Automatic Transmission Problems of Ford Escort - part 1

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Escort. The contact stated that the shift anti- lock actuator failed and the vehicle would not shift out of park. The vehicle was repaired October 24, 2003 when the dealer replaced the shifter and the cable assembly. The contact stated that the failure recurred. In addition, the contact stated that the rear passenger seat belt did not work properly and that the shoulder strap would not buckle properly. The failure mileage was 75,000. The abs light would randomly illuminate. Updated 12/15/11 updated 12/28/lj the right rear seat belt was twisted, which made it inoperable, the brake shift inter-lock malfunctioned and the consumer was unable to shift the from park to drive. Updated 03. 12. 12.

See all problems of the 2001 Ford Escort 🔎.

When shifting from park to drive, car sometimes is in neutral instead. Then must go back to park and to drive again.

: the contact stated while having routine tire maintenance done at a garage, the mechanic determined the rear spring was fractured. The contact did not have any problems with the vehicle. Updated 11/21/2006 - the consumer contacted the manufacture but they did not respond. The vehicle would not shift from park. The dealer replaced the shift lock system.

See all problems of the 2002 Ford Escort 🔎.

I have had near accidents relating to car fuel pump or transmission shops couldn't find any problems but the drivablity of my 98 Escort zx2 cost me more money in problem solving, 1,500 plus in recent repairs including emergency and repeat repairs and faulty repairs. My fuel economy is 160 miles per tank to almost 200 miles. No one can seem to find the problem(s). Large thunking in rear trunk (scary)when im taking off and reaching a steady speed. Take the car to major Ford dealerships, to no avail. Car doesn't always "go" from a complete stop in traffic,this has caused quite a scare as well. Thank you for helping and making note of my account. Debbie.

See all problems of the 1998 Ford Escort 🔎.

When shifting from park to drive, car sometimes is in neutral instead. Then must go back to park and to drive again. Flushed transmission and replaced fluid and this has cut down on occurrences.

The failure involves the interlock that keeps you from shifting out of park without applying the brake. My left rear turn signal bulb had burned out. I stopped the car, put it in park, and set the emergency brake, to get out and check the other turn signals. First I turned on the left side and verified that the left rear bulb wasn't working. Then I asked the passenger in the car to switch on the right signals. She leaned on the shift lever to try to reach the turn signal lever, and when she did, the car went into reverse. It moved back slowly since the emergency brake was on, so I jumped out of the way and got in and stopped it. Upon further investigation, I found this: that if the left rear turn signal bulb is bad, the shift interlock is released when you turn on the left turn signal, allowing the shift lever to be moved out of park without stepping on the brake first. When I put in the new bulb, the behavior did not happen anymore. I put the bad bulb back in, and it started doing it again. If I had not set the parking brake, I could have been run over. My concern is that this defect may exist in several model years on this vehicle and possibly other Ford vehicles. This problem was on a 1998 Ford Escort sedan with automatic transmission.

While driving the gears on the vehicle change from drive to neutral on their own. Manufacturer will be contacted by owner.

Failure of transmission for 1999 Ford Escort purchased new. I bought this for my then 72 year old mother who put 29,000 miles on the car.

See all problems of the 1999 Ford Escort 🔎.

Our zx2 has been nothing but trouble! on 9-10-02 (29,183 miles) $342. 30 worth of work was done on the brake system: friction reline, disc pads, brake shoes, rotors, drums, disc hardware (which was broken), shim kit, return springs (weak), bleed & adjust, and bearing pack. On 6-19-03 (37,829 miles) we had to have the complete transmission replaced. The cost for this was $1560. 07, but since our warranty had just expired our local mechanic had firend at a Ford dealer who gave us the 'good faith' policy and we only paid half. Gee. . . What a bargain for a 4 year old car. 2 months later, our a/c went out. W delayed repair due to $. On 2-10-04 (44,000 miles) the housing and water pump broke. This is a huge metal piece which the mechanic said he'd had never seen break. It snapped like plastic. The cost of this was $509. 47. On 2-24-04 (44,428 miles) we had to have the battery and cabels replaced which cost $117. 58. On 3-22-04 we repaired the a/c (45,524 miles). The technician found constant control relay module faulty. This cost $375. 76. On 4-25-04 (@ 45,700 miles) another huge metal piece broke! it was the serp. Tension housing and belt. The mechanic again said he has never seen that problem, special ordered the part from a Ford dealer who was also shocked. This cost us $195. 96. So far, we have sunk $2321. 11 into this car. The worst part is that we still owe on it. May of '04 we went to lou grubb Ford and were told that they were not responsible because our oil changes were not done at a Ford dealer! Ford field engineer denied seeing us. The Ford c. S. Woman said, "well, I guess it's time to trade in the car. People trade in bad cars all the time". I have issues knowing that some poor soul will own this money trap. We have written 3 letters to the Ford headquarters in dearborn, mi, but have had no response. It shakes & idles like it could die at any time! I would love to see a class action suit. I will never buy a Ford again if this is their idea of 'built Ford tough'.

I had to put an engine and transmission in my car last year. Now my ac doesn't work and I recently had to replace the battery and put a new alternator in it too. I have had issue after issue with my zx2.

