IllustrationAT TIMES THE DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR AND THE SEAT BELT ALSO BLOCKS THE DRIVER'S VISION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
1996 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 21 of 205 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 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports7 fire reports18 injury reports
What owners actually said
205 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELT FAILURE, AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO CATCH ON THE SUNVISIER
DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT COME OUT OF MIDDLE OF STEERING WHEEL AS INTENDED, INSTEAD CAME OUT MORE TO RIGHT, OCCUPANT RECEIVED INJURIES. *AK
CAR WAS IN A FLOOD WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS BEGAN RATTLING ON BOTH SIDES AND OPERATED ERRATICALLY. *AK
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION A SEVERE PULL TO THE LEFT IS EXPERIENCED. THE RACK AND PINION, RIGHT FRONT SHOCKS, AND THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS A RESULT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, HIT A PUDDLE AND VEHICLE STARTED HYDROPLANING, HIT A DOUBLE BEAM HIGHWAY SIGN HEAD-ON AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
REAR WELDS BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES ON QUARTER PANELS SEPARATED, CAUSING WATER LEAKS. *AK
WHILE LEAVING A PARKING STRUCTURE THE AUTO SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 50 MPH AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED, NOT EVEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKES STOPPED THE AUTO. CONSUMER PULLED KEY OUT OF IGNITION AND THEN THE AUTO CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP.*AK
PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. YOU HAVE TO GET OUT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.
BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, LOSS OF COMPLETE EFFECTIVENESS. *AK WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. CV JOINT FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER. *SLC
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.