Two problems related to vehicle shudder have been reported for the 1999 Ford Escort. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
Company states they do a comprehensive inspection, sell high quality used vehicles, meet customers personal needs, and back their product. No inspection was done, only cosmetic repairs to sell the car. No inspection report can be produced except the repairs before car was put on lot. This vehicle is far from the high quality. We have had this vehicle back in the shop 14 times in 14 months. It did not meet the 4 personal needs we requested. Everything with those needs has gone completely wrong! we did not want a Ford; we got a Ford, it is not reliable. We have been dealing with the ac at the shop 7 times, now rendering the car disabled. It is not reliable, keeps breaking down. It does not get good mileage; car gets 21 mpg when it should get about 35-38 according to mfg. Warranty was burned by miles going back and forth to shop for constant repairs. 700 miles for the same issue- the ac. Service issues are that they have not found the route of the problem and we keep having to go back to get the same thing fixed. Owner is uncooperative, wont listen, always comes back with responses and replies that go in circles. He will not listen. We have been asking for a different car since two weeks after we bought this car; when we found out the car was unsafe to be put on the road. Within two weeks it was in the shop for broken motor mounts, broken transmission mounts, bad fuel pump, worn brake pads to metal. Which were worn in two weeks after they were changed because of a warped rotor. We had told them there was a shake in the car when we did a test drive. They said it would happen to a Ford. We did not want a Ford! we were desperate because our car was disabled, old and ready for the junkyard. We were broke and could not come up with a down payment. This was the only place that advertised no down payment. We did not need to repair credit as most people who go here. We were approved everywhere, just had no down payment.
When pressing gas accelerator pedal, car does not move. Car hesitates when starting from a stop. Occasionally (about 1 of 2 times) the car will shut down and check engine lights and other service lights appear. The transmission was replaced once already on 11/29/00. Transmission further complained about on 1/15/01 and 8/9/01 - told there was no problem. The car has been towed by aaa twice in past two weeks. 5 mechanics cannot diagnosis the problem. Also, when car is idling, in gear, the whole car shakes.