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1989 Ford Escort

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 Ford Escort do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →
152Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
45
198656
1987143
1988152
1989101
1990327
1991162
1992
Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
64Engine And Engine Cooling
22Seat Belts
19Fuel System, Gasoline
12Exterior Lighting
9
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
9Power Train
8Steering
7Seats
6Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Wheels
3Structure
2Suspension
2Unknown Or Other
2Equipment
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Parking Brake
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 152 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports60 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

22 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 1996
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFire

OWNER PICKED UP VEHICLE, DROVE TO WORK, PARKED VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT, LEFT VEHICLE AND WENT INSIDE OFFICE BUILDING, CO-WORKER INFORMED OWNER THAT VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, CALLED FIRE DEPT WHO PUT FLAMES OUT. *AK FIRE DEPT STATED ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED, CONSUMER HAD JUST RECENTLY HAD MAJOR IGNITION WO…

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OWNER PICKED UP VEHICLE, DROVE TO WORK, PARKED VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT, LEFT VEHICLE AND WENT INSIDE OFFICE BUILDING, CO-WORKER INFORMED OWNER THAT VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, CALLED FIRE DEPT WHO PUT FLAMES OUT. *AK FIRE DEPT STATED ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED, CONSUMER HAD JUST RECENTLY HAD MAJOR IGNITION WORK COMPLETED ON VEHICLE. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #801074

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 1996
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingParking BrakeFire

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE ALTERNATOR WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *AK CONSUMER HAD A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED, PARKING BRAKE CABLE RECONNECTED, A UNE WAS PERFORMED, WATER PUMP REPLACED, REPLACED BRAKE PADS,DISC PAD SHIMS AND ROTORS, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TRANSMISSION GASKET, COOLANT FAN MOTOR INSTALLED WHICH WAS REPLACED A SECOND …

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THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THE ALTERNATOR WHILE IN TRAFFIC. *AK CONSUMER HAD A NEW BATTERY INSTALLED, PARKING BRAKE CABLE RECONNECTED, A UNE WAS PERFORMED, WATER PUMP REPLACED, REPLACED BRAKE PADS,DISC PAD SHIMS AND ROTORS, NEW ALTERNATOR, NEW TRANSMISSION GASKET, COOLANT FAN MOTOR INSTALLED WHICH WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME, INNER TIE RODS AND OUTER TIE RODS WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED, EMISSION CONTROL DEVICE REPLACED, STARTER WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME,TIMING BELT FAILED WHILE TRAVELING IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, UNDETECTED PROBLEM WITH DIFFERENTIAL CAUSED DESTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION.*JB

NHTSA ODI #983821

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

ENGINE FIRE. *DSH

NHTSA ODI #503808

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, WAS AN ENGINE COMPARMENT FIRE.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #982944

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 1996
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFire

THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS LEFT. FEW HOURS LATER IT WAS DISCOVERED GOING UP IN FLAMES. SOURCE OF FIRE UNKNOWN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #980571

Mileage unknown · Oct 18, 1995
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER RECEIVE A RECALL FOR THE HEAD GASKET HAD DEALER FIX CAR CONSUMER BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH CAR CAN'T FIND THE RECALL FOR THIS CAR . TT

NHTSA ODI #973550

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 1995
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS ON DRIVE IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. TT

NHTSA ODI #968886

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 1995
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE TIMING BELT CUT OFF ENGINE. NEED TO REPLACE. TT

NHTSA ODI #967246

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 1995
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED NEAR OXYGEN SENSOR, CAUSING NOISE/EXHAUST LEAK. *SKD

NHTSA ODI #489209

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 1995
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

NOTICE BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT, DUE TO FIRE UNDER THE MANIFOLD. TT

NHTSA ODI #960295

Official recalls

1

96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 25, 1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

DP91003 · Engine Stalling

Opened Nov 29, 1990 · Closed Jan 31, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE STALLING

EA90008 · Failed Passive Restraint

Opened Dec 27, 1989 · Closed Dec 31, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS WHICH ALLEGE A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.ADDITIONAL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO RESTRAIN/ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE OCCUPANT DURING AN ACCIDENT