IllustrationWHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE,IT AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
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 →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: 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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
21 reportsWHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIR…
Read full complaint
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIRES (TIRE INFORMATION UNKNOWN) HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES , THEY FAILED AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE MANIFOLD TO THE AIR CONDITIONER BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALSO POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND, THERE WERE NO BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. *AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS TOTALLY INADEQUATE BRAKES. THIS IS THE ONLY NON-ABS CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED WHERE THE BRAKES CANNOT BE LOCKED UPINTENTIONALLY AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS AND ALL THEY DID WAS BLEED AND CLEAN THE BRAKES. I HAVE HAD BRAKE PADS AND SHOES REPLACED, THE ENTIRE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM BLED, …
Read full complaint
THIS VEHICLE HAS TOTALLY INADEQUATE BRAKES. THIS IS THE ONLY NON-ABS CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED WHERE THE BRAKES CANNOT BE LOCKED UPINTENTIONALLY AT ANY SPEED. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS AND ALL THEY DID WAS BLEED AND CLEAN THE BRAKES. I HAVE HAD BRAKE PADS AND SHOES REPLACED, THE ENTIRE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM BLED, NEW MASTER CYLINDER INSTALLED, PEDAL AND BOOSTER CLEARANCES CHECKED. NOTHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE. I HAVE SEEN FROM YOUR OTHER DEFECT REPORTS THAT THERE IS A 'REVISED POWER BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER' AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACT THE DEALERS PARTS AND SERVICE DEPARTMENTS THEY DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU!
BRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/4 TO 1/2 WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE. VERY SPONGY FEEL. TWICE HAVE ALMOST REARENDED OTHER CARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING RUSH HOUR. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO LOCAL GOODYEAR SERVICE TO INSPECT BRAKES AND BLEED AIR FROM THE SYSTEM. THEY SAY BRAKE PADS AND SHOES ARE FINE AND THAT THEY FOUND NO AIR BUBBLES O…
Read full complaint
BRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/4 TO 1/2 WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE. VERY SPONGY FEEL. TWICE HAVE ALMOST REARENDED OTHER CARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING RUSH HOUR. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO LOCAL GOODYEAR SERVICE TO INSPECT BRAKES AND BLEED AIR FROM THE SYSTEM. THEY SAY BRAKE PADS AND SHOES ARE FINE AND THAT THEY FOUND NO AIR BUBBLES OR CONTAMINATED FLUID WHEN THEY TRIED BLEEDING THE SYSTEM. THEY SAID THAT FORD HAS A TSB OUT FOR THE ESCORT FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDER AND BOOSTER BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE AND IF FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL. FORD SHOULD BE REPLACING THESE PARTS AT THIER EXPENCE. MY FAMILYS SAFETY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD WITH ME ARE AT RISK. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER YET; THIS REPORT IS TO DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM AND IS MY FIRST STEP IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WOMEN SEEM TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WHEN DEALING WITH SERVICE MANAGERS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD BE WITH RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH REAR COIL SPRINGS. REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE CONSISTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONSUMER HAS TO START APPLYING BRAKES AT A LONG DISTANCE FROM THE DESTINATION DESIRED TO STOP. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED TWICE, AND PADS REPLACED TWICE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR , AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED IN ORDER TO STOP.*AK
THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES DO NOT ALWAYS WORK IN STOPPING THE CAR. THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH DISC BRAKES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES DO NOT ALWAYS WORK IN STOPPING THE CAR. THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH DISC BRAKES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Official recalls
194V218000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.