At 36,150 miles (150 miles over warranty) the transmission on my 2000 Ford Escort failed completely. It would go forward on all gears, including park and reverse. Then, it would not go into 2nd without manual shifting of the automatic shifter. The dealership appears to be trying (note: appears) to get factory participation, however, when I contacted Ford national customer service, they declined support as it was past warranty. Reading other ntsb complaints, this appears to be a common problem with Ford Escorts, they appear to be designed to last exactly through the warranty period and no longer. That's a terrible testimony for american automobile manufacturing.

See all problems of the 2000 Ford Escort 🔎.

The transmission on my 2000 Ford Escort zx2 has gone bad. I took it to a Ford dealership and they told me that they have experienced this problem before and that it can occur from 15,000 miles+. The problem is that the 2 bands that control the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears have broke. And it is going to cost me at least $1,000 to fix it.

1999 Ford Escort. The consumer stated the gear shifter malfunctioned. It did not go into 2 or 1 gear. The vehicle was fixed last year on August 3, 2004. The dealership was contacted, and they stated these gears should not be used. The entire shifter assembly will need to replaced at this time. The problem started approximately two years ago, it started shifting hard. This caused something in the mechanism to bend. The remedy did not last a year. This problem was happening all of the time.

The transmission in my 2000 Ford Escort zx2 needed to rebuilt at approximately 40,000 miles and three months beyond the normal warranty. I spoke with Ford motor customer assistance and the dealership and was told that since the vehicle is out of warranty there is no obligation to repair the vehicle under any type of warranty. However, I feel since the vehicle had this major type of problem shortly after the warranty expired Ford should consider this and repair the vehicle. Ford's unwillingness to assist me leaves a very sour taste for me. I investigated the history of these vehicles before purchasing this unit and found that they had transmission trouble early in the first years of production. Now, I have experienced the problem first hand. Secondly, the other u. S. Automobile manufacturers have longer power train warranties. This seems to indicate that Ford is unwilling to stand behind their power trains and we should expect this type of problem at 40,000 miles??????? .

Failure of automatic transmission shifter safety interlock to function as intended. The shifter could be moved out of 'park' at any time. Condition caused by play on the selector shaft and dried lubrication.

My car has had 4 transmissions before 40,000 miles and now at 102,000 miles I'm having to put a new motor in. This car has had excellent care and maintence and no reason for this. I was driving the car down the highway and loud noice started so I stopped and had it towed Ford said it was the motor was no good know. This car had no problems with the motor till then.

The vehicles gear shift locked and couldn't be moved from park to drive. Manufacturer notified.

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.

When vehicle is put into reverse gear, it does not engage. The dealership indicated the problem was the automatic transmission and that it needed to be replaced.

With no warning or early signs, transmission burned up. Drove fine the night before, woke up the next morning and had not transmission. Transmission fluid was black. Had to get entire transmission rebuilt.

The transmission shifter can change gears without the brake being engaged. Ts.

The bumper separated, and the transmission needed to be replaced.

At 30mph and without warning vehicle stalled out and died. . Dealer notified.

My mom bought the car, certified used, with only 16,000 miles on it. As it neared 37,000 miles it needed a new transmission. I had to pay for it. After that the transmission had to be replaced 2 more times before it reached 70,000 miles.

See all problems of the 1997 Ford Escort 🔎.

No summary listed for above vehicle.

I do not drive my Escort "wild" I try to take care of my car. I have contacted the company to get it repaired; they only cover part's. I am fighting the warranty company that cancelled me; that paid for this at the time. No safety defect listed.

When vehicle gets started up it will not move out of park. Vehicle will just sit there and not move anywhere.

Vehicle lunged forward while in neutral, causing a front end collision with garage wall. Dealer has been contacted, and informed consumer that oil pan was dented. Also, vehicle will not shift into reverse. Please provide further details.

Slips going in and out of drive or reverse, when going to stop at all, it goes from drive to neutral all by itself. , also slips a little bit while driving, not always. I fear that this is a very unsafe vehicle. I am afraid that if I'm driving along with my two year old son in the car and I go to stop for somthing running across the road, or what ever, that I wont be able to move because the transmission is stuck and this big huge semi runs into the back of my car, killing my son. Sorry, but I well that I should not have to take that extra risk. I have to deal with that thought in any oter vehicle, but it is like 100 times more with this one. Took it back to the dealer 3 different times for the same thing. Two out of the three times, they said nothing was wrong. The third time they got it to do what it was doing to me, but yet that was normal. . . So they say.

Gears are not changing properly. Transmission is sticking. Please provide any further information.

While driving on the hwy at 70mph traffic started slowing, at about 45 mph I shifted out of 5th and into 4th. When I did this the car stalled.

I was driving on the freeway at 70 mph, as traffic slowed to 45 mph I shifted from 5th to 4th and car stalled.

Transmission broke down while traveling 65mph. Prior to break down, had heard a snapping sound. Vehicle stopped dead. Was towed to an independent mechanic, and had transmission replaced with a used one since old transmission was not repairable.

Transmission light came on. Dealer determined transmission needed to be replaced. On April 26, 2002 transmission light and engine check light illuminated again. Transmission had to be replaced. Consumer stated both times transmission was dragging.

How can a dealership not acknowledge the motor/transmission are both foreign items. If I wanted to purchase a foreign car I would have. And for both motor replacement cost $2600 and transmission $2800 to go out the same time. Isn't there some law that states a dealership/mfg must acknowledge the type of equipment (parts) being used in a automobile??.