Ford Escort Wagon

mowslawn · November 2001

When my 1995 Escort with manual transmission is well warmed up, the engine tends to die during idle. This occurs several seconds - say 10 - after I have stopped at a light. I took the car to the shop, and they put it on the scope. They saw nothing wrong there. They cleaned out the throttle body, but this did not affect the problem. I suspect fuel/emissions system problems. Has anyone had this kind of problem?

revka · November 2001

Have you checked with Edmunds' new Maintenance Guide to see if you can find any related TSBs (technical service bulletins)? Good luck.

Revka
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revka · February 2002

It was once dubbed Ford's "World Car" but now it's part of world history. Gone but not forgotten, read about how this nameplate carried the Ford compact car banner for 20 years only to be replaced by that cross-pond rival, the Focus.

Here's the full story from Edmunds' Generations section: A Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer History, by John DiPietro. Let us know what you think.

A 1991 Ford Escort Wagon (Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

Thanks for your comments. ;-)

Revka
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vojd · March 2002

My wife and I are considering purchasing an escort wagon 1997-1999 model. I am a Hyundai Elantra '93 owner for the past two years, but need a more reliable car and don't feel like taking out a loan to buy a decent car. We plan to have a baby soon, thus the wagon. What do you people think? Here in Upstate New York, I am hoping to spend around $5000 on this. Though it is hard to find a good dealer here (they are pretty overcharging). If you know somebody who wants to sale his/her vehicle around let me know (do not trade in; they pay you less). Any feedback will be appreciated.

clutchless · April 2002

My girlfriend bought a used 94 Escort Wagon in October 2001. She has been experiencing a weird problem where she turns off the headlights, and removes the key, then when she closes the tailgate the parking lights come back on. Occasionally they come on immediately after closing the hatch, sometimes they won't but when she checks the car later they are on. It is impossible to turn the lights off by the switch, you must open/close the hatch a few times to get them to turn off.

We took the car to the local dealer, couldn't find anything. He said that Ford Rangers had a similar problem and that changing the headlight assembly did the trick (but is a costly part). Any ideas???

shazammer · May 2002

2 years ago I bought a '95 5 speed Escort wagon from a local dealer here in mid Wisconsin. It had 107K miles on it and I paid $3400. It now has 152K on it , has not even hiccupped in the past 2 years. I love it. The same dealership has a '99 Escort wagon for $3900 and if I had money to throw I'd buy it just to have for a second car when my '95 decides to tank. A truly reliable car.

shazammer · May 2002

Shazammer here. On a recent trip to COlorado I also averaged between 36-38 miles per gallon. Let those SUV owners cry at the pump.

francodm · June 2002

I have a 1995 Escort Wagon - 4spd auto.. I am having a similar problem as message #262. The check engine light will go on and off sporadically. Does anyone have any ideas of what could be causing the problem?

revka · June 2002

Here's a direct link to Edmunds' Maintenance Guide where you can look up any TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) and/or recalls for your 95 Escort.

For more expedient feedback, you may also want to copy/paste your question on our Maintenance & Repair board. Good luck and please keep us posted on your situation.

Revka
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john_reinhagen · June 2002

I have a '95 escort wagon with auto transmission. It hash 141,000 miles on it and am deciding whether to enter the auto market again or try to get another year or two out of my escort. I have previously replaced its radiator, timing belt, thermostat, rear springs, and rear struts. I should replace the rear break pads in the near future. It is a little dinged up but has no rust. I have used only mobile 1 in it since its break in and have changed oil/filter every 5000 miles. The car owes me nothing. Any advice from long time escort owners will be appreciated.

crkeehn · June 2002

Do you have any oil in the air cleaner box? If oil gets in there, it can be sucked into the intake passage and coat the wires of the mass airflow sensor.

francodm · June 2002

A quick update for all those following the Check Engine Light saga. Thanks to "crkeehn" and "revka" for their suggestions but so far - no luck. The mass airflow sensor was checked and cleaned. The problem persists. Any other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

caesarslegion · June 2002

I have a mercury tracer(same car as escort) and my mom had a escort wagon a while back and when the engine light came on both cars I just changed the fuel filter my self and it took care of the engine light. Both cars ran alot better after this was done.

