1999 Ford Escort

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

MEMBRANE SWITCH FOR HORN STUCK IN CLOSED POSITION CAUSING HORN TO BLOW CONSTANTLY. WIRE TO HORN HAD TO BE PULLED TO REMEDY PROBLEM. MEMBRANE SWITCH NOT AVAILABLE FROM DEALER. DEALER STATES ENTIRE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $500. NOT HAVING AN OPERATIONAL HORN OR LOGICAL AND ECONOMICAL WAY TO REPAIR IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS WHICH SEEMS TO INDICATE SOME SORT OF DEFECT IN SAFETY EQUIPMENT. DEALER BENEFITING BY HUGE REPLACEMENT COST. PART SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE OR MANDATORY RECALL IS NECESSARY. *JB

MY DAUGHTER PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD ESCORT FROM COOPER FORD, CAMDEN N.Y., FIRST 9 MONTHS WITH CAR OKAY BUT AS SOON AS COLD WEATHER SET IN SHE STARTED HAVING FUEL PUMP FAILURES. THIS FAILURE CAUSES SUDDEN SHUT DOWN OF VEHICLE, TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE FIRST OCASSION WAS WINTER OF 2001-2002, PROBLEM RE-OCCURRED 12-27-02 AND 1-28-03. DEALER INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FUEL RELATED THAT THESE FUEL PUMPS WERE SENSITIVE TO ADDITIVES IN FUEL. I BELIEVE THERE IS AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM THAT IS BEING OVERLOOKED OR TROUBLSHOOTING BY TECHNICIANS IS INADEQUATE. IF FUEL WAS SOURCE OF PROBLEM EVERY OTHER VEHICLE IN THIS AREA WOULD BE AFFECTED ALSO AND I AM UNAWARE OF ANY MASS EXODUS OF FORDS INTO THE DEALERS FOR NEW FUEL PUMPS. THE POSSIBILITY FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT EXISTS AS LONG AS THIS PROBLEM REMAINS UNRESOLVED, THE SUDDEN AND COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF A VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR WHEN PULLING INTO BUSY TRAFFIC ETC. COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS OR FATAL CONSEQUENCES. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH FORD MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THIS TYPE PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE. TECHNICIANS AT DEALER HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH FACTORY REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND ALL THE ENGINEERS COULD COME UP WITH IS A "FUEL PROBLEM" .APPARENTLY LITTLE OR NO FAILURE ANALYSIS IS TAKING PLACE AS TO WHY ONE PARTICULAR VEHICLE WOULD NEED 3 FUEL PUMPS IN APPROX. 13 MONTHS AND ONLY IN THE WINTER TIME. ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES MY DAUGHTER HAS TO DRIVE A "TIMEBOMB" THAT WE IN GOOD CONSCIENCE CAN'T SELL WITH THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU. I HOPE I NEVER HAVE TO FILL OUT THE LOWER PORTION OF THIS PAGE!