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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 →

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

Tires complaints

12 reports
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27,585 miles · Feb 29, 2008
EquipmentTires

PURCHASED (4) COOPER TIRES(185/65R14 TRENDER SETTER; D.O.T. UT75C2H1602 ON 8-12-2002. A SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ON 1/2006. TIRE(SAME TYPE) WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S COST. ANOTHER TIRE SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED ON 1/2008 IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FIRST. THIS TIRE W…

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PURCHASED (4) COOPER TIRES(185/65R14 TRENDER SETTER; D.O.T. UT75C2H1602 ON 8-12-2002. A SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ON 1/2006. TIRE(SAME TYPE) WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S COST. ANOTHER TIRE SIDEWALL DEFECT(2X1" BUBBLE) WAS NOTICED ON 1/2008 IN THE SAME LOCATION AS THE FIRST. THIS TIRE WAS RETURNED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR EVALUATION. THE MANUFACTURER CLAIMED IT WAS NOT DEFECTIVE, BUT CAUSED BY CUSTOMER. THIS CAUSED CUSTOMER TO LOOSE CONFIDENCE IN THE QUALITY OF THE MANUFACURER'S TIRES FOR FEAR OF A SIDEWALL BLOW OUT. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED WITH A DIFFERENT BRAND AT OWNER'S COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219689

92,000 miles · Jan 15, 2008
Tires

FAILURE OF AMERICA DISCOUNT TIRE CO. TO HONOR TIRE WARRANTY. SIDE WALL OF TIRES HAVE PREMATURELY DEVELOPED CRACKS SURROUNDING THE BEAD AREA. BASED ON COMMENTS BY THAT COMPANIES REPRESENTATIVE, THE TIRES ARE LIKENED/COMPARED TO A TIME BOMB READY TO GO OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10214948

40 miles · Dec 3, 2005
TiresVehicle Speed ControlCrash

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR, HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT, AND CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. SHE TRIED SHIFTING GEARS, USING BRAKES, AND PULLING PARKING BRAKE TO NO AVAIL. SHE CRASHED INTO PARKED CARS AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 200 YARDS UPHILL. WITNESSES SAY SHE WAS GOING ABOUT 30 TO 40 MPH. AFTER THE BLOWOUT, WHICH HAPPENED AS SH…

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DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR, HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT, AND CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. SHE TRIED SHIFTING GEARS, USING BRAKES, AND PULLING PARKING BRAKE TO NO AVAIL. SHE CRASHED INTO PARKED CARS AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 200 YARDS UPHILL. WITNESSES SAY SHE WAS GOING ABOUT 30 TO 40 MPH. AFTER THE BLOWOUT, WHICH HAPPENED AS SHE WAS LEAVING A STOP. CAR WILL NOT BE REPAIRED, WILL BE JUNKED. IT IS TOO DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10144374

Mileage unknown · May 29, 2003
Tires

CONSUMER NOTICED CRACKS ON TOP OF FIRESTONE TIRES DUE TO DRY ROTTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10021847

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2002
Tires

WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT 2 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE COMING APART, ONE OF THE TIRES WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN IN 3 PLACES ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE THE OUTER RUBBER LAYER HAD SEPARATED, OR WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM ANOTHER LAYER.(GOODYEAR…

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WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT 2 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE COMING APART, ONE OF THE TIRES WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN IN 3 PLACES ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE THE OUTER RUBBER LAYER HAD SEPARATED, OR WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM ANOTHER LAYER.(GOODYEAR CONQUEST GL P185/65R14)*JB

NHTSA ODI #564490

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2002
Tires

SIDEWALL SEPARATION AT TURN-UP. *AK (DOT NUMBER: MD7J A6WR TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)

NHTSA ODI #756420

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2001
Tires

GOODYEAR, CONQUEST TIRE DOT MDJ1AGWR246, 195/65R14 SIZE. TIRES HAD RIPPED FROM INSIDE ALONG SIDEWALL. TIRES WERE ORIGINALS ON A 1997, FORD, ESCORT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #897034

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2001
Tires

THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ON MY 1997 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON ARE CRACKING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OR HAVE CRACKED THROUGH TO EXPOSE THE STEEL CORD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED GOODYEAR DEALER WHERE TH…

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THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES ON MY 1997 FORD ESCORT STATION WAGON ARE CRACKING ON THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OR HAVE CRACKED THROUGH TO EXPOSE THE STEEL CORD. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WHO SAID THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED GOODYEAR DEALER WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE TIRES AND INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE LOOKED LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY SAID THAT GOODYEAR WOULD AUTHORIZE THEM TO GIVE ME A PARTIAL CREDIT FOR THE TIRES IF I REPLACED THEM WITH ANOTHER SET OF GOODYEAR TIRES BUT THAT THEY WOULD NOT EXCAHNGE THEM FOR NEW TIRES AT NO COST.*AK (DOT NUMBER: MD7J TIRESIZE: 185/65R14)

NHTSA ODI #743668

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2001
Tires

VEHICLE WAS SITTING INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER WAS INSPECTING TIRES, AND NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES WERE SPLITTING IN SEAMS. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND WERE REPLACED . UNIROYAL AWP TIGER PAW, P185/65R14, DOT AP7JJKUU426. *AK 2 YEARS AFTER REPLACING TIRES, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 4 MORE DUE TO SPLITTING AROUND TH…

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VEHICLE WAS SITTING INSIDE OF DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER WAS INSPECTING TIRES, AND NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR TIRES WERE SPLITTING IN SEAMS. ALL FOUR TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED AND WERE REPLACED . UNIROYAL AWP TIGER PAW, P185/65R14, DOT AP7JJKUU426. *AK 2 YEARS AFTER REPLACING TIRES, CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE 4 MORE DUE TO SPLITTING AROUND THE TREAD PART OF TH TIRE. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #878522

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2000
Tires

IF MY CAR WASN'T SITTING STILL WHEN THIS PART CAME LOSE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. IT SHREDDED THE BELT THAT WAS ATTATCHED TO THIS AND CAME TO REST ON MY TIMING BELT AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW THAT THE WARENTY IS UP AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO BU…

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IF MY CAR WASN'T SITTING STILL WHEN THIS PART CAME LOSE I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. IT SHREDDED THE BELT THAT WAS ATTATCHED TO THIS AND CAME TO REST ON MY TIMING BELT AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW THAT THE WARENTY IS UP AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE DEALERSHIP CAN DO BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN! *AK

NHTSA ODI #731317

Official recalls

1

02V323000 · 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

2

EA02008 · 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.