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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 →
205Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
379
1993279
1994576
1995205
1996543
1997375
1998325
1999
Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
77Engine And Engine Cooling
30Power Train
19Air Bags
18Electrical System
14
All reported categories
Suspension
13Service Brakes, Hydraulic
10Steering
10Fuel System, Gasoline
8Unknown Or Other
6Vehicle Speed Control
5Seats
4Structure
4Tires
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Wheels
3Fuel System, Other
2Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Interior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1

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 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2002
Seat Belts

SEATBELT RETRACTOR IS BROKEN . DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8014291

Mileage unknown · Jul 10, 2002
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT UNRAVELED AND MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN SUDDEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED TENSION IN SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESPOND. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8013650

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2002
Seat Belts

THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS JAMMED IN IT'S TRACK. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SEATBELT MOTOR AS WELL. THE WARRANTY COVERING THIS PART IS ONLY 5 YRS/50,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT FORD INSTALLED FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON MY CAR AND AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF THIS MAJOR PART OF THE SAFETY SYST…

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THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAS JAMMED IN IT'S TRACK. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE SEATBELT MOTOR AS WELL. THE WARRANTY COVERING THIS PART IS ONLY 5 YRS/50,000 MILES. I FEEL THAT FORD INSTALLED FAULTY EQUIPMENT ON MY CAR AND AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE QUALITY OF THIS MAJOR PART OF THE SAFETY SYSTEM. I THINK FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PRODUCT GIVEN THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #763854

Mileage unknown · Jun 29, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

VALVE GUIDE SEPARATED FROM HEAD. GOT INTO THE CYLINDER AND SCORED THE CYLINDER WALLS AND THE VALVE DROPPPED. RUINED THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #763641

Mileage unknown · Jun 19, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingSeats

WHEN TALKING TO A MACHINE SHOP THERE IS A TECH BULLETIN STATING THAT FORD ON 94-97 WHEN THEY BAKED THE POWDER METAL FOR THEIR INTAKE SEATS SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND THAT ALL SEATS IN HEAD SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE PEOPLE AT THE MACHINE SHOP SAID THEY HAD TO EVEN REPLACE ALL THE PISTONS IN THE MOTORS DUE TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE …

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WHEN TALKING TO A MACHINE SHOP THERE IS A TECH BULLETIN STATING THAT FORD ON 94-97 WHEN THEY BAKED THE POWDER METAL FOR THEIR INTAKE SEATS SOMETHING WENT WRONG AND THAT ALL SEATS IN HEAD SHOULD BE REPLACED. THE PEOPLE AT THE MACHINE SHOP SAID THEY HAD TO EVEN REPLACE ALL THE PISTONS IN THE MOTORS DUE TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE DEFECTIVE SEATS. AND IT IS ALL A FORD ERROR AND THEY KNOW IT

NHTSA ODI #763259

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2002
Electrical SystemFire

CONSUMER STATES AUTO CAUGHT FIRE , BURNING HIS BACK SEAT AND EVERYTHING IN THE BACK SEAT. CONSUMER STATES HE OBSERVED BURNED WIRES IN HIS TRUCK OF HIS AUTO.*JB

NHTSA ODI #8009060

Mileage unknown · Apr 29, 2002
Suspension

BOTH SPRINGS ALSO BROKE ON A 1995 FORD ESCORT WAGON (SEPARATE REPORT SUBMITTED) OWNED BY OUR AGENCY, ALSO MY DAUGHTERS 1994 FORD ESCORT JUST HAD TWO BROKEN REAR SPRINGS (REPORT NOT SUBMITTED) THAT WERE REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #761309

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2002
Suspension

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE HIT A BUMP AND SHOOK IN FRONT AND REAR. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8006066

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2002
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER CRASHED INTO A TRUCK AND WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN WHICH NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS EXPERIENCED DEPLOYMENT UNTIL THE SECOND IMPACT, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #564036

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2002
Electrical SystemFire

FIRE STARTED ON PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE AND BURNED THROUGH THE INSIDE OF VEHICLE, CLAIM 27-6082-040. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #6900786

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.