Menu

Ford EscortYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 3,936 NHTSA owner complaints across 23 model years, the Ford Escort years to avoid are 1995 and 1997, and the strongest years are 1985, 1986, 2001 and 2002. The Escort has 35 safety recalls on record.

Ford Escort
Years to avoid'95 '97Use caution: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999Best years'85 '86 '01 '02Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints3,936Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls351981–2003 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Best & worst years

Ford Escort years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Escort median. Tap a year for its full report.

'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2003Not rated–/10010 complaints · 0 recalls2002Best86/10033 complaints · 0 recalls2001Best72/10068 complaints · 0 recalls2000Solid62/10098 complaints · 1 recall1999Caution33/100325 complaints · 1 recall1998Caution30/100375 complaints · 0 recalls1997Avoid24/100543 complaints · 1 recall1996Solid49/100205 complaints · 0 recalls1995Avoid25/100576 complaints · 4 recalls1994Caution38/100279 complaints · 1 recall1993Caution36/100379 complaints · 1 recall1992Solid57/100162 complaints · 2 recalls1991Caution36/100327 complaints · 3 recalls1990Solid59/100101 complaints · 2 recalls1989Solid49/100152 complaints · 1 recall1988Solid51/100143 complaints · 2 recalls1987Best72/10056 complaints · 3 recalls1986Best77/10045 complaints · 2 recalls1985Best86/10026 complaints · 3 recalls1984Not rated–/10021 complaints · 3 recalls1983Not rated–/1007 complaints · 5 recalls1982Not rated–/1004 complaints · 5 recalls1981Not rated–/1001 complaint · 10 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Ford Escort problems

All model years combined: 3,936 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system737344
Seat belts632117
Engine and engine cooling48861
Air bags466342
Fuel system, gasoline36939
Power train31019
Suspension29511
Service brakes, hydraulic23551
Vehicle speed control20547
18 other systems828134
35 recalls

Ford Escort recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive02V-323 · 1997 · Dec 9, 2002 · 396,217 vehicles–Seat belts00V-228 · 2000 · Aug 18, 2000 · 144,435 vehicles–Manual transmission: shift pattern indicator99V-276 · 1999 · Oct 12, 1999 · 106 vehicles–Storage: tank assembly97V-145 · 1995 · Sep 3, 1997 · 600 vehicles–Storage: tank assembly97V-144 · 1995 · Sep 3, 1997 · 64,000 vehicles–Electrical system: ignition96V-071 · 1988–1990 · Apr 25, 1996 · 7,900,000 vehicles–Air bags: frontal94V-218 · 1994–1995 · Nov 10, 1994 · 240 vehicles–Air bags: frontal94V-197 · 1995 · Oct 11, 1994 · 29,000 vehicles–Seats94V-055 · 1993 · Mar 26, 1994 · 3,500 vehicles–Anti-theft: control module93V-057 · 1991 · Apr 15, 1993 · 91,000 vehicles–Fuel system, gasoline92V-117 · 1991–1992 · Aug 19, 1992 · 22,000 vehicles–Brake lights: switch92V-103 · 1992 · Jul 13, 1992 · 43,000 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 35 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

34 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Escort

  1. WATER INTRUSION INTO AIRBAG MONITOREA02008 · 1997 · closed Dec 11, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-323
  2. INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR WATERPE02010 · 1997 · closed Jun 10, 2002
    No recall
  3. AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENTDP01001 · 1998–1999 · closed Nov 1, 2001
    No recall
  4. FUEL TANK ASSEMBLYRQ97010 · 1995 · closed May 22, 2000
    Led to recall 97V-144
  5. FIRES IN STEERING COLUMNEA95002 · 1990 · closed Sep 30, 1996
    Led to recall 96V-071
  6. FRONT BRAKE FIRESPE94089 · 1990 · closed Mar 24, 1995
    No recall
  7. FIRES IN STEERING COLUMNPE94078 · 1990 · closed Feb 24, 1995
    No recall
  8. FUEL PUMP WIRING SHORTAGEEA94002 · 1991–1993 · closed Jan 31, 1995
    No recall
  9. FUEL PUMP WIRING SHORTAGEPE93076 · 1991 · closed Jan 28, 1994
    No recall
  10. INADVERT. STEERING LOCKUPEA93007 · 1991 · closed Apr 26, 1993
    Led to recall 93V-057