raiderman2 · June 2002

i have a 1994 escort and the fuel cut off light is on and car is unable to start.A friend told me about the fuel cut off switch in the rear and i pressed the red button and car still wont turnover.what else could it be?

caesarslegion · June 2002

Im no expert but maybe the fuel pump is going. Maybe try starting with the easy stuff first, retry the switch again, check your fuses just in case.

kinbo · July 2002

Hi. I'm in the middle of replacing the leaking heater core of my 93 Escort Wagon. $30 for the core but work? Oh, so much more. That dang core! For sure. Wow. All day ripping the guts out. Steering wheel was a PAIN! They don't want those things coming off. Interior is now blow-drying with a big fan. All the carpet is wet. My biggest fear is not getting everything back together correctly. Anyone else undertake this challenge? P.S. I'm not a mechanic. I'm just following the repair book. Good luck to me! P.S.S. I think this is a great little work car. Bought her w/97k miles on her and she gets 34-35 mpg. Just had timing and serpentine belt replaced. $340 @ Ford dealership. After the core is replaced, I pray nothing else goes bad for a LOOOOONG time.
P.S.S. Got Jesus?

caesarslegion · July 2002

Dont get me going on those things, fords are known for this. Mine has gone 6 times. Ford use to put them in the glove box and you could fix them in a hour or so but now they make them so you have to pull the entire dash out and its a pain in the butt and if you take it to ford its a pain in the wallet$$$$$. Its a nightmare to do it your self and you must be a very brave person.

dixarone · July 2002

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether an extended warranty would be worthwhile? I'm looking at a '99 Escort Wagon, with only 25,000kms (about 15,000 miles) on it. I can get an extended warranty (similar to the factory warranty) for about $1000USD from a third party, which will cover the vehicle up to 100,000 miles.

The car itself is sitting on a dealer lot for $13,000CAD (about $7500USD). I figure I can probably get that down to around $11,500CAD or thereabouts.

Thanks.

caesarslegion · July 2002

For $1000. I would do it. To replace a transmission alone would be over $2k USD. Sounds like a deal to me.

revka · July 2002

In addition to the feedback here, you may also want to see what they have to say in our FWI Used Car Warranty discussion. Use your copy/paste so you don't have to re-write your message. Good luck, and please keep us posted on your purchase. ;-)

Revka
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fordgirl35 · July 2002

My timing belt broke clean off. I have a 93 ford escort LX station wagon and I want to replace it my self how do I line it up?

revka · July 2002

Sorry to hear about your timing belt. You might have luck posting (copy/paste) your question on our Maintenance & Repair message board. Our Auto101: How To and How it works! discussion might be a good place to start. Good luck, and please keep us posted on your situation.

Revka
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sdrury · October 2002

Hi everyone,
Just want to get some feedback. A friend has a 93 escort wagon with 138,000 miles on it. The body is in excellent condition, the oil and engine look clean and the interior is still nice, They only want a $1000 for it.
Am I buying a nightmare or are these pretty reliable cars. So far I've read yes- reliable.
What kind of milelage do they get? I need a commute car. And what should I watch for as far as maintence and keeping it alive until old age?
Thanks!
Stef

caesarslegion · October 2002

Fords 1.9 litre are good motors. Mine has over 160k on it and runs fine. The only thing I would have checked out is if it has an automatic transmission. Have it looked at by a mechanic you trust.

imbennett · December 2002

I had an 95 Wagon with 115,000 miles on it, loved it unfortunately this Dec. I was rear-ended on expressway and car was total. I am currently looking for another Escort Wagon to replace mine because it was the best running car I have ever had, best for mileage and I kept everything up on it, it was an easy keeper. btw it was a manual trans....loved it.

ensoccer589 · December 2002

A new message board has been created discussing the Ford Escort Wagon! Come add some messages! There are not very many. Hope you come visit!

ENsoccer589
Creator

revka · December 2002

Perhaps you'd like to share a little about your Escort with us here. We can discuss all years/model Escorts wagons in this discussion. What year/model Escort do you drive? Is this a recent purchase? How many miles are on it?

