IllustrationTHE HEADLAMP COVERS ARE AWFUL AND DANGEROUS. THEY ARE SO CLOUDY THEY MAKE VISIBILITY ALMOST NIL IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES (ESP FOGGY NIGHTS). I FEEL THE MATERIAL THEY ARE MADE OF IS SUB PAR, CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THEM. *TR
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
Exterior Lighting complaints
3 reportsWHEN HAZARD FLASHERS ARE ON CONSUMER CAN SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
WHEN EVER YOU USE A TURN SIGNAL OR BRIGHT LIGHTS WHICH ARE ALL BUILT INTO THE SAME ARM WILL CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ON A LONELY ROAD AT 3:00 AM WITH MY TEEN DAUGHTER WHEN THEY WENT OUT FOR THE 1ST TIME. AS I HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND 2 PARENTS TO CARE FOR WITH A FULL TIME JOB AND WAS AWAY FROM HOME AT THE TI…
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WHEN EVER YOU USE A TURN SIGNAL OR BRIGHT LIGHTS WHICH ARE ALL BUILT INTO THE SAME ARM WILL CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ON A LONELY ROAD AT 3:00 AM WITH MY TEEN DAUGHTER WHEN THEY WENT OUT FOR THE 1ST TIME. AS I HAVE 4 CHILDREN AND 2 PARENTS TO CARE FOR WITH A FULL TIME JOB AND WAS AWAY FROM HOME AT THE TIME TO HELP MY DAUGHTER. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF UNTIL OCT, 2001. I CALLED IN SEPTEMBER AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH ANYONE UNTIL 10-3-2001. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE THING AS I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS IN THE OFFICE WITH THE FORD ELECTRICAL. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS ALL THE DASH LIGHTS GO OUT AS WELL AS THE HEAD LIGHTS. AS YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY WARNING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM UNTIL YOU ARE IN THE DARK. IN A MOVING VECHICAL. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN BAD WEATHER OR AT NIGHT DO TO THIS. IF I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD IT WOULD KNOCK THE OUT TOO. AS I WAS GOING BACK ROADS TO GET TO MY PARENTS HOME TO GET MY DAD TO THE HOSPITAL I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GO ON AND I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING. NOR WAS THERE ANYONE THAT I COULD CALL IF I NEED TO AS THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING AROUND.
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.