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
Electrical System complaints
114 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TWICE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING AND PULLED OVER, THERE WAS A SHORT WITH A WIRE IN THE DASH, CAUSING A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 60-C180-623. *SLC
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…
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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
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER BECAUSE HORN WAS STUCK. DEALER STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IT WAS TAKING THE AIRBAG OUT. CONSUMER WOULD BE CHARGE $ 700-$750. DEALER COULDN'T EXPLAIN WHAT CAUSED IT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH HAD A SHORT CIRCUIT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, CAUSING A FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME, AND DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
GAS GAUGE DOESN'T SHOW THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF GAS ONCE IT REACHES 1/4 OF A TANK. *AK THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLS ON HIGHWAYS. THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM GOES ON FOR UNKNOWN REASON. THE HORN MALRUNCTIONS TOO. *YH
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, STOPPED CAR , POPPED HOOD AND SAW FIRE NEAR SPARK PLUGS, CONSUMER INDICATED THAT FIRE WENT OUT BY ITSELF, CONSUMER FELT IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE.*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, FIRE MAY HAVE STARTED IN IGNITION SWITCH, CONSUMER FEELS THE FIRE MAY HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO A PRIOR COLLISION, HEATER CORE LEAKING INTO THE ECS MODULE, CAUSING A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS, CLAIM 40-2188-822. *SLC
DEFECTIVE HORN PAD SWITCH CAUSED HORN TO BE INOPERATIVE WHICH IS NEEDED IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. *AK *ML
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.