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

Power Train complaints

35 reports

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Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 2001

Power TrainVehicle Speed ControlCrash

VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHILE IN NEUTRAL, CAUSING A FRONT END COLLISION WITH GARAGE WALL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT OIL PAN WAS DENTED. ALSO, VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8000720

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2001

Power Train

NOT ONLY WAS MY REBATE CHECK STOLEN BY SOMEONE WORKING AT THE DEALERSHIP BUT I HAVE COMPLAINED SO MANY TIMES SINCE PURCHASING MY CAR. I BELIEVE THAT I 'VE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND BECAUSE I'VE JUST PAST QUALIFYING FOR CALIFORNIA'S LEMON LAW. MY CAR IS UNSAFE IT ROLLS BACK ON HILLS AND NOW IT WON'T GO INTO PARK. I'VE HAD PROB…

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NHTSA ODI #754333

Mileage unknown · Jul 13, 2001

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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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

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2001

Power Train

CATASTHROPIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE GOING 75 MPH ON FREEWAY. ENGINE RUNS FINE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS OR SIGN(S) OF IMPENDING FAILURE. WOULD LIKE MANUFACTURER TO DO MATERIAL FAILURE ANALYSIS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #745108

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2001

Power Train

WHILE SHIFTING VEHICLE INTO REVERSE HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND RUNNING ROUGH. ALSO, VEHICLE WOULD NOT GAIN SPEED. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. TECHNICIAN STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #883489

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2001

Power Train

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10/09/99 NELSON FORD SUPPOSEDLY FIXED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE. 11/27/00 TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP AT 75MPH ON I40 IN NC. ALL AMERICAN FORD REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE NEW. 12/26/00 TRANSMISSION SLIPPING OUT OF THIRD GEAR NEARLY RESULTING IN ACCIDENT AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. 01/09/01 WADE FORD SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS UNRESOLVED SITUATION AND I AM CONVICED THAT I WILL DIE IN THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THE EXPLAINED SITUATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740706

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2000

Power Train

WHEN TRYING TO BRAKE CAR WOULD STALL TRYING TO PUT IN REVERSE WOULDN'T GO TRYING TO PUT IT IN DRIVE WOULDNT GO TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AND IT IS DOING THE SAME TING AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #726736

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2000

EquipmentExterior LightingPower Train

THE TAPE DECK EATS TAPES AND RADIO GETS VERY WARM AND MAKES CLIKING NOISE.*ET

NHTSA ODI #784109

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 2000

Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #718960

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2000

Power TrainFire

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO REVERSE. WHEN IT DOES ENGAGE IT WILL ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TMES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854828

Official recalls

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

DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001

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

No summary supplied.