IllustrationIN OCT OF 1998 HORN STARTED TO ACTIVATE AND WON'T STOP UNLESS DRIVER UNPLUGGED IT, CONSUMER WAS OUT OF AN AIRBAG AND HORN FOR A MONTH, CONSUMER SA0ID THATCURRENTLY PROBLEM WAS BACK, AND DEALER WASTRYING TO CHARGE CONSUMER $700.00 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.*AK
1997 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 100 of 543 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 152 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. 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.
66 crash reports83 fire reports52 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
152 reportsWHILE PARKED WITH NO PASSENGERS BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON A SIDE ROAD AND STRUCK A DEER. AIRBAGS INFLATED AT THIS TIME, AND CONSUMER WAS BLINDED . THERE WAS SMOKE DUST EVERYWHERE. WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF, AIRBAG BROKE HIS WRIST.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASH PANEL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEN, NEXT DAY THE LIGHT WAS STILL FLASHING, AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. SHE HAD VEHICLE PARKED, THEN SHE GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. TURNED VEHICLE ON, AND IT STARTED SMOKING. HAD MOVED THE PANEL, AND NOTICED THAT FIRE WAS COMMING FRO…
Read full complaint
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASH PANEL WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEN, NEXT DAY THE LIGHT WAS STILL FLASHING, AND VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. SHE HAD VEHICLE PARKED, THEN SHE GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. TURNED VEHICLE ON, AND IT STARTED SMOKING. HAD MOVED THE PANEL, AND NOTICED THAT FIRE WAS COMMING FROM THERE. ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD A FRE EXTINGUISHER, AND PUT FIRE OUT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT IT WOULD TAKE $1300 75 TO FIX VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH BOTH AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING, NOR HITTING ANYTHING. *AK
BOTH DRIVER & PASSENGER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED & SHATTERING PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FROM THE FORCE OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, TALKED TO DEALER & AIRBAGS KNOCKED OUT THE CLOCK SPRING, MONOITOR, DASH ASSEMBLY, DASH FRAME BUCKET & SENSORS. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT FLASHING. THEN, STOPPED THE NEXT DAY AND INDICATION LIGHT FLASHED. ALSO, COOLING INDICATION LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE AND AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AND MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN A BUS VEERED INTO HER VEHICLE, AND HIT VEHICLE FROM THE BACK. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND RAN INTO A UTILITY POLE,AND NEITHER DRIVER'S NOR PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CONTINUALLY BLINKED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE MALFUNCTION MAY BE DUE TO A BAD CLOCK SPRING, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE DRIVER SIDE AND FORCED INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR AT 22 MPH IMPACT, AND BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Official recalls
102V323000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Dec 9, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
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
2EA02008 · Water Intrusion Into Airbag Monitor
Opened Jun 10, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
BY LETTER OF DECEMBER 6, 2002, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL 1997 FORD ESCORT AND MERCURY TRACER VEHICLES.FORD FOUND THAT ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM)DUE TO LIQUID INTRUSION OF WATER OR ENGINE COOLANT CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO IT'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE FORD'S DECEMBER 6, 2002 DEFECT AND NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE02010 · Integrated Air Bag Monitor Water
Opened Jan 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 10, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.