IllustrationRECALL 97V145 000/FUEL TANK: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FUEL LEAKAGE. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK
1995 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 81 of 576 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 152 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 129 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
75 crash reports19 fire reports53 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
129 reportsCONSUMER HAD REPAIRS ON THE FUEL TANK, RECALL NOTICE 97V144 WAS RECEIVED AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE. *SLC
CONSUMER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 3 TIMES WITHIN 5 YEARS. VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE ONCE FROM IGNITION, THE DAY AFTER THE STARTER HAD BEEN REPLACED. STARTER, STARTER SOLENOID, IGNITION SWITCH(WHICH HAD MELTED TO THE SWITCH), AND O2 SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN TRYING TO START VE…
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CONSUMER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 3 TIMES WITHIN 5 YEARS. VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE ONCE FROM IGNITION, THE DAY AFTER THE STARTER HAD BEEN REPLACED. STARTER, STARTER SOLENOID, IGNITION SWITCH(WHICH HAD MELTED TO THE SWITCH), AND O2 SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN TRYING TO START VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE BEING COLD, IT WOULD CRANK SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NEVER START UNTIL TURNING KEY OFF AND BACK ON. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE LIGHT BECOMING ILLUMINATED, DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON OCCASIONALLY. PCV VALVE WAS ALSO REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA RECALL NO. 97V144/ FORD RECALL NO. 97S80. CRACK IN FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKING FROM TANK. WE CONTACTED FORD AND WERE TOLD THIS RECALL WAS REGIONAL DUE TO CLIMATE. WE FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM DID INFACT OCCUR IN MASSACHUSETTS ALSO. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NATIONAL RECAL…
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NHTSA RECALL NO. 97V144/ FORD RECALL NO. 97S80. CRACK IN FUEL TANK NEAR HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKING FROM TANK. WE CONTACTED FORD AND WERE TOLD THIS RECALL WAS REGIONAL DUE TO CLIMATE. WE FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM DID INFACT OCCUR IN MASSACHUSETTS ALSO. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NATIONAL RECALL. FORD SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS - IT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD THE RECALL BEEN NATIONAL.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
97 V 144 000/FUEL TANK: FUEL LEAKAGES AROUND THE FUEL TANK; DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT VEHICLE VIN# WAS NOT COVER UNDER MFR'S RECALLS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS:
ON JULY 9, 2000 WE REALIZED WE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE NIGHT BEFORE I HAD FILLED THE GAS TANK COMPLETELY FULL AND ON JULY 9, 2000 WHEN WE GOT INTO THE CAR IT HAD ONLY 3/8 TANK OF GAS. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN .5 MILES SINCE THE FILL UP. ON JULY 11, 2000 I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY LOOKED AT IT THE NEXT DAY AND SAID I H…
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ON JULY 9, 2000 WE REALIZED WE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE NIGHT BEFORE I HAD FILLED THE GAS TANK COMPLETELY FULL AND ON JULY 9, 2000 WHEN WE GOT INTO THE CAR IT HAD ONLY 3/8 TANK OF GAS. THE CAR HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN .5 MILES SINCE THE FILL UP. ON JULY 11, 2000 I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY LOOKED AT IT THE NEXT DAY AND SAID I HAD A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MECHANIC SAID THE PART SHOULD BE IN THE NEXT DAY AND THE CAR READY THE NEXT AFTERNOON WHICH WOULD BE JULY 13, 2000. BEFORE NOON ON JULY 13, 2000 THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE FUEL TANK WAS ON BACKORDER AND HAD NO CLUE WHEN IT WOULD BE IN. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 RECALLS ON THE EXACT MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF MY CAR; HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED. YOUR COMPLAINT FILE HAS OVER 24 COMPLAINTS WITH THE EXACT SAME THING AND THEY WERE ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY FUEL TANK HAS BEEN ON BACKORDERED FOR 33 DAYS, WHY ARE THEY IN SUCH DEMAND?? IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL OF THE 1995 FORD ESCORTS. IT IS GOING ON THE 6TH WEEK SINCE I TURNED MY CAR INTO THE DEALER. IT HAS BEEN 33 DAYS SINCE THE DAY THE FUEL TANK WAS ORDERED AND STILL NO IDEA ON WHEN I WILL GET MY CAR BACK.*AK
FUEL IS LEAKING FROM UPPER PART OF FUEL TANK, BY THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT. EXACTLY SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL # 97V144000 FUEL TANK. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL AND WOULD NOT BE SERVICED FREE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
GAS WAS LEAKING FROM SEAMS OF THE FUEL TANK. GAS LEAKED WHEN IT FILLED UP PAST SEAMLINE OF THE TANK. MANFACTURER HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THATVEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF A RECALL. *AK
THE PLASTIC GAS TANK CRACKED. NLM
Official recalls
497V144000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Sep 3, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO OR WAYNE ASSEMBLY PLANTS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN NEVADA, FLORIDA, HAWAII, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, LOUISIANA, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, MISSISSIPPI, OKLAHOMA, ALABAMA AND ARKANSAS. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENTS. THIS WILL NOT AFFECT HEAT SHIELD LOCATION OR FUNCTION, AS THE ATTACHMENTS ARE INTENDED TO KEEP THE SHIELD IN PLACE UNTIL THE FUEL TANK IS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSTALLATION, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS RETAIN THE HEAT SHIELD.
97V145000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Sep 3, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ARIZONA. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENTS. THIS WILL NOT AFFECT HEAT SHIELD LOCATION OR FUNCTION, AS THE ATTACHMENTS ARE INTENDED TO KEEP THE SHIELD IN PLACE UNTIL THE FUEL TANK IS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSTALLATION, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS RETAIN THE HEAT SHIELD.
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.
94V197000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 11, 1994
TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM MODULE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE MISSING. IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT, THE MODULE CAN COME OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD NOT RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER AND WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL AND TORQUE TO SPECIFICATION THE MOUNTING BOLTS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG.
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
1RQ97010 · Fuel Tank Assembly
Opened Sep 11, 1997 · Closed May 22, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available