NHTSA complaint: 1997 FORD ESCORT — AIR BAGS
97 ESCORT WAS ACTUALLY PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER IN 1998, WITH ABOUT 38000 MILES ON IT. MY SON BOUGHT IT FROM HER IN DEC. 01 AFTER HE WRECKED HIS RANGER. HE TOLD ME THAT HIS AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASH HAD COME ON AND WOULDN'T GO OFF. I AM IN SALES AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND ASKED A COUPLE OF SERVICE ADVISORS AND MECHANICS ABOUT THE LIGHT AND THEY SAID THAT 99% OF THE TIME IT WAS USUALLY JUST A CLOCK SPRING. FIGURING NO BIG DEAL, I TOLD MY SON TO KEEP DRIVING THE CAR (THIS WAS ABOUT MAY,02). LATER HE TOLD ME THAT HE KEPT SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING PERIODICALLY; I COULD SMELL IT BUT THOUGHT THE ODOR WAS ALMOST NEGLIGIBLE. NEXT THING I KNOW, HE TOLD ME THE UNDER SIDE OF THE DASH, BEHIND THE RADIO AND ON PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE (INSIDE THE CAR) HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND HE USED THE KITCHEN FIRE EXTENGUISHER TO PUT IT OUT. I TOLD HIM TO ALSO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE BEEN SELLING FORDS FOR 11 YEARS AND DID SOME DIGGING. THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ARTICLE NO. 98-15-20 (SUPERCEDES ARTICLE NO. 98-14-3) WHICH ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM AND TELLS THE SERVICE DEPT. TO REPLACE THE MODULE AND INSTALL A WATERSHIELD TO KEEP THIS FROM RECURRING. THIS IS ELIGIBLE UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY COVERAGE AND SAFETY RESTRAINT WARRANTY COVERAGE. SINCE MY CAR HAS ABOUT 98000 MILES ON AND WAS STILL RUNNING FINE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, AM I OUT OF LUCK AT GETTING THIS CAR RUNNING AGAIN. PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE FROM A MECHANIC WAS ABOUT $1100 IN PARTS AND WHO KNOWS HOW M
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation