This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
During safety inspection discovered that the rear springs of 1999 Ford Escort SE had broken. This is the second Ford Escort I have owned that this has been a problem. First vehicle was a 1997 Ford Escort LX that I purchased from a dealer in ft. Collins, co. I have owned that the rear springs failed and had to be replaced.
The contact stated the vehicle had a broken rear spring on the passenger's side. Dealer found it broken while doing a safety inspection. There was no indication that the spring was broken. Manufacturer said there was no recall. The contact has not had it fixed because of the expense. Contact believed it was a factory defect. Updated 11/29/2005 -
Our 1999 Ford Escort with only 11,904 miles on the odometer (we drive a Subaru forester mostly), received its annual inspection (nys law) on August 11, 2005. The inspection revealed that both rear coil springs were broken. I asked the technician how that could happen with such low mileage and so little use and both he and the service manager (they are a highly regarded, after-market, auto repair business, servicing all makes of vehicles, and have no cause for bias) said that in their experience Ford Escorts are notorious for having weak and defective rear coil springs and that they had replaced many over the past few years (more than any other make or model). To a lesser degree they also noted that the Taurus had the same problem. Before having the work done I had called the dealer (sam dell Ford of liverpool, NY) and the Ford consumer complaint office. Neither were at all helpful, denying all knowledge of a defect with the rear coil springs. I am attaching a memo from the independent repair shop, documenting their experience with the Escort.
1999 Ford Escort. The consumer stated the rear springs were defective. When the vehicle was taken in for inspection the rear springs were broken. When the consumer called Ford, they did not know of this problem. The vehicle was then taken to an after market repair shop. They stated this was seen all of the time. The Escorts were notorious for bad rear springs. This vehicle has 11,904 miles on it. The rear springs were replaced.
Took vehicle in for service, and technician found that both rear springs were broken. I was unaware of this damage, though I had noticed some suspension noise when turning. Also, the handling of the vehicle was much "looser" in the rear. Technician informed me that the springs could further deteriote and the body of the vechicle could collapse onto the chassis. The estimate for repairs was $750, though no repairs have been made to date.
- Portland, CT, USA
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After taking the vehicle to dealer for a safety inspection it was discovered that rear springs were broken. The vehicle was not involved in any accident.
Defective vehicle back springs. Both back springs were broken and I paid to have them replaced. Ford knew they were defective since they had re-designed the springs. The new springs were put on and now the whole vehicle bounces on the road. Handling is bad and if I have to travel on a bumpy road I have to take a draminine. I have paid to have installed 6 new springs and 8 struts but I still get seasick driving my car. It is so bumpy my neck hurts riding in my car.
Both rear springs broke on a 1999 Ford Escort wagon with 102000 miles providing very dangerous handling situation. This is a very well known problem with this car and is due to poor design.
Both rear coil springs broke at same time. Car had only 37,000 miles and was 4 years old. Independent technician fixed at least 8 other Ford Escorts with the same problem.
Car meticulously maintained yet both rear springs had to be replaced at 60,000 miles (close to $300 repair) due to their both being fractured on the bottom-most loop.
1999 Ford Escort wagon 77,000 mile purchased new rear suspension springs described as cracked by local service station at time of safety inspection - vehicle was failed as unsafe requiring repair and replacement found tsb 14993 on this site noting suspension spring failure potential if this can fail a vehicle as unsafe its time for a recall!
I drive carefully and I maintain my car well. My Ford Escort wagon is a 1999 model. As such, I still consider it quite new. With only 44,000 miles on it, I considered it to have low mileage. Last week my car failed its annual auto inspection. The mechanic (hamilton's garage of portland, me) told me that both rear coil spring assemblies on my car were broken. He said that this has become a potentially dangerous common problem on late model Ford Escorts. He said that this problem is very rare on other cars. He told me to go to the local Ford dealership to see if Ford has initiated a recall of the Escort's defective rear coil spring assemblies. The Ford dealer (rowe Ford of westbrook, me) informed me that they were unaware of a recall for that specific part. The Ford dealer told me that I would have to pay to replace the defective broken rear coil springs myself as the original warranty on my vehicle had expired. The repair job on my car at the Ford dealership cost me $400. My wife contacted the Ford Motor Company headquarters and reported the defect problem with both broken rear coil spring assemblies on our car. The Ford headquarters also stated that there was no recall of late model Ford Escort defective rear coil spring assemblies. They "claimed" to be unaware of such a defect problem with the late model Ford Escorts. I do not believe Ford. I remember Ford's lies concerning the scandal with the Ford pinto's explosive gas tank. This defect problem with the Ford Escort's rear coil spring assemblies can potentially be very dangerous. I wonder how many people will have to get killed due to this dangerous defect before Ford will admit that a problem exists. I strongly believe that Ford should have paid the $400 repair bill required to replace their defective broken rear coil springs on my car. The fact that they refused illustrates the poor moral character of the Ford Motor Company.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Raymore, MO, USA