Clutch cable would mysteriously fall off the self adjusting pedal.
Heater core failure.
Dead at 75,000 miles.
A very good handling car and good traction in the snow.
The engine was weak. Harsh sounding, especially when pushed. The manual transmission growled like a junkyard dog. The all vinyl interior and simplistic dashboard made a Datsun 310 seem plush by comparison. Overall, the car had a high noise level making the stereo inaudible unless it was blasted to the point of distortion.
At $6,500, it was more expensive than other compacts of the day. Many of these early Escorts died in carburetor fires before they were recalled by Ford. Ours died of "Old Age", right after the payment book ended.
I have a 1982 Ford Escort GL that has 79,000 miles on it and it is still almost in mint condition. I think the only way to have it die at 75,000, is if you treat it like a hillbilly vehicle!!!
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