Problems with Escort. I know this is a five-0 forum. Please help!

I know this is forum is for five o's, but we dont have one for ford escorts and i am really stumped on the problem that i am having with it. Please help!


The car is a 1993 ford escort LX. It has the 1.9L engine.

The problem: It will not run. I am not hearing the fuel pump come on when you turn the key switch. I have replaced the fuel pump. I checked the fuel pump relay. Wich i BELIEVE is green and is beside the computer. That relay is good. I unhooked the cable that is going to that relay and there is NO voltage present when i turn the key. I also checked the intertia switch located around the shock tower area in the rear. It is good.

According to the prints that i have (haynes) that relay is fused by the "fuel injector" fuse wich is located in the engine compartment. The fuse is good. I have checked all of the fuses that i could find. I havent found any of them that are bad.

Another thing that i noticed is that i dont have any signal lights in the dash. The lights that i am referring to is "check engine", "oil pressure" "coolant", those type of lights. The heater, radio, headlights work.

The motor will turn over but will not start.

Can anyone help? I really hate to take this to a mechanic. Sorry for such a long post.

Please help.

Thank you.

I have checked the inertia switch (fuel cutoff) in the rear of the car. It is good.


Joel, i have posted this in an escort forum on the web. There was a member that mentioned the ignition switch being bad. I believe that they said that the black with white wire goes to the relay. If that is right, that wire does have 12volts across it when i turn the switch.

Do you have any recommendations on troubleshooting the switch?

Can an ignition switch be purchased at local parts house? Or a ford dealership?

If the switch is changed, does that mean i need new keys made?


Thanks for the help guys.

HISSIN50 said:

when it cranks, does it have spark? Injector pulsing? What is the FP reading?

Good luck.

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Hissin, i havent gotten to the spark just yet. I figured a needed to troubleshoot the pump problem since it is not coming on.

That engine does have the distributorless ignition though. It may be possible that type of ignition MAY have something to do with the pump not being told to come on. I'm very familiar with that type of ignition. It also has quite a few sensors too. Way more than a mustang.

Now, the injector pulsing. I'm not even sure what you are talking about on that. Can you explain.

FP. Fuel pressure? If your talking about fuel pressure reading i dont have a gauge to go by. Besides the pump isnt working anyway.

This really the only problem this car has given me since i have had it. It does have 210,000 miles on it to.
Thanks man....

joel5.0 said:

On the switch possibility, it's the instrument panel lights not turning on that points to the switch...or a power dist problem. If the CEL is not turning on, the ECM might not also be getting power.....thus not starting.

To check it you would have to expose the switch connector wires by removing steering column shrouds and lowering the column. Check the power supply wires (2 black wires), the should be hot all the time. With key in on you should have power coming out of the IG1 (dark blue) and IG2 (black/red) wires. If voltage is present, need to trace them to the instrument panel fuse box. If voltage is absent, the electrical combination switch can be replaced separate from the key cylinder. Hope this helps. LUK

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Joel, i just replaced the ignition switch. THAT GOT IT!!

Everything powered just like it should. Fuel pump came on and i started it up.


I looked at the switch this morning and figured that i could JUST replace the contact housing instead of the whole cylinder.

Thanks man.........