IllustrationVEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, NOTICED FLUID UNDERNEATH AND REALIZED IT WAS GASOLINE. FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. DROVE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL TANK. *AK *ML
1992 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Ford Escort do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escort years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 11 of 162 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 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports17 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
162 reportsWHILE DRIVING AND DRIVER STEPS OFF THE ACCLERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE ENG IDLES "HIGH AND SUDDENLY ACCLERATES WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DRIVER NEEDS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE TO STOP THE IDLING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CAR WAS EMITTING A SLIGHT GAS ODOR. MECHANICS AT GREASE MONKEY NOTED A LEAK ON THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO REPAIR MECHANIC--THE DIAGNOSIS WAS A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. REPLACED FUEL TANK AT A COST OF 580.04. THE REPAIRS TOOK OVER A WEEK BECAUSE THE PART WAS ON BACK-ORDER FROM THE FACTORY.
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON FOUR OCCASIONS, ONE INCIDENT RESULTED IN VEHICLE COLLISION, VEHICLE CRASH INTO GARAGE, RECALL ON 1991 ESCORTS (90V-076) HOWEVER VEHICLE DENIED DUE TO YEAR BUILT. MJS
REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AND DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THIS WOULD CAUSE INJURY DURING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
PROBLEM FIRST NOTICED ON 10/16/99 WHILE TIRES WERE BEING CHANGED ALTHOUGH IT IS UNKNOWN HOW LONG REAR SPRINGS HAVE BEEN BROKEN. MECHANIC ADVISED THAT HIS SHOP HAD REPLACED REAR SPRINGS ON AT LEAST SEVEN OTHER ESCORTS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD CAUGHT ON FIRE. DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE. *AK
GAS GUAGE ON THE DASH CONSOLE DID NOT WORK, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE FUSE TO THE GUAGE BLEW OUT, CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO GO BAD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
+A PART OF THE GAS TANK WHERE THE BRAKES SCREW IN THERE IS A PIECE MISSING, CAUSING THE GAS TO LEAK .DEALER WAS CONTACTED ,AND VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S COST. *AK
BOTH REAR AXLE LEAF SPRINGS BROKEN. TOOK CAR IN FOR BRAKES TO BE SERVICED AND BRAKE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I HAD TO REPLACE REAR TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE CUPPED BADLY IN THE SPRING OF 1999 AT WHICH TIME TIRE CENTER MECHANIC SAID PROBLEM DUE TO THE BALANCE OF THE TIRES. BRAKE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS PROBABLY …
Read full complaint
BOTH REAR AXLE LEAF SPRINGS BROKEN. TOOK CAR IN FOR BRAKES TO BE SERVICED AND BRAKE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT BOTH SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. I HAD TO REPLACE REAR TIRES BECAUSE THEY WERE CUPPED BADLY IN THE SPRING OF 1999 AT WHICH TIME TIRE CENTER MECHANIC SAID PROBLEM DUE TO THE BALANCE OF THE TIRES. BRAKE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE BROKEN SPRINGS. TIRES ARE STARTING TO CUP AGAIN. ESTMATE COST TO REPAIR AT $500.00 PER ADAMS TIRE CENTER
Official recalls
292V117000 · 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.
92V103000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Jul 13, 1992
THE STOP LAMP SWITCHES COULD INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN THE STOP LAMPS NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN FOLLOWING MOTORISTS NOT BEINGSIGNALED THAT THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING, AND COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FAULTY STOP LAMP SWITCHES.
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
1EA94002 · Fuel Pump Wiring Shortage
Opened Jan 28, 1994 · Closed Jan 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available