I'm sure others passing through here would be interested in hearing about your ownership experience.... Thanks for any notes! ;-)

Revka

Hatchbacks & Wagons Host

fordtrkgrl · December 2002

Hi! I feel compelled to write about my "energizer bunny" car :> My "bunny" has over 150,000 miles on it!

I bought my 95 escort wagon after having an accident in my 95 Neon...totalled the neon when I hit a telephone pole during the winter... The 95 escort wagon was a leftover model and I got it less than invoice with the z plan (ford family discount)and rebates ... It has been a VERY RELIABLE car, especially for the money! Everyone raves about the Honda and Toyota's but I have to say that my escort has been just as reliable AND more cost efficient! I had looked at Honda Civics but they cost so much more $ than the Escort.

Other than religiously changing the oil every 3000-4000 miles this car needed very little cash expended prior to 90,000 miles when the timing belt went which was inexpensive as my husband replaced the timing belt; and I also needed something to do with the cv fixed in the front end. But that's been it.. until relatively recently... I've been without an accurate speedometer ( actually for the last few years it's been making noises and bounces between a range of speeds), and I was just told by the mechanic that the springs are cracked and I could use new struts, but my husband refuses to let me put any money into the car. (I also need a new exhaust pipe too, but he's figured out a way to cob it for now so it doesn't sound as loud as it did.)

My question to you all is, would you invest any money into this car if it were you? I really think that it will last another couple of years if we invest some money into it at this point. He figures it will be between $500-1000 to have the springs and struts replaced and he says the car just isn't worth it. (Also, how long does a manual transmission usually last on the 95 escort wagons? I haven't had any problem with the transmission and the clutch is also the original clutch.) He keeps saying that it isn't worth investing any money into it now because there is such a glut of used cars out there... But yet, his niece has a 94 or 95 honda accord with over 120000 miles on it and she wants $4500 for it!
Would you invest $1000 into it if it were your car, or would you put that money towards another used car?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

showbizfcb · January 2003

I have a 1991 1.9L engine with 150,000 miles on it. In the spring I am planning on putting a new timing belt, serpintine belt, water pump, and pulley.

What is the life expectancy of this engine if it is well maintained? Can I get anothe 100k out of it?

What else does this engine need at this point in it's life? Certainly the car has been around long enough that we've been through this before.

Thanks for you help,
fcb

peshleman1 · January 2003

Same as ford escort. It has 176,000 miles on it. The timing belt broke at about 105,000 other than that the motor hasn`t been touched. Motor runs excellant. Mobil 1 10w30 synthetic from day one. I change the oil every 5000 miles. I don`t baby it either. I commute 100 miles a day driving 80-85 MPH. Should run well beyond 200,000 miles. Just shows what good maintenance will do.

kimmietwiddleb · January 2003

The o-ring on the fuel injector fell off and my engine are caught on fire. Has anyone else had a problem like this? Lucky, I wasn't in my car, I had just shut off the engine. There is over $2,400 in damage. Doe anyone know if there is a recall or a history of this happening?

3532mp · February 2003

I have a '97 Escort Wagon which I just love. That being said, I have been experiencing a problem with stalling and rough acceleration since about the middle of December. I took the car to the Dealership, they were able to confirm my complaint, however, after testing the car and driving it for two days, the problem disappeared. (I wish the $175.00 charge has also disappeared!) two day before I brought it in, I added a couple of bottles of dry gas. I'm wondering if this could have solved the problem. Well, yesterday it started again. I noticed when driving on the highway it started to surge or accelerate. Once I got off and came to a stop, it idled really rough and stalled. It started right up again and I got home without incident. I added a bottle of dry gas at the 1/2 tank mark and filled up. I'm now in a waiting mode to see if the dry gas helps. I'm hesitant to bring it back to Ford, since All they really did was to monitor it and charge me a lot of dough. Has anyone had similar problems? I live in Conneticut, and it's been a very cold winter, so that could possibly account for the problem. Sorry for the long-winded post. Any help would be appreciated.
3532mp

rogertc1 · February 2003

Unhook the negative battey post for about a half hour. This should allow the computer to re-program when you start driving again. May not do anything with your problem but doesn't cost anything and easy.
Roger

revka · February 2003

in Edmunds' Maintenance guide, you can look for TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) that might be related to your vehicle problem.

