1999 Ford Escort

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE FRONTAL SEAT BELT WEBBINGS DID NOT LOCK (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04E048000) AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED SEVERE STRAIN, SPRAIN, AND BRUISES TO HER CHEST AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,308. UPDATED 09/12/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING 45-55 MPH. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE FUEL SYSTEM DID NOT SHUT OFF, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT. THE ENTIRE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WAS CRUSHED; THE CONTENTS OF THE TRUNK STRUCK THE CONTACT CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE REAR END WAS REPLACED.

NOTICED THAT ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS COMING UP ON AND OFF, CHANGED SPARK PLUGS,WIRES, LIGHT WOULD GO OFF FOR A PERIOD AND THAN COME BACK ON. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY BETWEEN 65-70 MILES/HOUR WHEN I HURED A LOUD BANG , PULLED OFF THE FREEWAY, I HAD THE CAR TAKING TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THAT THE VALVE SEAT IN THE HEAD HAD SEPERATED AND FELL INTO THE MOTOR. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE 1.9 MOTOR HAD A FLAW IN THE HEAD AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY NEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS. THAN HE SHOWED ME ANOTHER ESCORT THAT6 HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST CAR HE SEENED WITH THIS PROBLEM. SECOND PROBLEM: I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 3 TRANSMITIONS WITH IN A YEAR, WHICH WAS COVERED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND POSSIBLY A 4TH. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THE MOTOR WENT. THIRD PROBLEM: WHILE AT A STOP SIGN A WAS REAR ENDED AN ABOUT 30-35 MILES/HOUR, MY SEAT BELLT DID NOT HOLD ME AND MY SEAT COLLEPSED ON TOP OF MY CHILD WHO WAS IN A CAR SEAT BEHIND ME. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOPE ABOUT THE WEEK BEFORE THE MOTOR WENT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH THE TRANSMITION BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR NEW THAT THE VALVE WAS PREPERING TO FAIL. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD REDESIGNED THE HEAD, SO THIS PROBLEM COULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

MY CAR WAS BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. MY 13 YR. OLD SON WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, WITH HIS SEAT BELT ON. WHEN WE HIT THE CAR SPUN, HIS DOOR SWUNG OPEN EJECTING HIM. HE LANDED ABOUT 6 FT. FROM THE CAR ON THE GROUND. THERE WERE MARKS LEFT ON HIS NECK FROM THE SEAT BELT. FORTUNATELY HIS INJURIES WERE NOT SERVERE. HE HAD A HUGE LUMP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS HEAD FROM WHEN HE HIT THE GROUND. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCASED THE CAR, AND HAVE HEARD FROM A LADY IN CHICAGO. MY MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THAT THEY INVESTIGATE FOR MALFUNCTION/DEFECTS ON THE SEAT BELT. I WAS ASKED WHAT HIS INJURIES WERE (THE DEALER SHIP NEVER ASKED, JUST TOLD ME THAT IF THE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE THEY WOULE REPLACE IT) WHAT TYPE OF COMPENSATION I WAS LOOKING FOR AND I TOLD HER "NONE, AT THIS TIME BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF MY SON WILL HAVE SOMETHING COME UP 6 MONTHS FROM NOW. SHE STATED THAT I WILL RECEIVE INFORMATION IN THE MAIL, REQUESTING A COPY OF THE ACCIDENT REPORT, MEDICAL RECORDS AND PICTURE OF MY SONS NECK SHOWING THE SEAT BELT MARKS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS INVESTIGATED, DOCUMENTED AND TOLD OF THE RESULTS. THE CAR IS NOW IN LUFKIN TX. SENT BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY.