IllustrationWHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND TRYING TO AVOID SOME FRYING PLYWOOD , CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF AUTO AND FLIPPED OVER 6 TIMES , AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD HER. *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
Seat Belts complaints
152 reportsDRIVER WAS HIT BY PLYWOOD ON HIGHWAY AND THE SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN DRIVER; HE WAS EJECTED FROM THE CAR. *AK
MOTORIZED SEAT BELT MECHANISM FAILED. *AK
LAP/SHOULDER SEATBELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT, WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WILL NOT PROPERLY STAY SHUT. *AK POSSIBLE WIRING PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS, WHILE DRIVING, HEADLIGHTS AND DOMELIGHTS DIM, RADIO AND SPEAKERS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, DEALER REPLACED A GROUND WIRE TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DOME LIGHT, ALSO VEHICLE WOULD NO…
Read full complaint
LAP/SHOULDER SEATBELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT, WHEN OPENING THE DOOR WILL NOT PROPERLY STAY SHUT. *AK POSSIBLE WIRING PROBLEM WITH LIGHTS, WHILE DRIVING, HEADLIGHTS AND DOMELIGHTS DIM, RADIO AND SPEAKERS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, DEALER REPLACED A GROUND WIRE TO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DOME LIGHT, ALSO VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START, NO PROBLEM WAS EVER FOUND FOR THIS PROBLEM. FOR SEATBELTS, DEALER REPLACED BELT TRACK ASSEMBLY AND THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY. *SLC
SEAT BELT FAILURE AND NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURIES TO CHEST AND BACK.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RELEASE BUCKLE ATTACHED TO THE DOOR CAME OFF. DURING AN ACCIDENT.
REAR HATCH ADJUSTED. *SD
DURING IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES AIR BAGS CAME LOOSE FROM STEERING WHEEL BUT, FAILED TO DEPLOY.*JB
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT INTO PROPER POSITION, PROBLEM WAS PRESENT SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. *AK
THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT TIGHTENS ON DRIVER WHILE DRIVING. TT
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