Electrical System. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports61 fire reports14 injury reports

What owners actually said

327 reports

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 1998

Power Train

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON STREET, STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT, LIGHT CHANGED, VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE./ REPAIRMAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A PART IN TRANSMISSION WORE OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO MOVE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828447

Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 1998

Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #540066

Mileage unknown · Aug 27, 1998

StructureFire

Read full complaint

ALSO, MY ESCORT HAS HAD A WATER LEAK FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. WHEN I CONTACT KEY FOR, I WAS TOLD THAT NO OTHER REPORTS OF THIS KIND HAD BEEN MADE. WHEN I CONTACTED A LOCAL BODY SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS COMMON IN ESCORTS AND THAT THE FORD COMPANY WAS AWARE OF THIS, BUT NO EFFORT WAS BEING DONE TO CORRECT IT. IN THE MEANTIME, I RUN AROUND WITH A CATHS LITTER BOX IN MY CAR SO WHEN IT RAINS MOST OF THE WATER GETS IN THE LITTER BOX AND NOT ON MY FLOOR BOARD. HAVE ANY REPORTS OF THIS NATURE BEEN MADE?

NHTSA ODI #540515

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 1998

Fuel System, Gasoline

MSS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HESITATE/STALL.

NHTSA ODI #539619

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 1998

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

LOCATION OF FUEL LINE WHICH IS NEAR SWAY BAR AREA ON VEHICLE CAUSES FUEL LINES TO DEVELOP PIN HOLES, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826101

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 1998

Fuel System, Gasoline

THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT DEVELOPED A SHORT, PLASTIC COMPONENTS WERE MELTED AND FUEL LEAKED FROM TANK.

NHTSA ODI #538145

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 1998

Seat Belts

WHEN ENTERING VEHICLE THE BELT WILL NOT RETRACT OR SLIDE FOR THE LOCK DOWN POSITION FOR ENTRY, NOW THE BELT DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823527

Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 1998

Fuel System, Gasoline

RECALL # 92V117000 FUEL SYSTEM. WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL OR CLOSE TO FULL, FUEL LEAKS FROM THE TANK. PROBLEM CORRECTED UNDER RECALL IN DECEMBER OF 1992. THE FUEL TANK HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH. DEALER NOT WILLING TO CORRECT PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823943

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 1998

Engine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SMOKE COMES FROM THE THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT. DEALER FOUND AN OIL PAN GASKET LEAK, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. OWNER STILL EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUING TO SMOKE. OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #824035

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 1998

Engine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT BULB MELTED THE SOCKET.

NHTSA ODI #536324

Official recalls

93V057000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Apr 15, 1993

THE ROLL PINS SECURING THE IGNITION LOCK IN THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING CAN SEPARATE OR MOVE OUT OF POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THESTEERING COLUMN HOUSING WHICH COULD CAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK UP,RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: IF ONE OR BOTH OF THE ROLL PINS ARE MISSING OR NOT FULLY INSERTED, THE IGNITION LOCK HOUSING WILL BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE DOOR-LOCKS AND THE LIFTGATE OR DECK-LID LOCKS SO THAT KEY COMPATIBILITY IS MAINTAINED. IF BOTH PINS ARE PRESENT AND FULLY INSERTED, A PLASTIC SNAP-ON SLEEVE WILL BE INSTALLED AS A PRECAUTION TO PREVENT THE ROLL PINS FROM COMING OUT.

92V117000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Aug 19, 1992

FATIGUE CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE SOLDER JOINT BETWEEN THE FUEL RETURN TUBE AND THE FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SHOULD A CRACK DEVELOP, FUEL VAPOR CAN ESCAPE FROM THETANK WHEN THE TANK IS FULL, AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL CAN LEAK FROM THE CRACK.FUEL LEAKS CAN RESULT IN FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW FUEL PUMP SENDING ASSEMBLY.

90V076000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal

Apr 17, 1990

INTERFERENCE OCCUR BETWEEN BOLT THAT SECURES A FUEL LINE SHIELD TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK AT THE WIDE OPEN THROTTLE POSITION AND RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL WITH THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: CUT OFF EXTRA LENGTH OF BOLT THAT PROTRUDES ABOVE SURFACE OF WELD NUT TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE.

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