Caliper went bad and required replacement.
Auto transmission leaked roughly one quart of fluid every three or four days by the end of the car's life.
Had a terrible leak from the front windshield that would cause the front seat to be sopping wet most of the time (even in sunny Southern California).
Head gasket started to go bad at about the same time as the transmission problems started.
Alternator needed replacement at roughly 100,000 miles.
This was the first car I ever owned. I bought it the year after I graduated from High School and drove the poor thing to death. Why on Earth I thought getting this tiny little utilitarian vehicle was a good idea is beyond me. I like to drive fast, and I don't think this car was capable of going much beyond seventy miles per hour, and it didn't have much handling to speak of. I have to admit, for a macho young guy I sometimes felt self-conscious driving a white hatchback with the word "Pony" proudly emblazoned on the side.
As much as I'd like to say this car was a piece of garbage (I'm more of an import car fan myself) it was really, well...okay. Other than the brake problem (which was my fault and not the car's, I let the brakes get worse and worse before acting on it) and a "major tune up" (valve cover seal, plugs and wires, distributor cap, etc.) it soldiered along admirably for the majority of the time I owned it.
Its weak spot was the auto transmission, it never really shifted smoothly (especially when the car wasn't fully warmed up, it would violently shift out of first), and buy the end it would leave so much pink fluid behind you'd think it was bleeding to death. Finally the car failed a California smog test and the transmission clunked out completely, which lead me to junk the poor girl. Beyond that the windshield leak was intolerable, I had to drive around sitting on beach towels, and tried to keep out of the rain whenever possible.
All of that said, I'm amazed the car lasted as long as it did, I drove the car from California to various locations in the mid-west and east-coast and it didn't break down on me once (though the gas mileage was surprisingly poor for a little put-put, about 20 mpg). Had I been more mechanically experienced at the time I'd probably still have the car today.
Everything said in this review is so so true, I am the owner of a Ford Escort "Pony" also. Mine is still running and it is just a spare car now that I have purchased a new one. But I have a hard time saying enough is enough when it come to repairs on this car. This car has always come through for me, but now the brake light keeps coming on and I have a hard time deciding if I take it to the garage to see whats wrong with it or just let the thing go? Although this car is kinda of falling apart (dash board cracked all over and the in side door handles falling off and a small oil leak...) I just can't let it go...
I don't drive a pony, but I am a proud owner of the ford escort 1990.
Although the car isn't a pony my car still behaves in the same way. (E.G poor transmission etc)
But all things considered, It's a great car to 'practice' Modifying and the car will come back for more!
I owned a new 1989 Ford Escort Pony for five years. During the first two years the distributor module went out. That was under warranty, but the time i"d hit 35'000 miles it was one problem after another. Transmission fluid leaking on motor mounts,3 starters, recalled catalytic converter, blower fan went out during 3rd year, wheel bearings, never could get rear high mount brake lamp to keep working, bulbs on dash display burnt out, engine control computer went out 4th year, never could go in for just brake pads, only once, every other time full replacement of everything was needed, pre heater hose split, radiator started to leak and I always kept that fluid green only, rear hatch shocks wore out, seat bottomed out if you were driving for a long time, about four inches lower, front struts went out, bottomed out on all bumps in the road, This car was my first and the biggest disappointment since the AMC Pacer! I'll never buy a Ford ever again. FORD really means Fix Or Repair Daily!
I had an '89 Pony and LOVED mine, despite the little water leaks that developed. I finally ended up buying some GE Silicone sealant and liberally coated the front and rear windshield moldings. Solved the leaks!
As for mechanical woes, there were surprisingly few. I had a CV joint boot split on the left front wheel, which the Ford dealer replaced... but they put it back together incorrectly and it destroyed the joint. But they did take it back and they fixed it properly, for free, thank goodness!
The car lasted 93K miles on the front brakes, which was pretty good.
One reason I think I didn't have a lot of problems is that the car had one option -- the cassette player -- that's right, no air conditioning and no automatic transmission. In other words, plain and simple. I did do the maintenance myself, which may have helped, but who knows?
Gas mileage? Lowest was 18 MPG when I let it idle for half an hour (it was 5 degrees F outside!) to warm up, and the best was 54 MPG on a trip from Indianapolis to southern Indiana. Average was about 30 MPG in town (I drive pretty easy) and 40-45 on the road (usually 55-60 MPH on the back roads, 65 on the interstates). Always got good mileage, and gas was always cheap, but it was about $1.05-1.10 a gallon when I had the car.
Wish I still had it!!!
I owned a 1989 Ford Escort Pony. I was 21 then. My parents gave me a choice between a used Toyota Cressida or a new Escort. The Ford dealer man said this would be the best car you ever owned. That was the biggest bold faced lie I ever heard, and I'll say that to my grave. That cars quality and durability was horrible. For the five years I owned it I stayed broke. Every time I'd save up a little money you could count on the car going down. CV boots, bulbs constantly out, seeps and leaks, the module attached to the distributor twice, starter motor, master cylinder, struts.I was young then. It was my first car and no matter what extra care I gave it;it didn't make a difference. I spent way too much money trying to keep it running. Then after all that investment, without warning the transmission went out. On the freeway it just started slowing down with the gas petal on the floor. I finally told the the tow company to take it to the junk yard and I never want to see it again. Get it outer here! The 98'162 miles it had on it cost me dearly every step of the way . If I'd bought that used Toyota from the start, I may have been able to of enjoyed my 20s. Instead of sitting in my house looking out the window at the Escort broke down on the street. With no money to get it going again because I'm flat broke from the previous repair.
Don't you remember the slogan
Ford quality job 1.
I own a 86 escort "pony". It is a second car for me now. It has manual steering and transmission. It can be a pain to drive, but it gets me around. I haven't had many problems with it. The best part is that every time my other car goes out, this one is there. The only things are that the dash is cracked, the headliner started coming down (so I ripped it out and now need to replace it somehow) and the tires went (which is not the cars fault). The mechanic I take it to said this car should be dead by now, but it is in great shape for having a carburetor. Go, Pony, Go.
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