For more information about TSB's and how they can help you resolve your vehicle problems, read this article from Edmunds Ownership Section: You, Your Vehicle and the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). Good luck, an please keep us posted on your situation.

Revka
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gaylord1 · March 2003

I purchased this wagon new in 1996 and now have 122,000 miles on it. For the first time I've had to put money into it for repairs other than ordinary matainance. I just had two broken springs replaced, a new radiator put in. Anyone want to guess how many more miles I can put on the car without putting anymore money into it?

doncas · April 2003

I purchased my Escort Wagon (5-speed) used with 42,000 miles on the odometer. I now have 154,000 miles and have finally had to spend money on an unscheduled repair. The timing belt broke two weeks ago. Replacing the timing belt and a new water-pump (suggested by garage) cost $360.00. The A/C and automatic seat belts still work. This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. I owned two 1986 Escort's before and they had their share of problems but my current Escort is rock-solid.

revka · April 2003

and thank for your message! I'm sure other Escort owners, passing through here, will appreciate your encouraging notes. I look forward to your future posts. Thanks for your participation! ;-)

Revka
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houston11 · July 2003

I have bought 98 escort wagon with manual transmission, 62k. Driving on highway cruise control usually works for 15 minutes and than
disengage. Than it takes some 10 minutes before it starts work again, no matter, what I press. Does anybody idea, what is the reason?

revka · August 2003

If anyone has any thoughts to share on the Suzuki Esteem vs Ford Escort, please join us in this new discussion. Perhaps you can help joeli make a decision. Thanks for your participation!

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white lightnin · February 2005

I have just purchased a 95 Ford Escort Wagon, automatic transmission. It has these "jerking" moments that are fairly frequent. I feel it might be when it is shifting between gears, going up a hill, or switching speeds, but it does seem to be most of the time and can't be pinned to a certain thing. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this or something similar, and do they think it could have anything to do with the auto. transmission.

masterglenn · July 2005

I need to replace the ignition switch. I bought a new one and the first thing I am to do is remove the upper and lower steering column shrouds. How does one do that?

problem2 · July 2005

hy
it is normal my fuel consum?
in town 13 l/100km
highway 8 l/100km

thanks

enash · August 2005

I am trying to change out the heater core for a 93 Escort Wagon. I have a Chiltons Manual which has been quite helpful. I am supposed to reach up behind the Instrument Cluster and squeeze the cable where it enters the instrument cluster. It is very hard to get to but I can reach it. What I found( mostly by touch) is a approximately 5/8" rubber hose about 12 inch long that then converts to a metal tube about 3 inches long. I assume there is a speedometer cable inside them. At the end of the metal tube is a plastic connector but it is hard plastic and I can't squeeze it. It has a bulge on one side and on the opposite side is a gap. I thought that perhaps I was supposed to squeeze this but it won't move. I can push on the bulge towards the end and it moves fairly easily toward the middle(cable). It appears to rotate around a pin on the side with the gap. In spite of its movement, it does not disconnect. The plastic part then abuts to the back of the instrument cluster which has a moderate bulge in it. Above this on the instrument cluster is an electrical connection and I can feel the electrical wires entering it. The ford dealers say that there should be a retainer at the end of the cable that I should squeeze to release the cable. They say it is hard to squeeze, but this is way beyond that.

enash · August 2005

I am answering my own question. I followed some advice to remove the speedometer cable at the transaxle. This did work. I will return to this in a moment. Even after I got the instrument cluster out, I had trouble getting the speedometer cable disconnected. It was, however, quite simple. All I had to do is what I did before. The instrument cluster has a projection with a groove in it running all around the circumference where the cable is connected. The connector on the speedometer cable has a plastic tube with a inner metal tube that fits around the projection when snapped into place. The metal tube has a small hole in it on the opposite side from where you push. The plastic tube has a small projection that goes through the hole and catches in the groove on the instrument cluster projection. When you press the plastic tubing as I was originally doing, the opposite side moves out and pulls the plastic projection out of the groove and releases the cable. You simply pull the cable straight out while pushing the plastic tubing toward the cable. It is as simple as that although difficult to do because of the limited space.

