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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.

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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

Equipment complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 17, 2012
Air BagsEquipmentCrashInjury

1999 FORD ESCORT,HAD A WRECK AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY INSURANCE ADJUSTER,THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND EVEN THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED WOW THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND WERE INJURED AND WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE OCTOBER 2011 AND HAVE OVER 100,000 DOLLARS ALON…

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1999 FORD ESCORT,HAD A WRECK AND THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY INSURANCE ADJUSTER,THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND EVEN THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER STATED WOW THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T EVEN DEPLOY. ME AND MY GIRLFRIEND WERE INJURED AND WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK SINCE OCTOBER 2011 AND HAVE OVER 100,000 DOLLARS ALONE IN MEDICAL BILLS AND STILL HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY. AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE WORKED LIKE THEY WERE INSTALLED TO DO. I CALLED AND SPOKE WITH SOMEONE AT YOUR LOCATION AND SHE SAID THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL YET,BUT THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO FILL OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR WORK WHEN WE HAD A ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE CAR WAS TOTALED OUT AND WE WERE IN A 1999 FORD ESCORT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10458854

150 miles · Apr 25, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentExterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2007. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE RADIO AND CLOCK IN …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH OF HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2007. A DAY OR TWO LATER, THE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. THE RADIO AND CLOCK IN THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY TURN ON AND OFF AND MADE A STRANGE NOISE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,964 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN THE GEAR LIGHT WENT OUT. THE MARKER LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED

NHTSA ODI #10225715

60,000 miles · Nov 21, 2003
Equipment

AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR JUNE 2002 TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND RICART FORD CLAIMED IT WAS THE MODULE. THE PART WAS NOT COVERED ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN AND IT WAS OVER $500 TO REPAIR. DECLINED REPAIRS. THE FOLLOWING SPRING AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN WORKING ON ITS OWN APRIL 2003. JULY 2003 THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWI…

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AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR JUNE 2002 TOOK IN FOR REPAIR AND RICART FORD CLAIMED IT WAS THE MODULE. THE PART WAS NOT COVERED ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN AND IT WAS OVER $500 TO REPAIR. DECLINED REPAIRS. THE FOLLOWING SPRING AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN WORKING ON ITS OWN APRIL 2003. JULY 2003 THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN BLOWING HOT AIR AND WOULD BLOW OUT COLD AIR IF IN THE SHADE OR TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS COOL. AT THIS TIME THE AIR CONDITIONER IS NOT FUNCTIONING. *LA

NHTSA ODI #10047327

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2002
Equipment

VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A TIRE JACK. *MR

NHTSA ODI #8020316

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2002
Equipment

THERE IS A 11,000 BACK ORDER FOR THE FAN CONTROL/DEFECTED PART. *AK

NHTSA ODI #763715

Mileage unknown · Apr 3, 2002
Equipment

I WASN'T ABLE TO GET AN INSPECTION STICKER DUE TO THE BROKEN SPIRAL CODES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM GENERALLY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR THE CAR WHICH IS QUITE NEW AND HAS LOW MIRAGE LIKE MINE. HE MENTIONED THAT THE SPIRAL CODES MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTED BECAUSE HE FOUND SO MANY OF NEWER FORD CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE…

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I WASN'T ABLE TO GET AN INSPECTION STICKER DUE TO THE BROKEN SPIRAL CODES. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM GENERALLY SHOULD NOT HAPPEN FOR THE CAR WHICH IS QUITE NEW AND HAS LOW MIRAGE LIKE MINE. HE MENTIONED THAT THE SPIRAL CODES MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTED BECAUSE HE FOUND SO MANY OF NEWER FORD CARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HE SUGGESTED ME TO ASK FORD COMPANY FOR ANY RE-CALL INFORMATION. I CALLED FORD AND EXPLAINED IT BUT THERE WAS NO RE-CALL OR NO FINANCIAL AIDES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAD TO COVER THE COST, ABOUT $400, BY MYSELF. I STILL BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRAL CODES WERE DEFECTED FROM THE BEGINNING. I FIRMLY REQUEST FOR A STRICT INVESTIGATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #760179

Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2001
EquipmentVisibility

TAPE GETS STUCK IN TAPE DECK AND WON'T PLAY OR EJECT. IT JUST MAKES A WHINING NOISE. HEATER/DEFROST DOESN'T WANT TO WORK IN EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #751985

Mileage unknown · Jan 13, 2001
Equipment

WHEN CAR IS OFF THE RADIO CAUSES A POP IN THE SPEAKERS INDICATING THAT POWER IS STILL ON. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739303

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2001
Electrical SystemEquipment

AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T GET COLD--CAR ALSO IDLES VERY LOW TO THE POINT WHERE IT STALLS OUT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739152

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2000
Equipment

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED AFTER BEING TURNED ON. WAS BLOWING HOT AIR. TOOK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE ELECTRICAL MODULAR WAS BROKEN. THE PART NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. THE PART FAILED THE TEST & VEHICLE'S AIR CONDITIONER WAS REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865242

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.