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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 →
325Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
205
1996543
1997375
1998325
199998
200068
200133
2002
Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
66Engine And Engine Cooling
62Suspension
42Electrical System
39Power Train
35
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
24Seat Belts
16Steering
16Equipment
15Tires
14Fuel System, Gasoline
13Exterior Lighting
12Vehicle Speed Control
8Visibility
8Structure
7Seats
6Latches/locks/linkages
3Engine
2Unknown Or Other
2Child Seat
1Service Brakes
1

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

What owners actually said

325 reports
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 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 · 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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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 PROBLEMS SINCE BUYING THE CAR. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #754333

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE SMELL OF GAS FUMES IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IS SUBTLE WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. WHEN THE CAR IDLES THE FUMES INCREASE IN INTENSITY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CAUSE AND CLAIMED THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY TESTED IT. *YD

NHTSA ODI #785766

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Electrical System

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, CONSUMER HONKED THE HORN AND IT WOULD NOT STOP BLOWING, CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL THE FUSE IN ORDER TO STOP THE HORN.*JB

NHTSA ODI #785758

Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHILE PUSHING IN ON THE CLUTCH, IT SOUNDS LIKE VEHICLE IS STILL ACCELERATING, WHEN IN FIFTH GEAR IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE IT IS ENGAGED, DEALER HAS DONE THE FOLLOWING: REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, CLEANED INJECTORS, REPLACED THE AIR CLEANER, AND REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #785744

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2001
Electrical System

WIRING HARNESS THAT IS CONNECTED TO HEADLIGHT BULB OVERHEATS AND SHORT CIRCUITS, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES.*SLC

NHTSA ODI #897853

Mileage unknown · Oct 4, 2001
Tires

BOTH REAR TIRES WERE FLAT, THE TIRES HAD BLOWN THROUGH THE SIDES. THEN THE FRONT LEFT TIRE FLATTENED IN THE DRIVEWAY.

NHTSA ODI #9004344

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2001
VisibilityFire

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY HEATER FAN RUNNING AND BEGAN TO GET A BURNING SMELL. THE FAN THEN QUIT RUNNING. WHEN I INVESTIGATED TO FIND OUT WHY THE FAN NO LONGER WOULD WORK, I FOUND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FOR THE FAN MOTOR HAD MELTED AND LOOKED BURNT AS THOUGH IT MAY HAVE SMOLDERED. I HAVE THAT PIECE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEE…

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I WAS DRIVING WITH MY HEATER FAN RUNNING AND BEGAN TO GET A BURNING SMELL. THE FAN THEN QUIT RUNNING. WHEN I INVESTIGATED TO FIND OUT WHY THE FAN NO LONGER WOULD WORK, I FOUND THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION FOR THE FAN MOTOR HAD MELTED AND LOOKED BURNT AS THOUGH IT MAY HAVE SMOLDERED. I HAVE THAT PIECE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IF NEEDED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #752612

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.