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
What owners actually said
543 reportsWHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION TWICE. *YH
VEHICLE WOULD START TO SPUTTER WHEN STARTED. WOULD NEED TO GIVE GAS TO GET VEHICLE RUNNING & THEN MOVING. AT OTHER TIMES, VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING. CAN SMELL ANTI-FREEZE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE 4 TIMES TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED HEAD GASKET THE LAST TIME. *AK THE HEAD GASKET FAILED OVER AND OVE…
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VEHICLE WOULD START TO SPUTTER WHEN STARTED. WOULD NEED TO GIVE GAS TO GET VEHICLE RUNNING & THEN MOVING. AT OTHER TIMES, VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING. CAN SMELL ANTI-FREEZE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE 4 TIMES TO DEALER & MECHANIC REPLACED HEAD GASKET THE LAST TIME. *AK THE HEAD GASKET FAILED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AFTER BEING REPLACED. *YH
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
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
WHILE PARKED WITH NO PASSENGERS BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WITHIN 4 MTHS HAD PROBLEM W/ TRANSMISSION, TOOK 4 MINS FOR DEALER TO SAY THERES NOTHING WRONG, WHEN I GOT MY NEW TIRES FOR PEPBOYS I HAD TO FIX MY BRAKES, TRANSMISSION,SUSPENSION, EVEN GOT SPEED TICKETS FOR NO REASON,I KEEP MY CAR IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND I STILL HAVE MY ENGINE LIGHT ON AND I HAVE ABOUT 70% OF THE SAME PROBLEM…
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WITHIN 4 MTHS HAD PROBLEM W/ TRANSMISSION, TOOK 4 MINS FOR DEALER TO SAY THERES NOTHING WRONG, WHEN I GOT MY NEW TIRES FOR PEPBOYS I HAD TO FIX MY BRAKES, TRANSMISSION,SUSPENSION, EVEN GOT SPEED TICKETS FOR NO REASON,I KEEP MY CAR IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND I STILL HAVE MY ENGINE LIGHT ON AND I HAVE ABOUT 70% OF THE SAME PROBLEMS OTHERS HAVE IN THE NHTSACMPLT SECTION. I THINK THE ESCORT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR SO MANY UNSAFE PROBLEMS.( DOT NUMBER: UJ956KLP12 TIRE SIZE: P19570R14 )
BOTTOM PULLEY/CRANKSHAFT HAS SLOWLY SEPARATED AND CUT INTO THE FIREWALL.*AK WHEN TURNING LEFT, THE ENGINE TILTS AND THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY CUTS INTO THE RIGHT FENDER. THE MECHANIC SAYS IT IS DUE TO DEFECT. *YH
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON A SIDE ROAD AND STRUCK A DEER. AIRBAGS INFLATED AT THIS TIME, AND CONSUMER WAS BLINDED . THERE WAS SMOKE DUST EVERYWHERE. WHEN DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF, AIRBAG BROKE HIS WRIST.*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
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.