IllustrationVEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND WHEN CONSUMER CAME TO HIS VEHICLE, HE NOTICED IT WAS ENGULFED IN SMOKE AND THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE PASSENGER SEAT, CLAIM 30-V210-873. *SLC
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
Electrical System complaints
114 reportsWHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE AND DIE OUT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE DASH AREA. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND LINKED THE FIRE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DAMAGED THE VEHICLE, CLAIM 55-S207-197. *SLC
WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN DUE TO COMPUTER MODULE FAILURE. ALSO, ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DIED OUT, AND ENGINE BELT, THAT RUNS EVERYTHNG WITHIN THE VEHICLE, DISCONNECTED DUE TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER THAT ALMOST CAME OFF. THREE SENSORS WERE ALSO REP…
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WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN DUE TO COMPUTER MODULE FAILURE. ALSO, ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY DIED OUT, AND ENGINE BELT, THAT RUNS EVERYTHNG WITHIN THE VEHICLE, DISCONNECTED DUE TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER THAT ALMOST CAME OFF. THREE SENSORS WERE ALSO REPLACED. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERABLE. HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN CA RIS WARM. IF CONSUMER RUNS THE CAR FOR AN HOUR WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THEN SHUTS CAR AND LIGHTS OFF, THEN TURNS SIT BACK ON WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO, HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. DEALER CHECKED AND REPLACED RELAY, BUT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. POSSIB…
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INTERMITTENTLY HEADLIGHTS BECOME INOPERABLE. HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON WHEN CA RIS WARM. IF CONSUMER RUNS THE CAR FOR AN HOUR WITH HEADLIGHTS ON, THEN SHUTS CAR AND LIGHTS OFF, THEN TURNS SIT BACK ON WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO, HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. DEALER CHECKED AND REPLACED RELAY, BUT STILL DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. POSSIBLE FAULTY WIRING. *AK
POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED THE WIRES BEHIND THE FUSE PANEL TO SHORT CIRCUIT AND MELT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY IF A FIRE OCCURED. HOWEVER, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED INTERIOR LIGHT PROBLEMS WHEN PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. *YC
HORN HAS BLOWN 2 TIMES IN JUST OVER A YEAR, AND IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. *AK
PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND WHILE WAITING FOR A SPACE HEARD LOUD BANGING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED CRANKSHAFT PULLY SYSTEM. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORT CIRCUITED BEHIND FUSE BOX AND MELTED WIRING. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE STILL UNKNOWN. CAUSED DASHLIGHTING, TAIL LIGHTS, & REVERSE LIGHTS TO FAIL. *AK
THE HORN WILL START TO BLOW BY ITSELF WITHOUT ANYONE IN THE CAR OR WITHOUT THE CAR BEING STARTED. FUSE HAS TO BE TAKEN OUT IN ORDER TO STOP THE HORN. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE HORN AND THE AIRBAG. *AK
05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S OWN, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED & LOCKED. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR-BAG MODULE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST $ 675.00. 07/25/99, CRANKSHAFT P…
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05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S OWN, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED & LOCKED. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR-BAG MODULE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST $ 675.00. 07/25/99, CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF, CAR NOT DRIVEABLE. I NOTE 4 OTHER REPORTS ON THIS WEB-SITE FOR THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY, AND 1 EACH FOR THE HEAD-GASKET & HORN/AIRBAG PROBLEMS + MANY OTHER AIRBAG PROBLEMS.
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.