IllustrationBRAKES FAILED. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SAID THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DRIVELINE. *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
What owners actually said
543 reportsVEHICLE FIRE INVOLVING 1997 FORD ESCORT.*MR AFTER INCIDENT OCCURRED A RECALL WAS ISSUED ADVISING A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN AIR BAGS AND AIR BAG MODULES. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF SEVERE DAMAGES SO THE DEALERSHIP VOIDED THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT FORD RE -ACTIONS WHERE UNACCEPTABLE, AND IS REQUES…
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VEHICLE FIRE INVOLVING 1997 FORD ESCORT.*MR AFTER INCIDENT OCCURRED A RECALL WAS ISSUED ADVISING A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN AIR BAGS AND AIR BAG MODULES. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF SEVERE DAMAGES SO THE DEALERSHIP VOIDED THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT FORD RE -ACTIONS WHERE UNACCEPTABLE, AND IS REQUESTING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LOSS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER ISSUED IS (O2S44). PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *CB
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. *AK
HORN SOUNDS INTERMITTENTLY ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY ONE TOUCHING THE MECHANISM.*AK *PH *JB
IT WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. *AK *PH *JB
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A DOG, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *JB THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE AIR BAG HIT THE CONSUMER IN THE CHEST AND BRUISED OTHER AREAS. *SCC *JB
I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 FORD ESCORT IN SEPTEMBER 1996. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS LOSING BRAKE FLUID. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE FITTING WAS MISSING SOME THREADS. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM. THIS PAST JAN…
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I PURCHASED A NEW 1997 FORD ESCORT IN SEPTEMBER 1996. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS LOSING BRAKE FLUID. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE BRAKE FITTING WAS MISSING SOME THREADS. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM. THIS PAST JANUARY I GOT A LETTER FROM FORD ABOUT THE RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG MONITOR/SENSOR PROBLEM AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM CORRECTED. NOW THE CAR HAS A SLOW COOLANT LEAK. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING. THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 62,850 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED. IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $800.00 - $1000.00 TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. I FEEL THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS PREMATURE AND FORD SHOULD PAY FOR IT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FORD VEHICLE I EVER PURCHASED AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE THE LAST. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY CANNOT PUT A $14,000 CAR TOGETHER CORRECTLY AND ASSURE ITS QUALITY TO LAST. I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE SERVICE BULLETINS AND PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE REGARDING THE 1997 FORD ESCORT AND THEY ARE DISTRESSING TO SAY THE LEAST. MY NEXT VEHICLE WILL BE A GM PRODUCT.*AK
1997 FORD ESCORT REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKEN AFTER 60K MILES.*AK
THE DEALER AND VARIOUS FORD OFFICERS WERE UNWILLING TO PERFORM RECALL 02S44. *PH *NLM *JB
HORN ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AND STUCK ON. EVENTUALLY BOTH HORNS FAILED. PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE HORN PAD SWITCH WHICH IS PART OF THE DRIVER AIR BAG. REPLACING THE HORNS AND AIR BAG COSTS IN EXCESS OF $800.*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.