1999 Ford Escort

WE ARE HAVING A VIBRATION PROBLEM WITH OUR FORD ESCORT. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE WITH THE DESCRIPTION "IT'S IDLING ROUGH". THE SERVICE CENTER CAME BACK TO ME WITH A "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" FROM FORD OUTLINING A PROCEDURE TO LIMIT VIBRATION. APPARENTLY, THE VIBRATION STEMS FROM INADEQUATE/IMPROPER ENGINE MOUNTS IN THIS MODEL ESCORT. THE SERVICE OUTLINED REQUIRES CHANGING THE TYPE OF PARTS USED IN MOUNTING THE ENGINE, AND THE TSB CONTAINS INSTRUCTIONS FOR MODIFICATIONS TO BE DONE BY THE REPAIR CENTER PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. FORD IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THIS SITUATION, AS THE TSB ALSO STATES THIS AFFECTS ESCORTS FROM 1997-2002, ESCORT ZX2 FROM 1998-2003, AND THE TRACER FROM 1997-1999. WE WERE TOLD THE REPAIR BILL TO FIX THIS WOULD BE $380.00! I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS DEFECT FIXED. I CONTACTED FORD, AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD "SORRY , WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX THIS, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY." THE PROBLEM CAME TO MY ATTENTION BECAUSE EVERYTHIUNG IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT NOT SCREWED DOWN RATTLES LIKE A ONE-MAN-BAND. THIS HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO PROBLEMS IN THE ENGINE TUNING. THANKS TO A WELL-INFORMED SERVICE TECHNICIAN, I NOW KNOW THE REAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT LEFT UNCHECKED, THE VIBRATIONS COULD CAUSE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE ON THE CAR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ACTION TAKEN TO SEE THAT FORD CORRECTS THIS DEFECTIVE PART ON MY CAR.*AK

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR AT 12,000 MILES, IT HAS SHAKEN AND VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. WHEN I RUN MY DEFROST OR A/C THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE AND MY CAR STALLS OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT 30,000 MILES AND REPLACED EVERYTHING THE DEALERSHIP INSTRUCTED. ON JULY, 18, 2003 I MADE MY FINAL ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE FORD DEALER AND AGAIN SPECIFIED THE PROBLEM AND SHOWED THEM EXACTLY WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. I PICKED IT UP LATER THAT AFTERNOON THEY HAD REPLACED THE VALVE AGAIN THAT I HAD JUST REPLACED IN JANUARY 2003. I TURNED ON MY CAR AND RAN THE A/C AND I SAW NO IMPROVEMENT. SO I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH A MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT MY CAR SHOULDN'T STALL ANYMORE BUT THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. BASICALLY, WE PURCHASED A $13,000 DOLLAR CAR THAT NEVER RAN RIGHT AND CAN NOT BE REMEDIED. NO ONE HAS A SOLUTION AND I'M EXPECTED TO BE SATISFIED WITH A CAR THAT SHAKES NON-STOP. IF FORD KNOWS THIS IS OCCURING THEY NEED TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS BEFORE THEY PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, INSTEAD OF LETTING THEM DRIVE AWAY IN A CAR THAT CAN NEVER BE FIXED. I HAVE LOST ALL RESPECT FOR FORD AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE A VEHICLE FROM THEM AGAIN. *AK

AT APPROX. 30000 MILES THE CAR HAD THE FIRST INCIDENT OF NOT STARTING (AUG. 2001). TOOK IT TO AUTO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS MIGHT BE A ONE-TIME INCIDENT. ABOUT 1/2 YEAR LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. HAD IT TOWED TO AUTO SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME TO CALL THEM IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN LATE 2002 AND I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER AUTO SHOP. THEY COULD NOT EXPLAIN THE REASON EITHER - EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE AND AFTER A WHILE IT STARTED AGAIN AND WAS RUNNING NORMALLY. IT HAPPENED AGAIN LATE JANUARY 2003 AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LATTER AUTO SHOP. THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND TOLD ME EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FINE. LATE FEBRUARY 2003 THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR IS AT THE AUTO SHOP - THEY ARE TRYING TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. ON AND OFF IT WILL START. ALL CHECK DATES - EVERY 5000 MILES - HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED AND THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AT ALL TIMES. NOW, I AM AFRAID OF DRIVING IT - BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, THAT AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE I HAVE TO FACE THIS PROBLEM. *JB