IllustrationNO SUMMARY
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
What owners actually said
375 reportsHORN WILL GO OFF WITHOUT ANY ONE TOUCHING IT. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH STEREO. *AK
SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FIXED VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, AND PROBLEM CAME BACK THREE MONTHS AGO.DEALER TOLD HER TO RIDE WITH SENSOR LIGHT ON. *AK SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON STEADY DUE TO POWERTRAIN CONTROL…
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SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC FIXED VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC REPLACED WIRING IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, AND PROBLEM CAME BACK THREE MONTHS AGO.DEALER TOLD HER TO RIDE WITH SENSOR LIGHT ON. *AK SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON STEADY DUE TO POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) FAILURE. *YH
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK A GRINDING TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND MORE CONSTANT THE CLOSER I GOT TO HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I OPENED THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION DAMPNER PULLEY HAD SLID OUT AND WAS RUBBING ON THE…
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WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK A GRINDING TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER AND MORE CONSTANT THE CLOSER I GOT TO HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I OPENED THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE OUTSIDE PORTION OF THE CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION DAMPNER PULLEY HAD SLID OUT AND WAS RUBBING ON THE INNER FENDER WELL. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DESTROYED FROM NOT BEING CENTERED ON THE TENSIONER PULLEY AND RUBBING ON THE FENDER WELL. I AM GOING TO CALL THE DEALER TOMORROW TO REPORT THIS AND SEE IF THEY WILL FIX IT. I JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU.
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 TO 55 MPH VEHICLE HIT A TREE HEAD-ON, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. FORD HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
CRANSHAFT PULLEY BROKE, AND THEN CRANKSHAFT PULLEY SLID. CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING, AND THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. *AK
BRAKES MADE 'CLICKING' NOISE WHEN CHANGING DIRECTIONS, FIXED IN DECEMBER, AND AGAIN IN JUNE. I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT! 2ND PROB - WHEN TURNING RIGHT, THERE IS A 'CLICK'. WAS INFORMED BY SERVICER THAT THEY WERE ADVISED NOT TO FIX IT PER FORD MOTOR CO. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH IN WET CONDITIONS DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND RAN INTO A TREE HEAD ON ,DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO APPLY BRAKES , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING HEAD INJURIES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD COULD FEEL TIRE BUMPIING. THEN, CONSUMER SMELLED RUBBER BURNING. TOOK TO FIRESTONE, AND THEY SAID THAT SET OF THE CAMPER WAS WRONG AND HAS TO BE REMOVED. CONSUMER SAID RIGHT REAR TIRE ON THE INSIDE LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE. TOOK A KNIVE AND TRIED TO CUT A HOLE IN TIRE OFF THE WHEEL.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SMOKING BEHIND THE STEERING COLUMN, CLAIM 24-5125-333. *SLC
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.