13 of the
729 complaints about the 1997 Ford Escort are about the
tires — 2% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
27,585 miles.
PURCHASED (4) COOPER TIRES(185/65R14 TRENDER SETTER; D.O.T. UT75C2H1602 ON 8-12-2002. A SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ON 1/2006. TIRE(SAME TYPE) WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S COST. ANOTHER TIRE SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED ON 1/2008 IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FIRST. THIS TIRE WAS RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EVALUATION. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED IT WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, BUT CAUSED BY CUSTOMER. THIS CAUSED CUSTOMER TO LOOSE CONFIDENCE IN THE QUALITY OF THE MANUFACURER'S TIRES FOR FEAR OF A SIDEWALL BLOW OUT. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND AT OWNER'S COST.
NHTSA complaint #10219689 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 92,000 milesRedding, CA
TIRES:BEAD
FAILURE OF AMERICA DISCOUNT TIRE CO. TO HONOR TIRE WARRANTY. SIDE WALL OF TIRES HAVE PREMATURELY DEVELOPED CRACKS SURROUNDING THE BEAD AREA. BASED ON COMMENTS BY THAT COMPANIES REPRESENTATIVE, THE TIRES ARE LIKENED/COMPARED TO A TIME BOMB READY TO GO OFF.
NHTSA complaint #10214948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 40 milesANN Arbor, MICrash
TIRES
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR, HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT, AND CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. SHE TRIED SHIFTING GEARS, USING BRAKES, AND PULLING PARKING BRAKE TO NO AVAIL. SHE CRASHED INTO PARKED CARS AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 200 YARDS UPHILL. WITNESSES SAY SHE WAS GOING ABOUT 30 TO 40 MPH. AFTER THE BLOWOUT, WHICH HAPPENED AS SHE WAS LEAVING A STOP. CAR WILL NOT BE REPAIRED, WILL BE JUNKED. IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10144374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westbury, NY
TIRES:BEAD
CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS ON TOP OF FIRESTONE TIRES DUE TO DRY ROTTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10021847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westbury, NY
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS ON TOP OF FIRESTONE TIRES DUE TO DRY ROTTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10021847 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Seattle, WA
TIRES:SIDEWALL
WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT 2 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE COMING APART, ONE OF THE TIRES WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN IN 3 PLACES ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE THE OUTER RUBBER LAYER HAD SEPARATED, OR WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM ANOTHER LAYER.(GOODYEAR CONQUEST GL P185/65R14)
NHTSA complaint #564490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA complaint #756420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BEN Salem, PA
TIRES:SIDEWALL
GOODYEAR, CONQUEST TIRE DOT MDJ1AGWR246, 195/65R14 SIZE. TIRES HAD RIPPED FROM INSIDE ALONG SIDEWALL. TIRES WERE ORIGINALS ON A 1997, FORD, ESCORT. *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #897034 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gales Ferry, CT
TIRES:SIDEWALL
THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ON MY 1997 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON ARE CRACKING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OR HAVE CRACKED THROUGH TO EXPOSE THE STEEL CORD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED GOODYEAR DEALER WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE TIRES AND INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE LOOKED LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY SAID THAT GOODYEAR WOULD AUTHORIZE THEM TO GIVE ME A PARTIAL CREDIT FOR THE TIRES IF I REPLACED THEM WITH ANOTHER SET OF GOODYEAR TIRES BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT EXCAHNGE THEM FOR NEW TIRES AT NO COST.*AK (DOT NUMBER: MD7J TIRESIZE: 185/65R14)
NHTSA complaint #743668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brodheadsville, PA
TIRES
VEHICLE WAS SITTING INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER WAS INSPECTING TIRES, AND NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES WERE SPLITTING IN SEAMS. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND WERE REPLACED . UNIROYAL AWP TIGER PAW, P185/65R14, DOT AP7JJKUU426. *AK 2 YEARS AFTER REPLACING TIRES, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 4 MORE DUE TO SPLITTING AROUND THE TREAD PART OF TH TIRE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #878522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Newnan, GA
TIRES
IF MY CAR WASN'T SITTING STILL WHEN THIS PART CAME LOSE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. IT SHREDDED THE BELT THAT WAS ATTATCHED TO THIS AND CAME TO REST ON MY TIMING BELT AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW THAT THE WARENTY IS UP AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN!
NHTSA complaint #731317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Spencer, WV
TIRES
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY HAD A TIRE BLOWOUT THAT CRACKED THE RIM, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #826630 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Chicago, IL
TIRES
VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. ALMOST REARENDED BECAUSE OF STALLING UNEXPECTEDLY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM FOR STALLING, EVEN HAD VEHICLE TEST DRIVEN. *AK AIR CONDITIONER BLEW HOT AIR, DEALER REPAIRED WIRING ASSEMBLY. TIRES EXPERIENCED WEAR, CONSUMER DID NOT GIVE SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION. ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE WAS HARD TO RESTART, VEHICLE ALSO LOST POWER AND DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #818691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.