IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE STOPS MIDWAY ON THE TRACK LEAVING THE DRIVER UNRESTRAINED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT HE DEALER SHOULD REPLACE THE COMPONENT FREE OF CHARGE SINCE IT IS SAFETY RELATED .*JB *NLM
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
Seat Belts complaints
109 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE SEAT BELTS ON MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE "AUTOMATIC" SHOULDER HARNESSES BUT WAS ALWAYS WARY OF THEIR RELIABILITY. NOW THAT A FAILURE HAS OCURRED ON MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THEM, MY SUSPICIONS SEEM TO BE CONFIRMED. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM IS THAT IT IS PROBABLY EXPENSIVE T…
Read full complaint
I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE SEAT BELTS ON MY PREVIOUS VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE "AUTOMATIC" SHOULDER HARNESSES BUT WAS ALWAYS WARY OF THEIR RELIABILITY. NOW THAT A FAILURE HAS OCURRED ON MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THEM, MY SUSPICIONS SEEM TO BE CONFIRMED. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM IS THAT IT IS PROBABLY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AND MOST CONSUMERS WILL NOT SPEND THE MONEY ON A REPAIR AND JUST STOP USING IT. IF A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PROTECT ME FAILS AT ALL HOW CAN I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL PROTECT ME IF , GOD FORBID, IT HAS TO BE CALLED UPON TO DO SO.*AK
SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER SIDE, PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER HAVE TOTALLY FAILED. FORD SAYS THE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEREFORE NOT OBLIGATED FOR THE FAILURE. ESTIMATES RANGE AT $1100.00 TO REPLACE ALL THE SEAT BELTS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. A VITAL COMPONENT HAS FAILED THEREFORE FORD SHOULD PAY THE R…
Read full complaint
SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER SIDE, PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER HAVE TOTALLY FAILED. FORD SAYS THE THE CAR IS OUTSIDE THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY AND THEREFORE NOT OBLIGATED FOR THE FAILURE. ESTIMATES RANGE AT $1100.00 TO REPLACE ALL THE SEAT BELTS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. A VITAL COMPONENT HAS FAILED THEREFORE FORD SHOULD PAY THE REPLACEMENT COST BEFORE INJURIES OCCUR AND QUESTIONS OF LIABILITY ARISE IN A COURT OF LAW. *AK
MY REAR SEAT BELTS CAME OFF THE BUCKLES WERE RIGHT IN MY GRANDCHILD'S HAND.ONE I DID'NT THINK WAS TOO BAD BUT TWO DID THE SAME THINK I CONTACTED JAKK ADKINS AND FORD MTR BOYH TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WASN'T UNDER WARRANTEE SO THEY WOULD'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT I HAD THEM REPLACED AND THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NEVER SEWN UNDE…
Read full complaint
MY REAR SEAT BELTS CAME OFF THE BUCKLES WERE RIGHT IN MY GRANDCHILD'S HAND.ONE I DID'NT THINK WAS TOO BAD BUT TWO DID THE SAME THINK I CONTACTED JAKK ADKINS AND FORD MTR BOYH TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WASN'T UNDER WARRANTEE SO THEY WOULD'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT I HAD THEM REPLACED AND THE GARAGE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE NEVER SEWN UNDER THE SEAT I HAVE THE STRAPS AND THERE ARE NO STITCH MARKS .WHERE THE BUCKLES CAME OFF IT LOOKS LIKE THE THREAD JUST GAVE AWAY ANYINFORMATIO WILL BE APPRECIATEDET. *AK
ELECTRIC SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT TO LOCKED POSITION WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. THEY STAY "JAMMED" IN THE OPEN POSITION, FORWARD BY THE DASHBOARD. THEREFORE, FRONT 3-POINT SAFETY BELTS NON-FUNCTIONAL. AMERICAN HONDA REPLACED MY FATHER'S WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED. CHRYSLER REPLACED MY NEIGHBOR'S WHEN HERS QUIT WORKING. DOES FOR…
Read full complaint
ELECTRIC SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT TO LOCKED POSITION WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED. THEY STAY "JAMMED" IN THE OPEN POSITION, FORWARD BY THE DASHBOARD. THEREFORE, FRONT 3-POINT SAFETY BELTS NON-FUNCTIONAL. AMERICAN HONDA REPLACED MY FATHER'S WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED. CHRYSLER REPLACED MY NEIGHBOR'S WHEN HERS QUIT WORKING. DOES FORD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY, HERE?. *AK
PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT SEATBELT STOPPED WORKING IN JUNE 1999, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT STOPPED WORKING ON 1JUNE2001, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. BOTH TIMES BELTS MOVED A FEW INCHES, THEN STOPPED.*AK
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT OPERATES CORRECTLY WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED,CLOSING WHEN DOOR SEAT BELT HARNESS DOESN'T SECURE ACROSS CHEST. CONSUMERS STATES THAT FORD, PROBE HAS SAME PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE A SOLUTION FOR ESCORT BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK THIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME DEFECTS AS THAT OF 1990 PROBE PRODU…
Read full complaint
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT OPERATES CORRECTLY WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED,CLOSING WHEN DOOR SEAT BELT HARNESS DOESN'T SECURE ACROSS CHEST. CONSUMERS STATES THAT FORD, PROBE HAS SAME PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE A SOLUTION FOR ESCORT BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK THIS VEHICLE HAD THE SAME DEFECTS AS THAT OF 1990 PROBE PRODUCED BY THE SAME MANUFACTURER. *YH
DRIVER'S SHOULDER HARNESS DOES NOT RETRACT ALONG TRACK. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW TRACK AND MOTOR. *AK
DRIVER SHOULDER BELT STUCK HALF-WAY AND NOT LOCKED. WHILE AT DEALER ANOTHER OWNER CAME IN WITH IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH 1993 ESCORT. DEALER SAID HE SAW THE SAME PROBLEM THE PREVIOUS DAY WITH 1995 ESCORT. DEALER WILL FIX AT OWNER'S COST. ESTIMATE WAS $350.00.*AK
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