The other end of the speedometer cable is connected into the vehicle speed sensor(VSS). It is located on top of the transaxle. The transaxle is located toward the fire wall from the engine-clutch-transaxle unit. It appears to be somewhat behind the engine and is down low. One can follow the cable coming out of the instrument cluster to the VSS. It passes through the fire wall directly behind the instrument panel. The speedometer cable on the both ends are removed by pulling straight out. It is recommended that one disconnect the electrical connection. I assume that this is because of possible damage by static electricity. The cable will come out anyway. I removed the battery in order to get to the grommet where the cable passes through the fire wall. The cable moved easily through it. I simply pushed it in a ways and pulled the instrument cluster out a ways and repeated this until it was out far enough for me to remove the electrical connections on the instrument cluster. Once all three of them were removed, I pulled it out a little further an removed the speedometer cable. This also worked easily.

I have not yet reinstalled it and do not know whether there will be any problems with aligning the speedometer cable. It may not be a problem.

wchappel · August 2005

The ABS light keeps coming on and going off on our 1999 Escort. What could be the cause, what's the danger of doing nothing about it and what can I expect a diagnostic to cost???

sehmel · August 2005

Hi Raiderman2, We seem to be having the same problem. My 94 ford escort just died yesterday. I had not been running good for a few weeks, it was stalling a lot and when it would the fuel cutoff light would come on. Yesterday, my car stalled and would not start again. Besides not starting, none of the lights on the lower part of the dash come on when I try to start it. Did your car do the same thing? and have you gotten it fixed yet? I am at a loss. Let me know what you did, if you got it running again?

martyn1 · August 2005

I ran this car for two years in New York with regular trips to Toronto. In 1997 I brought it back to the UK and its been great when you realize I can't get spare parts here.The only problem has been the warning bleeper comes on before I even put the ignition key in the lock and I cannot find any reference in the workshop manual to when,if ever, the timing belt should be changed ( although it does mention it for the 1.8 ltr. version). Is this a mistake in the manual or intentional?
This week I smashed my offside (thats your nearside) wing mirror (the motorized type) any idea how much a replacement is?

cheapwagon · August 2005

Hi, I just bought a 1995 Escort wagon that is real clean. It had all the service records including a recent timing belt and radiator. I got it for 400 dollars. I had to replace the tie rod ends and exhaust pipe. Now that it is quiet, it has what I think is a wheel bearing noise from the front wheels. Is this common, and how much will it cost me? I have 125k on this car. It is a 5 speed. I had a 1992 Escort wagon before that was an automatic and it ran with no problems until I donated to a needy family when it had 150k on it., The lady is still driving it. Thank you.

rickydee3312 · August 2005

TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP $250 APPROX

WATCH REAR SPRINGS COMMON PROBLEM

I HAVE A ' 91 WITH 125K

REPLACE STRUCTS AT 95K

irontree · August 2005

I need some help.
I have a 95 escort, that doesn't start when the engine is warm. If the engine is cold, it starts right up. It doesn't die if it is running, it just doesn't start if it is warm. If the weather is hot (above 85 degrees) the car won't start either, so it doesn't matter why it is warm. If I start it on a cold morning, and let it get warm (about 5 minutes) and then turn it off, it won't restart with the key. If the engine is warm, I can start it by pushing it or rolling it down a hill and then popping the clutch (into first) and then quickly turning the key while it is still moving. If I just turn the key without it moving, the engine growls, but it just doesn't catch. The dealership looked at it for 2 hours and charged me $100 and couldn't figure it out. They wanted me to authorize $400 to just figure it out. I replaced the emergency shut off switch in the back but it still doesn't start.......

Can anyone tell me what is wrong???

Daniel Kretchmar

Ford Escort Wagon

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