Ford Escort knocking problems

Filed Aug 21, 2010 · Body, Seat belts · IA · crash · 1 injury

While traveling on a freeway at the speed limit of 65 miles per hour, I ended up in a skid on dry pavement. I don't remember how I got into the skid due to head injuries received in the resulting accident. The car skidded sideways for quite a ways and did not respond normally to attempts to steer it. Perhaps the engine stalled and the power steering was no longer working. The car eventually hit the raised concrete rumble strips while skidding sideways. The car then flipped over in the air and tumbled down the median, with the first impact likely to the driver's side roof, knocking out the driver. The car continued to tumble down the median until the car vaulted and landed on its top. I remember being upside down in the air, but nothing else until I came to hanging upside down from my seat belt with blurred vision. I had 2 large lumps on the top of the head, a badly swollen jaw and gums, a swollen tongue (bitten on both sides), one nostril filled with blood, the back of my head neck and shoulders were swollen by what felt like about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. I had bruises around my right elbow, on my right thigh, and likely other places, as well as a compression fracture of the second lumbar vertebra from the bottom (l4?). Since I had difficulty breathing, they did a tracheotomy on me while waiting for the ambulance. They pried open the rear hatch to get me out of the vehicle. I was in the hospital 5 days, out of work 5 weeks, and in various degrees of pain for about 1 year. The roof failed to protect me, the inertia lock shoulder harness failed to prevent my chin from hitting the steering wheel and its failure to work likely resulted in the compression fracture which the doctor said was probably from lunging forward. The only thing that kept me in the car was the manual adjusted lap belt, which is no longer installed in fords. All belts are inertia lock, like the shoulder belt of this car was. The vehicle had a manual transmission.

Filed Oct 14, 2004 · Transmission · CA

While shifting gears, the vehicle failed to move on its own. The consumer tried to shift the gears and a knocking noise was heard coming from the front. The consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for an inspection. The mechanic informed the consumer that the transmission needed to be replaced.

Filed Jun 4, 2003 · Electrical · NC

Defective spark plug, robert bosch corp. After a routine change of spark plugs in our 1996 ford escort, my car quit running. The bosch spark plug blew up in my car. We have had the top of the engine repaired for $900+ and the bottom needs repair for $1000.+ we have contacted the company on numerous occasions, and they in fact blame my car!!!! When the car was running fine before the installation of the bosch spark plug. My wife drives this car and since this happened last year, the knock in the engine is getting louder, she can not drive it on the expressway, and I hope we can resolve this matter before the engine quits entirely and someone gets hurt. Precision tune, who repaired the top of the engine last year said that these bosch platinum spark plugs are defective and they have seen them explode in other autos (bosch platinum spark plug hr9hp0).

Filed Mar 7, 2003 · Electrical, Suspension · VT

Brought my car in for the wiring recall and I told the dealer that there was spark knocking in the engine when it first starts and under hard acceleration. When I drive into my parents drive way my parents tell me that they know I am there because of the radio interference on the tv screen. I know a lot about electricity and I know that this is caused by noise and or shorts, bad connections what have you. I am very concerned about this because I know that the car has resistor plugs. We have also replaced the computer once and now this recall thing! We also had to replace the rear springs. When its really cold out and go to start the car the starter does not disengage and grinds on the fly wheel. It takes forever for it to warm up and it does not rarely ever warm up when its idling you have to drive it to get any heat. But overall its only left my wife stranded once. That's better than our last vehicle!! But now I wonder if this car is a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. Ford may not be my next choice of vehicle in the future that is if it doesn't kill me first!

Filed Jun 20, 2002 · Engine · MS

Engine check light appears on dashboard when consumer took vehicle to dealership. When dealership dropped vehicle off there was a knocking noise coming from underneath vehicle. Engine locked up.

Filed Nov 30, 2001 · Engine, Suspension · NC

There is a knocking in engine, when car is driven, louder the knocking gets. Consumer has contacted an outside mechanic and was informed that source of the problem was underneath hood where the bearings were. Also, deal has been contacted for a replacement of engine block/ head and cyclinder, but that still has not remedied the problem. Please provide further details.

Filed Oct 5, 2001 · Lights · IL

When ever you use a turn signal or bright lights which are all built into the same arm will cause the lights to go out. I was lucky that I was on a lonely road at 3:00 am with my teen daughter when they went out for the 1st time. As I have 4 children and 2 parents to care for with a full time job and was away from home at the time to help my daughter. I was unable to get this taken care of until oct, 2001. I called in september and was unable to reach anyone until 10-3-2001. I feel that this is a defective thing as I have talked to other people that have had problems in the office with the ford electrical. I am very concerned as all the dash lights go out as well as the head lights. As you do not have any warning that there is a problem until you are in the dark. In a moving vechical. I have not been able to drive this car in bad weather or at night do to this. If I hit a bump in the road it would knock the out too. As I was going back roads to get to my parents home to get my dad to the hospital I had no choice but to go on and I did not know what was happening. Nor was there anyone that I could call if I need to as there was not anything around.

Filed Jul 13, 2001 · Engine, Transmission · PR

Vehicle had less than a year when a metalic knocking noise started from the engine. The lifters & other parts has been replaced several times since the begining of the year 2000. Car still has the noise after many attempts to correct the problem and the ford international still does not want to claim the vehicle a defect. The second band of the transmision broke into many parts and the technition of bayamon ford said it was the first time he had seen this on this type of vehicle. He has seen this in explorer & expeditions, but not on ford escorts. Bayamon ford nor auto vega has been able to fix this this problem in more than a year. I also would like to add that another recurring problem in this car is that the headlight socket keeps melting. This is a fire hazzard and it is a recurring problem after replacement of headlight fixture. I noticed that the negative wire is thinner than both of the positive wires, thus causing the over heating & causing it to melt. Another recurring problem is that about every 6 months I have to take the car to the dealer to replace the front struts because they are shot. I would like to get a technition to properly do its job and not to put myself or other people in danger because he/she does not want to blow the whistle on a problem.

Filed Apr 26, 2001 · Engine · CT

When vehicle purchased engine vibrated while heating and AC system on. Brough to dealer 4-5 times state normal. Finally engine removed placed on mount and as a result engine knocks at start up. Brought twice to dealer, claim it is normal can't do anything about it. Still under warranty.

Filed Mar 21, 2001 · Brakes · AL

Brakes make a knocking noise when braking and turning.