1998 Ford Escort

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A TRAFFIC STOP WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH BY WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC AND ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO PARK BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT THEN ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE PASSENGER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE BRAKE FLUID IN THE VEHICLE BUT ENOUGH THAT THE BRAKES SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND EXHAUST/ GAS RECIRCULATION FLAW WERE DEFECTIVE AND POSSIBLY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED TO REPORT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 10/15/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. UPDATED 10/21/10*JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE HAS A LOUD ROAR WHEN IDLING. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATES RAPIDLY ON ITS OWN. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT GARAGE. THE TECHNICIAN SUGGESTED A NEW SPEED CONTROL AND AN IDLE CONTROL MODULE. THIS WAS REPLACED TWICE BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK DID NOT DETECT ANY CODES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. *JB UPDATED 12/27/2005 - THIS PROBLEM SEEMED WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO IDLE DOWN THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF THEN TURN IT BACK ON. THE PROBLEM WOULD SOMETIMES RESURFACE A FEW MINUTES LATER, A FEW WEEKS LATER OR A FEW MONTHS LATER. *NM

VEHICLE VIBRATES TERRIBLY AT STOPS SIGNS, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT FORD IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM,WHICH IS CALLED "POOR IDLE QUALITY" AND THAT A RECALL WOULD PROBABLY GO OUT SOON TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION AND THE VIBATION IS INTOLERABLE AND VERY LOUD. *JB

ENGINE VIBRATES, AND HAS A HIGH IDLE. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND SHAKES. ENGINE SURGES AND HESITATES. CAR STALLS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS SAME REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF IT. THE MECHANICS HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL GUAGE, FUEL FILTER, VALVE IDLE AIR CONTROL, VAPOR MANAGEMENT, MOTOR MOUNTS. THE DEARLERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH REPLACED A CABLE SOMETHING (THE SERVICE MANGER QUIT AND A TICKET WAS NOT FOUND FOR THIS REPAIR.) THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY FIXED. THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR STALLING, THE REPAIR WAS DONE, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL. AS OF THIS DATE, I AM TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. PLEASE NOTE: IN REVIEWING THE INFORMATION AFTER SUBMITTTING I NOTICED THAT IN # OF FAILURES PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED 8 TIMES WITH THE DATE OF 7/24/98. THIS IS INCORRECT, CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS WERE NOT USED.*AK

ENTERED EXPRESSWAY AND THROTTLE LINKAGE STUCK OPEN. GOT VEHICLE SLOWED FROM UPWARDS TO 75 MPH BY SMASHING BRAKES AND SLOWED ENOUGH TO EXIT. WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP SO TURNED RIGHT ON EXITED STREET AND ONCE STRAIGHTENED OUT, WHILE STILL MOVING AT APPROX. 30MPH, SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL, LETTING THE MOTOR RACE UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. AT THAT TIME LEVER WAS PUT INTO PARK AND MOTOR TURNED OFF. DRIVER SHAKEN UP AND VEHICLE MOTOR MAY BE COMPROMISED DUE TO STUCK ACCELERATOR OVER-REVVING. LOOKED FOR A RECALL FOR MODEL TYPE FOR STUCK THROTTLE LINKAGE-NONE FOR ESCORT BUT THERE IS ONE FOR FORD LIKE MODEL, THE CONTOUR, RECALL # 99V194000. ESCORT WAS BUILT IN 3/1998 WHICH FALLS UNDER TIME OF RECALL FOR OTHER FORD PRODUCT.*AK