IllustrationBRAKES WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELNG 40MPH WHEN SOMEONE TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER, HE SLAMMED ON BRAKES, BUT THERE WERE NONE. 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS HAVE STATED TO BRING VEHICLE IN WHEN PROBLEM FIRST ACCURS. *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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
24 reportsCONSUMER IS HAVING CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THERE IS NO NOISE. BUT IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO STOP, PEDAL MUST BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AUTOMOBILE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS CAUSING CONSUMER FEAR OF DRIVING, AN…
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CONSUMER IS HAVING CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. THERE IS NO NOISE. BUT IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE TO STOP, PEDAL MUST BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. AUTOMOBILE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A REMEDY TO THE PROBLEM. THIS IS CAUSING CONSUMER FEAR OF DRIVING, AND COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ABS FAILURE RESULTING IN EXTENED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH CAUSED AND ACCIDENT. NLM
ABS BRAKES FAILED IN DRY, SUNNY WEATHER IN SCHOOL ZONE AT 3 PM WHEN KIDS WERE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL. COULD NOT TURN VEHICLE ONTO SIDEWALK BECAUSE OF CHILDREN AND HIT STOPPED VEHICLE DESPITE A 200 FT STOPPING DISTANCE AT 25 MPH. ABS BRAKES DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE AT ALL. FORD CLAIMS NO ABS BRAKE DEFECT. CAR RETURNED FROM FORD DEA…
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ABS BRAKES FAILED IN DRY, SUNNY WEATHER IN SCHOOL ZONE AT 3 PM WHEN KIDS WERE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL. COULD NOT TURN VEHICLE ONTO SIDEWALK BECAUSE OF CHILDREN AND HIT STOPPED VEHICLE DESPITE A 200 FT STOPPING DISTANCE AT 25 MPH. ABS BRAKES DID NOT SLOW VEHICLE AT ALL. FORD CLAIMS NO ABS BRAKE DEFECT. CAR RETURNED FROM FORD DEALER'S COLLISION BODY SHOP AFTER 3 MONTHS. CAR NOW STOPS BUT LIKELY HAS UNDIAGNOSED ABS BRAKE DEFECT. FORD REFUSES TO PROVIDE A LETTER STATING THAT CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. CAR IS LIKELY HAZARD TO FAMILY DRIVERS AND THE PUBLIC. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK
LOUD SQUEALING SOUND MADE WHENEVER BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND A CLICKING WOULD COMMENCE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE BEEN TO THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS, AND PROBLEM STILL GOES UNRESOLVED. *AK
WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, AND IT WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, CONSUMER HAD IT CHECKED OUT, AND FOUND THAT THE BRAKES LINES HAD EXPLODED, AND ALL THE FLUID WAS LOST. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE TAPE DECK EATS TAPES AND RADIO GETS VERY WARM AND MAKES CLIKING NOISE.*ET
WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH BRAKE CALIPERS WOULD START TO RUB AGAINST THE BRAKE PADS, CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO WEAR OUT EXCESSIVELY. IT WOULD SOUND LIKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, IT SLOWS TO A STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
BRAKES FAILURE AT INTERSECTION. PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE, AND CRASH OCCURRED. *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.