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1994 Ford Escort

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Escort years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Ford Escort are substantially higher than the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →
279Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
327
1991162
1992379
1993279
1994576
1995205
1996543
1997
Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
79Air Bags
54Electrical System
30Engine And Engine Cooling
30Service Brakes, Hydraulic
21
All reported categories
Power Train
19Suspension
18Visibility
14Steering
11Fuel System, Gasoline
6Seats
6Tires
6Vehicle Speed Control
6Exterior Lighting
5Equipment
4Structure
4Fuel System, Other
2Interior Lighting
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Unknown Or Other
2Child Seat
1Parking Brake
1

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: 14 of 279 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 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

51 crash reports16 fire reports34 injury reports

Power Train complaints

19 reports
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97,000 miles · May 6, 2006
Power Train

AFTER WE CAME HOME OUR CAR LOCKED INTO PARK, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN MY HUSBAND REMOVED THE COVER , THE SPRING INSIDE IS TOTALLY SCREWED UP. IT WOULD BE FATAL IF THIS LOCKED UP WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. WE HAVE TWO KIDS THIS IT A FORD SAFETY ISSUE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10156900

45,000 miles · Mar 28, 2005
Power TrainCrashInjury

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IDLING WHEN IT SUDDENLY WENT IN REVERSE. THE DRIVER HUNG ON TO THE OPEN DOOR OF HIS 1994 FORD ESCORT AND WAS DRAGGED FOR 100 FEET. *NM THE CONSUMER WAS DRAGGED 100 FEET AND HAD GOTTEN TRAPPED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE PAVEMENT AND WAS SUFFOCATED. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10114900

45,000 miles · Jan 22, 2005
Power TrainCrash

FATAL DEATH DUE TO POSIBLE TRANSMISSION GOING INTO REVERSE FROM PARK WHILE VEHICLE IN IDLE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10107741

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2001
Power TrainSeat Belts

DRIVER AND PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM. ALSO, GEARS WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #880320

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 2000
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO HIGH OR LOW GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #857193

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2000
Power Train

CONSUMER BOUGHT CAR IN MARCH. WITH 20 MILES ON VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. THE SECOND TIME, TRANSMISSION FELL APART AN HOUR AFTER SHE PICKED IT UP. THIRD TIME, TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE, AND FOURTH TIME, TRANSMIS…

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CONSUMER BOUGHT CAR IN MARCH. WITH 20 MILES ON VEHICLE, TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. THE SECOND TIME, TRANSMISSION FELL APART AN HOUR AFTER SHE PICKED IT UP. THIRD TIME, TRANSMISSION WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE, AND FOURTH TIME, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. IT WOULD STAY IN PARK AND MAKE GRINDING NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #856551

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 1999
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY.

NHTSA ODI #544237

Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 1996
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS CRACKED; ALSO, CAMSHAFT FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF FITH GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #512175

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 1996
Electrical SystemPower Train

BATTERY EXPLODED, EMITTING ACID FUMES INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, BURNING EYES/THROAT.

NHTSA ODI #508002

Mileage unknown · Aug 6, 1996
Power Train

ODOMETER FRAUD. *SD

NHTSA ODI #507174

Official recalls

1

94V218000 · Air Bags:frontal

Nov 10, 1994

THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CAN HAVE AN INADEQUATELY WELDED INFLATOR CANISTER.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THE WELD SEAM CAN SEPARATE, CAUSING THE AIR BAG TO FAIL TO DEPLOY PROPERLY AND HOT GASES TO BE EXPELLED FROM THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY FROM THE HOT GASES AND THE AIR BAG FAILURE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG MODULE.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.