20 of the 257 complaints about the 1996 Ford Escort are about the transmission — 8% of everything reported for this model year.
20
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING SPEEDOMETER BECOMES ERRATIC; SPEEDOMETER ACCELERATES THREE TIMES, ACTUAL SPEED BEING DRIVEN. CANNOT DETERMINE MILEAGE ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE ALSO MAKES STRANG NOISE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8002072 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER BECAME ERRATIC, DISPLAYED WRONG SPEED, AT BETWEEN 20000 - 30000 MILES. HAD DEALER REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY. NEW SPEEDOMETER IS DOING SAME ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR AT 90000 - 100000 MILES. THIS IS EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. CAN NOT DETERMINE SAFE SPEED WHILE ON HIGHWAY. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE DESIGN, SINCE TWO MANUFACTURER PROVIDED SPEEDOMETERS HAVE FAILED IN IDENTICAL MANNER. SAFETY CONCERN!! CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER @ 1-800-392-3673. THEY WILL NOT LISTEN OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE DESIGNED EQUIPMENT.
NHTSA complaint #737860 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER JUMPS ERRATICALLY AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. NOT COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY ALTHOUGH BROCHURE LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE SO. DEALERSHIP KNEW IT WAS THE SPEEDOMETER ITSELF AND NOT A DRY CABLE BECAUSE OF HISTORY OF SAME PROBLEMS. 2ND PROBLEM; AT APPOX 80,000 MILES THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. I RECOGNIZE THAT THINGS DO BREAK, BUT WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT WOULDN'T RETRACT JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #747121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER MAKES GRINDING SOUND READS MUCH HIGHER THAN ACTUAL SPEED. ALSO FLUCTUATES WILDLY.
NHTSA complaint #746464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDODOMETER OPERATES ERRATICALLY, DOES NOT REGISTER CORRECT LEVELS OF SPEED. HAS BEEEN REPLACED ONCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER WAITING FOR NEW PART TO BE SHIPPED FOR SECOND REPLACEMENT.
NHTSA complaint #880949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FRONT WHEELS SEIZED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, POSSIBLY DUE TO FAUTLY TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #864043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER AND IT'S CABLE ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 14 MONTHS. 02/15/1999 (JUST UNDER 36,000 ODOMETER) SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BOUNCED BETWEEN 60 AND 90MPH. 5/08/00 (48,702 ODOMETER) SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE VIBRATED UNDER 50 MPH AND SPEEDOMETER CABLE CAUSED LOUD CHIRPING NOISE IN FRONT OF CAR. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS UNDER WARRANTY - THE SECOND, I COMPLAINED TO DEALER AND AM PAYING A $100 WARRANTY DEDUCTIBLE OF SOME SORT(?) I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING AS THE SPEEDOMETER AND IT'S CABLE ARE DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #722730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING CAR, THE VEHICLE STOPPED PULLING. WHEN CHECKED, I WAS TOLD BY THE INSPECTOR THAT THE CLUTCHES IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE BURNT OUT. HE TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $27OO TO REPAIR. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I PURCHASED ON THE CAR WAS NO GOOD BECAUSE I SURPASSED THE MILEAGE. WHAT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WAS THAT THE CAR IS INITIALLY COVERED FOR THE FIRST 100,000 MILES AND THE EXTRA WARRANTY I PURCHASED WAS TO GIVE ME AN EXTENSION OF 60, 000 MILES OR WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I FEEL AS THOUGH FORD SHOULD REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION AT NO COST TO ME BECAUSE THE LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE LONGER THAN IT LASTED. I HAVE EVEN FINISHED PAYING FOR THE CAR YET.
NHTSA complaint #721772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
IN FEBRUARY OF 1999 STARTED NOTICING A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE SPEEDOMETER. PROBLEM PERSISTED AND NOISE STARTED BECOMING A GRIND. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE MARCH 1999 WITH MILEAGE AT 37962. REPLACED SPEEDOMETER CABLE. NOISE STOPPED AND THEN SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE STARTED AGAIN TO ACT ERRATICALLY.
NHTSA complaint #718881 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50MPH SPEEDOMETER STARTS TO JUMP UP TO80-90MPH,EVEN IF VEHICLE IS NOT GOING THAT FAST. DEALER SAYS THE HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #852793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMTER IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR 3RD TIME IN 3 YEARS. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE WITHOUT CHARGING OVER $400. A SPEEDOMETER SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 1 YEAR!! PLEASE HELP ME AND OTHER ESCORT OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANKS.
NHTSA complaint #714357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY.
NHTSA complaint #712605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING AN INCORRECT READING WHICH IS HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE. DEALER REPLACE SPEEDOMETER 3 TIMES. ALSO ENGINE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #847853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #535523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE JUMPS AROUND WHEN SPEEDS OVER 50-55 MPH ARE REACHED. IT IS VERY DISTRACTING AN COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #534511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #530270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SODA SPILLED ON RED GEAR SHIFT RELEASE BUTTON, PREVENTING GEARS FROM ENGAGING WHEN BUTTON IS DEPRESSED.
NHTSA complaint #518410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SHIFT ARE ERRATIC.
NHTSA complaint #603163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
OVERDRIVE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.
NHTSA complaint #603163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT
BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, LOSS OF COMPLETE EFFECTIVENESS. *AK WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. CV JOINT FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #987058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.