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margog85 · May 2, 2008, 02:45 PM

I have a 1998 Ford Escort, about 111,000mi. There are a few problems with it and I don't know what to check- any advice on what could be causing these issues would be appreciated.

1. Runs fine until you hit about 65/70mph. Then the whole car shakes and feels like it's going to just fall to pieces.

2. Over the winter when the heat is on, and in the summer when the a/c is on, all is well as long as the car is moving. I have to turn the heat/ac off at every light, because the car will stall if it's on when idling.

I don' t know if these two things are connected in anyway... any advice would be helpful!

twinkiedooter · May 2, 2008, 04:01 PM

Please take this to a mechanic to properly diagnose. The fact that you have to turn off the a/c or heat at redlights is not good.

margog85 · May 2, 2008, 04:44 PM

I figured it wasn't good- lol. Any idea what the problem could be though?

I'd rather go to a mechanic and say that I want to check a, b, and c so it seems like I have some idea of what I'm talking about, instead of just going in and describing the problem... I don't want them doing things that aren't necessary either thinking they can get me to do a bunch of stuff because I don't know any better- it's an old car, I don't expect it to be perfect, but I don't want it to die on me either...

this8384 · May 2, 2008, 04:52 PM

In regards to the shaking, I would recommend getting your tires balanced and see if that helps.

In regards to the stalling at idle, it could be a few things. When you're running the AC, it puts more strain on the motor which is why it stalls at idle because the RPMs aren't as high. Is your check engine light on? It might be indicating that there's a bad sensor somewhere.

margog85 · May 2, 2008, 05:06 PM

No, the check engine light is not on- it had gone on a while back, I parked the car
- a friend recommended balancing the tires, so I may do that within the next few days... would that cause the entire car to shake? It does feel like it's being caused by the engine... but I could be wrong.
What is a bad sensor? Is that something that can be easily replaced/fixed?
My father recommended just taking it for a tune up and seeing if that helps... but he's 500 miles away and hasn't looked at/seen/heard the car either... do you think that's a good suggestion?

twinkiedooter · May 3, 2008, 05:44 AM

There seems to be a constriction of the fuel to cause it to idle wrong. Would try changing the fuel filter for starters. When was the last time you changed the plugs and wires also? Also the rotor and cap? This could cause the engine to act nutty when you are at high speed. Escorts unfortunately are not made for higher mileage. I did not buy one on my mechanic's recommendation that they don't have metal trannys. He said he had more Escorts in for repairs than you could shake a stick at.

this8384 · May 3, 2008, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by twinkiedooter

There seems to be a constriction of the fuel to cause it to idle wrong. Would try changing the fuel filter for starters. When was the last time you changed the plugs and wires also? Also the rotor and cap? This could cause the engine to act nutty when you are at high speed. Escorts unfortunately are not made for higher mileage. I did not buy one on my mechanic's recommendation that they don't have metal trannys. He said he had more Escorts in for repairs than you could shake a stick at.

Twinkie, stop answering questions like this; I understand you're trying to help but I've noticed more than once that you try to answer car questions and you're completely off-base. A fuel filter would not cause a problem only at higher speeds. I agree that Escorts are "throw away" cars and they are constantly in need of repair. However, what does your "mechanic" propose that the transmission is made of? Plastic? He's completely wrong and I can't believe anyone would fall for a line that a tranny isn't made of metal.

Faulty ignition parts are not her problem with the shaking; she would notice it at lower speeds also. As I said, the shaking is most likely due to the tires being unbalanced as the problem only occurs at higher speeds.

Margog, I would recommend having a computer scan done just to rule out any other possibilities. It could be as simple as a tune up or something more serious. As for sensors, there are quite a few on the vehicle. In regards to the ease of replacement, it all depends on the location of the part itself.

Pawel S · Jun 4, 2008, 08:31 PM

I am a ford technician in Iowa and 90% of vibrations come bad, old or damaged tires. Most vibrations that I experienced over 50mph where from broke belts in tires, tires need balanced, bent rims. Try that hope it works.

bushg · Jun 4, 2008, 08:35 PM

Pawel I had the same problem... happened to figure it out when I parked in my drive way and had the wheel turned out... the metal was sticking out.

Marg, carefully take your hand and rub over inside of tire and see if there are little shards of metal sticking out . Ps stay off the express way until you make surre it isn't a broken belt.

Pawel S · Jun 4, 2008, 08:43 PM

[easiest way to determine if it's the tire is to put it on a blance machine. If it really bad pick the car in the air spin the wheel and place your hand over the tire when you spin it you can feel any bumps or broken belts but some times its really hard to determine. You can always see if there is broken stabilizer links or if they are loose, ball joints, or any bushings there is many thing but always start from tires.