IllustrationTHE CAR STALLS AT STOPS ALOT NAD NOW IT STALED AND WONT EVEN RESTART!*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
What owners actually said
576 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE CAR SLOWLY DIED FIRST THE RADIO SHUT OFF THEN THE WIPERS STOPPED, LIGHTS SHUT OFF THEN THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED ON ABOUT 8 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE I HAD MY 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD OVER $1,200 PUT INTO IT IN THE…
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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR SLOWLY DIED FIRST THE RADIO SHUT OFF THEN THE WIPERS STOPPED, LIGHTS SHUT OFF THEN THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED ON ABOUT 8 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE I HAD MY 2 SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAD OVER $1,200 PUT INTO IT IN THE LAST YEAR AND THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED. THE MECHANIC AT FORD TOLD ME IF I WANTED THE CAR TO BE SAFE I'D BE BETTER OFF GETTING A NEW CAR. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THE CAR HAD BEEN WRECKED BEFORE I PURCHASED IT BUT I WAS NEVER TOLD THAT BY THE DEARLERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN THE DRIVE WAY WITHOUT RUNNING AND THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION AND THE FOUR WAYS WILL START FLASHING AS WELL AS IT HAPPENS AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. FORD TOLD ME THE LAST TIME IT WAS THERE TO BE FIXED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS COLLAPSED BUT WHEN I HAD ANOTHER MECHANIC GO TO CHANGE THE STEERING COLUMN HE FOUND THAT IT WASN'T COLLAPSED AND THAT FORD HAD LEFT OUT 5 BOLTS THAT HELD IT IN AND IT WAS ONLY IN THERE WITH 2 BOLTS WHICH WERE NOT TIGHTENED AND COULD BE TURNED BY HAND WHICH WAS CAUSING THE COLUMN TO ABLE TO BE PULLED OUT TOWARDS THE DRIVER BY ABOUT 3 INCHES AND THEN PUSHED BACK INTO PLACE.*AK
COIL SPRING BROKEN AT BOTTOM, BEHIND PLASTIC COVER. WAS TOLD THIS FAILURE IS COMMON IN ESCORT WAGONS.*AK
REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING A HOST OF COIL SPRING BREAKAGE ON THIS AND SIMILAR FORD MODELS. THEY WERE RECOMMENDING THAT ALL CUSTOMERS WITH SPRING PROBLEMS WRITE TO FORD IN HOPES OF FORCING A RECALL - HA!. *AK
RECALL 97 V 145 000/FUEL TANK: VEHICLE IS LEAKING FROM FUEL TANK. NOTIFIED DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK
WHILE ADJUSTING DRIVER'S SEAT STEERING COLUMN WAS PULLING TOWARDS CONSUMER . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVNG, CONSUMER SMELLED GAS IN THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT HE COULD NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE, WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL TANK, DID NOT…
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WHILE DRIVNG, CONSUMER SMELLED GAS IN THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT HE COULD NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE, WHEN CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL FOR THE FUEL TANK, DID NOT APPLY TO HER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.*JB
SRS LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIOAL INFORMATION.*AK
MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS FAILED. AT TIME OF FAILURE, SEAT BELT WAS RETRACTING, AND REMAINED IN MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. HAD CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND DID NOT REPAIR SEAT BELTS WHEN VEHICLE WAS OVER 50,000 MILES. MANUFACTURER BACKED DEALERSHIP.*AK
CONSUMER STATES FOR A FEW WEEKS SHE WAS SMELLING GAS IN THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE GAS TANK CONTAINED A CRACK.*YH
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