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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 40
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
12,598 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Ford Escort electrical problems

electrical problem

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1997 Ford Escort Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #51

Jan 212019

Escort

  • 94,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Flashing air bag readiness light in a "51" pattern.

- Shoreline, WA, USA

problem #50

Sep 072009

Escort

  • miles
The contact owns a 1997 Ford Escort. While driving approximately 35 mph, the power steering seized without warning. The vehicle had to be towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wires and fuses needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were unknown.

- Detroit, MI, USA

problem #49

Jan 202014

Escort 4-cyl

  • 90,500 miles
I turned right into a parking lot and slowly turned right again into a parking space. While I was braking, the car accelerated and hit a building.

- Oxford, NY, USA

problem #48

Dec 062010

Escort 4-cyl

  • 233,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag control diagnostic module shorted out due to ruptured heater core. When I spoke with the local dealership they told me to contact a local junk yard. There is a recall on this item. I never received a recall notice.

- Mt. Airy, NC, USA

problem #47

May 242005

Escort 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 60,000 miles
The vehicle had an electrical short and burned up all of the wiring. When the consumers wife started the vehicle she notice smoke coming from the steering column.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

problem #46

Aug 182004

Escort

  • miles
Upon turning the vehicle on it stalled. Tried starting it again and it blew up, burning completely to the back seat of the vehicle. There were no warnings or indications.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #45

Mar 182003

Escort

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Request for restitution of losses resulting from a vehicle fire. The passenger area trans equipment/electrical wire) the consumer requested restitution. The consumer stated she many mechanical problems with the vehicle.

- Norfolk, VA, USA

problem #44

Feb 102003

Escort

  • 78,000 miles
The vehicle caught on fire.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

problem #43

Mar 152003

Escort 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,000 miles
The plastic light bulb socket for my center high mount stop lamp (chmsl) has repeatedly melted causing the chmsl to not work. I have gone through two (2) sockets and they have both failed in the same manner.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #42

Mar 052003

Escort

  • miles
Brought my car in for the wiring recall and I told the dealer that there was spark knocking in the engine when it first starts and under hard acceleration. When I drive into my parents drive way my parents tell me that they know I am there because of the radio interference on the tv screen. I know a lot about electricity and I know that this is caused by noise and or shorts, bad connections what have you. I am very concerned about this because I know that the car has resistor plugs. We have also replaced the computer once and now this recall thing! we also had to replace the rear springs. When its really cold out and go to start the car the starter does not disengage and grinds on the fly wheel. It takes forever for it to warm up and it does not rarely ever warm up when its idling you have to drive it to get any heat. But overall its only left my wife stranded once. That's better than our last vehicle!! but now I wonder if this car is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. Ford may not be my next choice of vehicle in the future that is if it doesn't kill me first!

- Ferrisburg, VT, USA

problem #41

Feb 192000

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle was parked overnight and an electrical fire in the passenger compartment damaged the vehcile, claim 55-S207-197.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #40

Jul 012000

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Consumer had left vehicle at repair shop for the transmission to be checked and to find out why a light in the dash had illuminated, consumer was informed that the heater core had a hole in it, when demanding her vehicle back, she discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire under the dash and that the windshield was burned, nobody contacted her to let her know about the fire, claim 24-5124-338.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #39

Mar 122001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Consumer saw smoke and sparks underneath passenger front seat, vehicle caught on fire quickly after the driver and passenger exited the vehicle, consumer also stated that the area she saw the sparks and smoke is exactly where avr had worked, the fire department stated that the fire was caused by an electrical problem centered under the seat, claim 03-3209-456.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #38

Apr 142001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
The vehicle began smoking, then caught on fire, damages are under the dash, claim 53-C737-570.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #37

Jun 192001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Consumer states prior to fire, lights were flashing on the dash, there was also an odor that smelled like firecrackers, the next day was when smoke was seen coming from the vehicle, fire was in the floorboards which spread when the doors were opened, claim 35-W686-849.

- Portsmouth, OH, USA

problem #36

Jul 212001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Vehicle burned from the outside, fire started from underneath the dashboard by the floorboards on the passenger side, possible electrical failure, claim 04-1295-042.

- Monroe, LA, USA

problem #35

Feb 192001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Passenger compartment fire at dash panel, claim 18-0486-942.

- Mandeville, LA, USA

problem #34

Feb 192000

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Vehicle was parked overnight, an electrical fire in the passenger compartment damaged the vehicle, claim 55-S207-197.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #33

Jul 131999

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Vehicle experienced fire in the passenger compartment, fire may have started in ignition switch, consumer feels the fire may have occurred due to a prior collision, heater core leaking into the ecs module, causing a short in the wiring harness, claim 40-2188-822.

- Duluth, GA, USA

problem #32

Mar 122001

Escort

  • Manual transmission
  • miles
Consumer saw smoke and some sparks come from underneath passenger front seat, the area where sparks and smoke came from is the exact same area where avr had worked, fire department stated the fire was an electrical fire centered under the seat, claim 03-3209-456.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

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