IllustrationDRIVING ABOUT 25MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND A TRUCK IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND THE VEHICLE HIT THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. HEAVY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
1998 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 57 of 375 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 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
84 crash reports11 fire reports63 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
75 reportsWHILE TURNING AT 15 TO 20 MPH VEHICLE WAS STRUCK AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSEGERS SIDE AIRBAGS. ALSO DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING COLLISION, CAUSING BURNS/NECK INJURY.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT
Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.