IllustrationBOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. ACCORDING TO AUTO REPAIR SHOPS OPENIONS, COIL SPRING FAILURE WAS A COMMON OCCURRANCE WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLES. ALSO, THE BROKEN PIECES COULD DAMAGE TIRES. *YH
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
Suspension complaints
67 reportsBOTH REAR SPRINGS & RIGHT REAR OUTER TIE ROD BROKE. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSEPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE AT 27906 MILES, AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS OUT OF IS WARRANTY, AND NOT COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST.*AK
THE REAR COIL SPRING WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH CAUSING UNUSUAL HANDLING, A PLASTIC SLEVE PLACED AROUND THE STEEL COIL MAY HAVE TRAPPED MOISTURE BETWEEN THE STEEL AND PLASTIC CAUSING RUST OVER TIME AND EVENTUALLY BREAKING THE COIL. NLM
MANUFACTURER CONTACTED - OWNER TOLD WARRANTY NOT COVERED MANUFACUTRER'S DEFECTS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
HAD TAKEN VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION & MECHANIC NOTICED REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME PLACE. VEHICLE WAS REJECTED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT PLACE & IT PASSED INSPECTION. BREAK IS 1/8 INCH LONG & ITS THE 2ND COIL SPRING FROM THE BOTTOM. WILL BE TAKING IT TO BE REPAIRED. *AK
TWO BROKEN REAR SPRING AND A RIGHT SIDE OUTER TIE ROD END, IN ADDITION TO FRONT BRAKE PADS, POSSIBLE SPRINGS WERE OF POOR QUALITY
THE CONSUMER HAS OWNED 2 FORD ESCORT AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACED THE REAR SPRINGS IN BOTH VEHICLES ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION CONSUMER BELIEVES THE ARE CHEAPLY MADE AND TOO LIGHT. NLM
AUTO REPAIR CENTER TELLS ME THIS IS VERY COMMON! NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE AT THE SAME TIME WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THERE IS A NATIONAL BACK ORDER ON THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. *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.