IllustrationDUE TO THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET THAT BURNT OUT THE ENGINE PISTONS AND PUSH RODS BLEW OUT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
379 reportsCONSUMER'S MOTOR SEAT GETS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK, CONSUMER HAD EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM BEGINNING IN 93, IT HAS SINCE GOTTEN WORSE. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME. (IE-98-074). *AK
WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND OPENING THE DOOR THE SEAT BELT WILL GO DOWN, AND WHEN SEATING IN THE SEAT/ SHUTTING THE DOOR, THE SEAT BELT WILL GET STUCK ON THE CONSUMER'S CHEST. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP, AND THE DEALER PUT OIL ON THE TRACKS. SEAT BELTS WORKED FOR A WEEK, AND CURRETNTLY THE SEAT BELT MOTOR…
Read full complaint
WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND OPENING THE DOOR THE SEAT BELT WILL GO DOWN, AND WHEN SEATING IN THE SEAT/ SHUTTING THE DOOR, THE SEAT BELT WILL GET STUCK ON THE CONSUMER'S CHEST. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP, AND THE DEALER PUT OIL ON THE TRACKS. SEAT BELTS WORKED FOR A WEEK, AND CURRETNTLY THE SEAT BELT MOTOR WENT OUT. *AK
MOTOR BELTS JAMMED AT 3/4 WAY AT THE TOP OF THE DOOR AREA. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
DESCRIPTION- THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT THAT RUNS ON A TRACK AND MOVES FORWARD WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND MOVES INTO LOCKING POSITION WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED AND VEHICLE IGNITION IS ON. THIS DEVICE HAS FAILED TEMPORARILY IN THE PAST BUT CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR A FEW TIMES. THE SEATBELT HAS ALSO LOCKED ON …
Read full complaint
DESCRIPTION- THE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT THAT RUNS ON A TRACK AND MOVES FORWARD WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND MOVES INTO LOCKING POSITION WHEN DOOR IS CLOSED AND VEHICLE IGNITION IS ON. THIS DEVICE HAS FAILED TEMPORARILY IN THE PAST BUT CORRECTED ITSELF AFTER OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR A FEW TIMES. THE SEATBELT HAS ALSO LOCKED ON OCCASION WHILE RETRACTING, RESULTING IN SUFFACATING THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER. THIS TIME THE DEVICE STOPPED IN MID TRACK. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IS TRYING TO MOVE IT, BUT APPARENTLEY IT IS JAMNED IN PLACE IN THE TRACK. THE SEATBELT IS STUCK ABOUT 5 INCHES FROM IT'S FORWARD POSITION, PROVIDING NO PROTECTION AT ALL. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRENTY AND THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT FIX ANY SAFETY DEVICES. WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON A 1991 MERCURY TRACER. MY SISTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN THAT VEHICLE AND WAS INJURED WHEN THE SAFETY RESTRAINT DEVICE DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.
TWO DEALERS WERE CONTACTED. AT ONE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO SOMEONE ELSE THE DAY BEFORE. TOTAL COST FOR ME COMES TO OVER $400. A SEATBELT IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT OF THE CAR AND SHOULD BE BACKED BY THE COMPANY FOR LIFE OF VEHICLE. THE FORD DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT
SUDDEN RAPID ACCELERATION. HAD TO SHUT CAR OFF TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RACING. HAS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN TEPERATURE DROPPED BELOW 50 DEGREES. I HAVE NOTICED MANY (20-50) OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON YOUR WEB SITE. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN DONE.??
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT CLAMP WORE OFF, SEALT BELT UNABLE TO FASTEN PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO REPLACE THE PART. *AK
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF THE TRACK. THE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN MARCH OF 96 BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
I DO NOT KNOW THE TYPE OF SEAT BELT. I DO KNOW THAT IT OPERATES ELECTRICALLY AS IT'S USE IS CONNECTED WITH A FUSE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT(WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON) THE WINDOW PART OF THE SHOULDER BELT WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARDS REPEATEDLY. YOU COULD NOT…
Read full complaint
I DO NOT KNOW THE TYPE OF SEAT BELT. I DO KNOW THAT IT OPERATES ELECTRICALLY AS IT'S USE IS CONNECTED WITH A FUSE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT(WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON) THE WINDOW PART OF THE SHOULDER BELT WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARDS REPEATEDLY. YOU COULD NOT DRIVE WITH THIS DISTRACTION SO IT WAS NECESSARY TO DISCONNECT THE FUSE AND DRIVE WITH THE LAP BELT ONLY. WE BELIEVE IN THE BENEFITS OF USING SEAT BELTS AND I THUS FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS CAR NOW. NO DO I KNOW THE COMPONENT.
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