1995 Ford Escort

ON APRIL 11, 1995 I PURCHASED A NEW 1995 FORD LX, 1.9L SEFI , VIN# [XXX]. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND SETTLING INTO IT, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM WHAT TO ME SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE AREA ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE STEERING COLUMN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TEST DRIVEN AND I WAS SIMPLY TOLD THAT IT WAS PROBABLY JUST NEW ENGINE NOISE AND IT WOULD STOP. AS TIME WENT ON THE CLICKING CONTINUED. I CALLED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES THEN I JUST GAVE UP BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING OKAY AND HAD CAUSED NO CONCERN. ON SEPTEMBER 8, 1997 (CLICKING NOISE STILL THERE) I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR OTHER PROBLEMS. AS INVOICE STATES, NOISE MAY BE COMING FROM ENGINE AREA. ON MAY 22, 2002 WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT JUST STOPPED!!!!! REFERENCING NORTH CENTRAL FORD INVOICE NO. [XXX] (WHICH IS ATTACHED) YOU CAN SEE THE WORK THAT WAS PERFORMED. IN REFERENCE THE ABOVE-MENTIONED INVOICE, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED, ONE OF THE PHONE CALLS I RECEIVED WAS TO EXPLAIN THAT THE TIMING BELT HAD SNAPPED. PLEASE NOTICE THAT YOU WILL FIND NOWHERE MENTIONED THAT VALVES OR ANYTHING ELSE WAS CHECKED. BY THE TIME ALL OF THIS TOOK PLACE, THE CLICKING NOISE HAD BECOME MORE APPARENT AND THEY WERE MADE AWARE THAT IT WAS STILL THERE. NOW FOR THE GRAND FINALE, ON APRIL 29, 2003 I DROVE THE CAR TO A NEARBY STORE AND WHEN I CAME BACK OUT THE CLICKING NOISE TURNED INTO A NOISE AS IF THE ENGINE WERE GOING TO EXPLODE. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND IT WAS TAKEN TO NORTH CENTRAL FORD. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC THOUGHT PUSH ROD HAD GONE. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MORE THAN ONE MECHANIC (ASE CERTIFIED) WHO CLEARLY BELIEVES THAT THE VALVES SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST CHECKED WHEN THAT BELT BROKE. THIS [XXX] VEHICLE WAS MY PRIDE AND JOY IT WAS PAMPERED. THE MILEAGE ON IT WAS A MERE 74,639. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE CONSUMER SMELLED A STRONG FUEL ODOR WHEN IN THE GARAGE. THE CONSUMER THEN NOTICED THE FUEL MILEAGE DROPPED OFF. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO GET GAS AND RETURNED, HE NOTICED A WET SPOT UNDER THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED HOME HE EXAMINED THE FUEL TANK AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL FILLER PIPE CAP WAS CORRODED AND RUSTED.*AK *JB

MY FAMILY PURCHASED TWO BRAND NEW 95 AND 96 FORD ESCORTS IN 96. STARTING A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE 95 FORD ESCORT STARTED SMELLING OF GAS. IT WAS NOTED THAT ON THE GAS FILLER ASSEMBLY, BETWEEN THE METAL FILLER TUBE AND THE METAL GAS TANK, THE RUBBER TUBING WAS CRACKED AND GAS WAS SPREAD ON THE TANK AND ALSO WHEN THE CAR WAS MOVED, THERE WAS GAS ON THE DRIVEWAY. WE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT WAS MORE THAN 3 YEARS AND 36,000 MILES AND SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS. WE ALSO LOOKED UNDER OUR 96 FORD ESCORT AND THOUGH THERE WAS NO LEAK, IT HAS CRACKING AS WELL. IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THIS, WE'D APPRECIATE IT. *PH

CONSUMER SMELLED GAS AND NOTICED A LEAKAGE FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FUEL TANK HAD SPLIT. RELATED RECALL 97V144000, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK THE SERVICE DEALER FOUND A SPLIT/CRACK IN THE GAS TANK AND THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL#97V144000. *SCC **CONSUMER REQUEST CALL BACK FROM ODI INVESTIGATOR**

THERE WAS A GAS LEAK WHERE THE GAS TANK WAS MOUNTED TO THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO FILL THE GAS TANK. THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS UNKNOWN. *AK THE GAS TANK LEAKED THROUGH A CRACK IN THE HARD PLASTIC WHICH WAS USED TO SECURE THE MOUNT OF THE HEAT SHIELD AND COVER TO THE PLASTIC TANK WHICH WAS HOT WELDED TO THE SOFTER PLASTIC TANK AND OVER TIME THE STRESS ON THE MOUNT CAUSED THE CRACK. THE CONSUMER SMELLED GAS FOR THREE YEARS. FORD STATED THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER # WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL (#97V144000). *SCC *JB