IllustrationWEATHER WAS 74 DEGREES, I T-BONED VEHICLE IN THE WRONG @ 25MPH. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, SEATBELT UNFASTENED CAUSING ME TO HIT WINDSHIELD AND GET LEG CAUGHT UNDER STEERING COLUMN. POSSIBLE PERMANENT INJURIES. *AK
1999 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
110–25K
1625–50K
2650–75K
1875–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
92 reports with mileage · 233 unknown
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 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
79 crash reports11 fire reports42 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
66 reportsTHE RIGHT PASSENGER AIRBAG EXPLODED WHEN DEPLOYED, SEPARATING ENTIRELY FROM THE DASHBOARD AND WAS BRIEFLY ON FIRE, THEN SMOKING ON THE FLOOR.*AK
VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION AT A STOP SIGN AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING UP A HILL, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES.*AK *SLC
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON BROADSIDE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT, VEHICLE HIT IT, RAN OFF ROAD, AND FELL INTO A DITCH. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK
AFTER BEING IN A CAR ACCIDENT AT 30 MPH IN RAIN, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING . THE CAR WAS TOTALED.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION OF 25-20 MPH IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL AFTER DRIVER'S HEAD STRUCK STEERING WHEEL, AND CAUSED DRIVER'S CLOTHES TO CATCH ON FIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO CONTACT NHTSA. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 55 MPH. VEHICLE HIT A CONCRETE DIVIDER AND BOUNCED OFF, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPOY. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH, VEHICLE STRUCK A PICKUP BUT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN IJURY OF THE DRIVER. *YH
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HAD FRONTAL IMPACT, AND DRIVER'S /PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
199V276000 · Power Train:manual Transmission:shift Pattern Indicator
Oct 12, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE S/R OPTION. THE S/R OPTION INCLUDES, AMONG OTHER FEATURES, A 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ON THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT PATTERN IS NOT DISPLAYED IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT IN VIEW OF THE DRIVER. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION POSITION OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADHESIVE BACKED PLAQUE CONTAINING THE SHIFT PATTERN, ALONG WITH MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOCATING AND AFFIXING THE PLAQUE TO THE VEHICLE CENTER CONSOLE, JUST FORWARD OF THE SHIFT LEVER. OWNERS WILL ALSO BE ADVISED THAT THEIR DEALER CAN AFFIX THE PLAQUE IF THEY PREFER.
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.