IllustrationAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GERAR AND DISABLED VEHICLE TO MOVE ON THE HIGHWAY. *AK
1993 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Ford Escort are substantially higher than 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: 22 of 379 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports15 fire reports25 injury reports
Power Train complaints
30 reportsTRANSMISSION FAILURE.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 5 SPEED, WHEN VEHICLE IS IN 5TH GEAR AND SLOWING DOWN, TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP AND CANNOT MOVE THE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, WOULD NOT SHIFT IN REVERSE, NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT. TAKES A WHILE BEFORE IT HAPPENS. SHIFTED INTO 1ST AND MOVED A BIT THEN REVERSE WORKED. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP TWICE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES*YD
VEHICLE HAS MANUAL TRANSMISSION; DRIVER STATES THAT VEHICLE LOCKS UP IN 5TH GEAR, IN AN EMERGENCY SHE EITHER HAS TO KILL ENGINE OR INCREASE ENGINE REVS TO UNLOCK 5TH GEAR. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THE VEHICLE CLUTCH WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. *AK
AT 18,000 MILES HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION , PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
THE CAR DISENGAGES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON CAR ACCELERATES AND DECELERATES ON ITS OWN. TT AIR CONDITIONER ALSO MAKES NOISES AND HAS AN ODOR. TRANSMISSION TAKES 3 TO 4 ATTEMPTS BEFORE ENGAGING IN REVERSE. STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT LOCK. HATCHBACK DOES NOT OPEN AND CLOSE PROPERLY. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LENSE IS CRACKED. FRONT BUMPER IS NOT ALI…
Read full complaint
WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS ON CAR ACCELERATES AND DECELERATES ON ITS OWN. TT AIR CONDITIONER ALSO MAKES NOISES AND HAS AN ODOR. TRANSMISSION TAKES 3 TO 4 ATTEMPTS BEFORE ENGAGING IN REVERSE. STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT LOCK. HATCHBACK DOES NOT OPEN AND CLOSE PROPERLY. FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LENSE IS CRACKED. FRONT BUMPER IS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. DOORS ARE NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY, CAUSING THEM NOT TO CLOSE PROPERLY. WINDOW SEAL BROKE CAUSING WIND NOISE. *SLC
Official recalls
194V055000 · Seats
Mar 26, 1994
THE LOCK PLATE OF THE DRIVER SIDE INBOARD SEAT TRACK ADJUSTERS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATION TO THE FABRICATION PROCESS WHICH CAUSES THE SEAT NOT TO FULLY ENGAGE IN CERTAIN SEATING POSITIONS NEAR THE MID-POINT OF THE SEAT TRACK TRAVEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THE SEAT CAN MOVE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN REDUCED OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE INBOARD SEAT TRACK.
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