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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

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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

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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

62 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 18, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE VIOLENTLY AND STALL ON OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED, HOWEVER MECHANIC HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK *NLM

NHTSA ODI #8012035

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

SEVERE VIBRATION WHEN IDLING, DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8005591

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE VIBRATES VIOLENTLY BECAUSE ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND COUNLD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8005385

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR BECOMES IDLE THEN SHUDDERS/VIBRATES (REPEATS) WHEN STOPPING. CAR NOW STALLING OCCASIONALLY WHEN STOPPED AND HAS STALLED WHILE DOING 35 MPH. PROBLEMS STARTED LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. CAR IN THE SHOP ON 6-7 OCCASIONS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS - CAR STILL NOT FIXED. SINCE THE CAR HAS STALLED DURING MOTION, CONSUMER FEEL…

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CAR BECOMES IDLE THEN SHUDDERS/VIBRATES (REPEATS) WHEN STOPPING. CAR NOW STALLING OCCASIONALLY WHEN STOPPED AND HAS STALLED WHILE DOING 35 MPH. PROBLEMS STARTED LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE. CAR IN THE SHOP ON 6-7 OCCASIONS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS - CAR STILL NOT FIXED. SINCE THE CAR HAS STALLED DURING MOTION, CONSUMER FEELS VERY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY ON THE FREEWAYS. THE PROBLEMS ARE GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I AM UNSATISFIED WITH NOT ONLY THE CAR QUALITY, BUT THE MECHANICAL AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.*AK. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL COMPONETS WERE REPLACED THAT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS AND THEN THE PROBLEM RESURFACED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING AND THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING NOISES AND WOULD THEN STALL, THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE LOOSE THAT WAS CAUSING THE VIBRATIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED ALONG WITH THE STALLING.*JB

NHTSA ODI #756888

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingSuspension

THERE IS A KNOCKING IN ENGINE, WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN, LOUDER THE KNOCKING GETS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM WAS UNDERNEATH HOOD WHERE THE BEARINGS WERE. ALSO, DEAL HAS BEEN CONTACTED FOR A REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE BLOCK/ HEAD AND CYCLINDER, BUT THAT STILL HAS NOT REMEDIED TH…

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THERE IS A KNOCKING IN ENGINE, WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN, LOUDER THE KNOCKING GETS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM WAS UNDERNEATH HOOD WHERE THE BEARINGS WERE. ALSO, DEAL HAS BEEN CONTACTED FOR A REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE BLOCK/ HEAD AND CYCLINDER, BUT THAT STILL HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #899697

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingSteeringCrash

A GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA OF THE VEHICLE, THEN WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 25 MPH, GRINDING NOISE OCCURRED AGAIN, AND DRIVER LOST ALL STEERING CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A CRASH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED VEHICLE AS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #899549

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE HAS STALLED 5 TIMES, AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR 4 TIMES/ STARTER, AND BATTERY ONCE. CANNOT REMEDY. CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #894142

Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

MOTOR DIED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. CONSUMER HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS ALTERNATOR. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT DEALER HAS REPLACED 4 ALTERNATORS/ ONE STARTER, AND A BATTERY. CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHCLE IN FEAR THAT IT MAY STALL AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #894133

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN @ A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE IN MOTION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #748958

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN A METALIC KNOCKING NOISE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE LIFTERS & OTHER PARTS HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR 2000. CAR STILL HAS THE NOISE AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE FORD INTERNATIONAL STILL DOES NOT WANT TO CLAIM THE VEHICLE A DEFECT. THE SE…

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VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN A METALIC KNOCKING NOISE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE LIFTERS & OTHER PARTS HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR 2000. CAR STILL HAS THE NOISE AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE FORD INTERNATIONAL STILL DOES NOT WANT TO CLAIM THE VEHICLE A DEFECT. THE SECOND BAND OF THE TRANSMISION BROKE INTO MANY PARTS AND THE TECHNITION OF BAYAMON FORD SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD SEEN THIS ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HE HAS SEEN THIS IN EXPLORER & EXPEDITIONS, BUT NOT ON FORD ESCORTS. BAYAMON FORD NOR AUTO VEGA HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX THIS THIS PROBLEM IN MORE THAN A YEAR. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ANOTHER RECURRING PROBLEM IN THIS CAR IS THAT THE HEADLIGHT SOCKET KEEPS MELTING. THIS IS A FIRE HAZZARD AND IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AFTER REPLACEMENT OF HEADLIGHT FIXTURE. I NOTICED THAT THE NEGATIVE WIRE IS THINNER THAN BOTH OF THE POSITIVE WIRES, THUS CAUSING THE OVER HEATING & CAUSING IT TO MELT. ANOTHER RECURRING PROBLEM IS THAT ABOUT EVERY 6 MONTHS I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SHOT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET A TECHNITION TO PROPERLY DO ITS JOB AND NOT TO PUT MYSELF OR OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER BECAUSE HE/SHE DOES NOT WANT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #748425

Official recalls

1

99V276000 · 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

1

DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

No summary supplied.