97 ESCORT WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER IN 1998, WITH ABOUT 38000 MILES ON IT. MY SON BOUGHT IT FROM HER IN DEC. 01 AFTER HE WRECKED HIS RANGER. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH HAD COME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. I AM IN SALES AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND ASKED A COUPLE OF SERVICE ADVISORS AND MECHA…
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97 ESCORT WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER IN 1998, WITH ABOUT 38000 MILES ON IT. MY SON BOUGHT IT FROM HER IN DEC. 01 AFTER HE WRECKED HIS RANGER. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH HAD COME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. I AM IN SALES AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND ASKED A COUPLE OF SERVICE ADVISORS AND MECHANICS ABOUT THE LIGHT AND THEY SAID THAT 99% OF THE TIME IT WAS USUALLY JUST A CLOCK SPRING. FIGURING NO BIG DEAL, I TOLD MY SON TO KEEP DRIVING THE CAR (THIS WAS ABOUT MAY,02). LATER HE TOLD ME THAT HE KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING PERIODICALLY; I COULD SMELL IT BUT THOUGHT THE ODOR WAS ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE. NEXT THING I KNOW, HE TOLD ME THE UNDER SIDE OF THE DASH, BEHIND THE RADIO AND ON PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (INSIDE THE CAR) HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND HE USED THE KITCHEN FIRE EXTENGUISHER TO PUT IT OUT. I TOLD HIM TO ALSO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE BEEN SELLING FORDS FOR 11 YEARS AND DID SOME DIGGING. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ARTICLE NO. 98-15-20 (SUPERCEDES ARTICLE NO. 98-14-3) WHICH ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM AND TELLS THE SERVICE DEPT. TO REPLACE THE MODULE AND INSTALL A WATERSHIELD TO KEEP THIS FROM RECURRING. THIS IS ELIGIBLE UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY COVERAGE AND SAFETY RESTRAINT WARRANTY COVERAGE. SINCE MY CAR HAS ABOUT 98000 MILES ON AND WAS STILL RUNNING FINE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, AM I OUT OF LUCK AT GETTING THIS CAR RUNNING AGAIN. PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM A MECHANIC WAS ABOUT $1100 IN PARTS AND WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH IN LABOR. WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR CURRENT CASE STATUS WITH FORD MOTOR CO. ON THIS. THANKS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #765610
Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2002
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELT ALSO DID NOT HOLD. CONSUMER SUFFERED CHEST INJURIES TO THE RIB CAGE. CONSUEMR WISHES TO HAVE AIRBAGS OPENED AND INSPECTED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. *JG
NHTSA ODI #566933
Mileage unknown · Aug 8, 2002
Air BagsFire
WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON.THEN, AIR BAG DEPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8015847
Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2002
Air BagsVisibility
DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CAUSING WINDSHIELD TO BLOWOUT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8015484
Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2002
Air BagsVisibility
HEATER CORE LEAKED ONTO AIR BAG SENSOR AND MODULE CAUSING AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON. HAD TO REPLACE HEATER CORE,AIR BAG SENSOR AND MODULE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #765157
Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2002
Air Bags
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS FLASHING. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO ADVISED CONSUMER OF AIR BAGS REPLACEMENT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #8015427
Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2002
Air Bags
WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, NO CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8015298
Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2002
Air BagsFire
SMOKE WAS COMING FROM AIR CONDITIONER AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, TECHNICIAN STATED AIR BAG MODULE WAS ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8015292
Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2002
Air BagsInjury
WHILE DRIVING 67 MPH ON SMOOTH SURFACE CONSUMER SMELLED SULPHUR, THEN BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK *YH
NHTSA ODI #8015127
Mileage unknown · Jul 7, 2002
Air BagsVisibility
HEATER CORE FAILURE RESULTED IN FAILURE OF AIRBAG SYSTEM DUE TO PLACEMENT OF AIRBAG COMPUTER WITHOUT MOISTURE SHIELD. *AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2
EA02008 · Water Intrusion Into Airbag Monitor
Opened Jun 10, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
BY LETTER OF DECEMBER 6, 2002, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL 1997 FORD ESCORT AND MERCURY TRACER VEHICLES.FORD FOUND THAT ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM)DUE TO LIQUID INTRUSION OF WATER OR ENGINE COOLANT CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO IT'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE FORD'S DECEMBER 6, 2002 DEFECT AND NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE02010 · Integrated Air Bag Monitor Water
Opened Jan 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 10, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.
1997 Ford Escort Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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