1998 Ford Escort

I HAVE HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS RELATING TO CAR FUEL PUMP OR TRANSMISSION SHOPS COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS BUT THE DRIVABLITY OF MY 98 ESCORT ZX2 COST ME MORE MONEY IN PROBLEM SOLVING, 1,500 PLUS IN RECENT REPAIRS INCLUDING EMERGENCY AND REPEAT REPAIRS AND FAULTY REPAIRS. MY FUEL ECONOMY IS 160 MILES PER TANK TO ALMOST 200 MILES. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM(S). LARGE THUNKING IN REAR TRUNK (SCARY)WHEN IM TAKING OFF AND REACHING A STEADY SPEED. TAKE THE CAR TO MAJOR FORD DEALERSHIPS, TO NO AVAIL. CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS "GO" FROM A COMPLETE STOP IN TRAFFIC,THIS HAS CAUSED QUITE A SCARE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR HELPING AND MAKING NOTE OF MY ACCOUNT. DEBBIE

1998 ESCORT NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS INTO THE ENGINE. CHANGED FUEL FILTER, HAD FUEL INJECTORS LOOKED AT, GOT PREMIUM GAS, NO LUCK. THE CAR IDLES EXTREMELY ROUGHLY AND SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY. IT FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO STALL AND BUCKS WHEN IDLING AND EVEN WHILE DRIVING. THE IDLE IS BECOMING WORSE AND WORSE TO THE POINT WHERE I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS USED TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY, NOW SHAKES AND BUCKS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. I AM A POOR COLLEGE STUDENT AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO CONTINUE TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC. *JB

THE FUEL PUMP INITIALLY FAILED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED BY KIP KILLMON'S TYSONS FORD IN TYSONS CORNER, VA IN JULY 2001. IN JANUARY 2002 THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN FAILED, AND THE SAME DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP FOR A SECOND TIME. FORTUNATELY, THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, BUT RESULTED IN THE CAR FAILING TO START. HAD THE PUMP FAILED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION, I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY. THE FACT THAT THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITHIN 6 MONTHS ON THE SAME WELL-MAINTAINED CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE, INDICATES TO ME THAT THIS MAY BE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM WITH THE PART AND/OR THE CAR. FORD HAD NO INTEREST IN ADDRESSING MY CONCERNS WHEN THIS PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION.*AK

WIRES THAT POWER FUEL PUMP SHORT ACROSS EACH OTHER. THIS PUMP AND WIRING IS IN THE FUEL TANK. CAR IS BEING REPAIR OUTSIDE OF A FORD DEALERSHIP SO FORD DOES NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED. DEALER WAS SHOWN THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WAS CONCERNED BUT REGIONAL SERVICE REP DID NOT CARE TO EVEN SEE PART. CALLED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE BUT THEY WERE NOT INTRESTED. *AK