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 reports

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 2001

Fuel System, Gasoline

REF 97V144 AND 97V145 -- SAME MANUFACTURING PLANT & DATES -- NO COVERAGE IN CO. NO SAFETY DEFECT STATED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #748146

Mileage unknown · Jun 28, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING AND IDLING HARD TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. AFTER TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE, THE SPARK PLUG WIRES WERE REPLACED AND I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN FIXED. 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALMOST ALL POWER AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 30MPH. IF LEFT IDLING TOO LONG IT WOULD CUT OFF COMPLETELY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PRIVATE GARAGE AND UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF THE VALVES HAD DROPPED INTO A CYLINDER, THUS DESTRYOYNG THE PISTON. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL MECHNICS TELL ME THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE SEEN BEFORE AND THAT THIS MODEL OF ENGINE IS"KNOWN" FOR THIS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #747518

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2001

Seat BeltsCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF A COLLISION AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RELEASED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT AIR BAG HARD. CONSUMER STATED WHEN GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT MADE NOISE, SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN TRACK. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SEATBELT SHOULDER HARNESS WAS JAMMED IN THE BELT …

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #891254

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 2001

Seat BeltsVisibility

THE DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. NLM

NHTSA ODI #561518

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 2001

Suspension

COMMON FAILURE PROBLEM OF 1995 TO 2000 FORD EXSCORTS -- REAR SPRING BREAKAGE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE PUNCTURE OF REAR TIRE BY SPRING. REPLACEMENT SPRINGS DO NOT BREAK -- ONLY THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT IS A PROBLEM ACCOURDING TO TWO DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #746435

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2001

Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL LEAK FROM FUEL TANK AT ATTACHMENT TO HEAT SHIELD. THERE IS A RECALL, BUT THIS VEHICLE NOT AFFECTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #889624

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2001

Suspension

HAD INSPECTION, WAS TOLD THAT THE SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND THAT THEY WERE GOING EARLY ON ALL ESCORTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #746296

Mileage unknown · May 25, 2001

Seats

THE PART ABOVE THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT GO BACK TO PROTECT THE PASSENGER, THE MOTORS MAKES NOISES BUT DOES NOT WORK

NHTSA ODI #745927

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

EMISSION HOSE ELBOW HAS MELTED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND DIE WHILE IDLING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #888684

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING HAS BEEN COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #888422

Official recalls

97V144000 · 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.

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

RQ97010 · 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