTH TIME, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. IT WOULD STAY IN PARK AND MAKE GRINDING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #856551 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY.
NHTSA complaint #544237 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS CRACKED; ALSO, CAMSHAFT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF FITH GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #512175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
SHIFT LEVER STUCK IN PARK GEAR.
NHTSA complaint #508002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
ODOMETER FRAUD.
NHTSA complaint #507174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
TRANSMISSION DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT)
NHTSA complaint #484530 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THREE TIMES, PURCHASE CAR NEW. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #982395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION JERKS INTO GEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING.
NHTSA complaint #485312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED, THE TRANSMISSION CAUGHT FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #978951 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW HAVE 11,000 MILES NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. TT
NHTSA complaint #976535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE JUMPED INTO PARK WHILE GOING 50MPH AND SLAMED IN A DITCH. TT
NHTSA complaint #969706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE SHIFTS HARSHLY, ALSO GETS INTO 4TH GEAR TOO EARLY.
NHTSA complaint #481993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION MOUNTS MISALIGNED, CAUSING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING.
NHTSA complaint #480085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
AUTO-TRAN: WHILE UN LOW GEAR TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP/COULD NOT START VEHICLE UNTIL SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL.
NHTSA complaint #966333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.