Ford Escort Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 3,931 consumer complaints across the 21 model years of the Ford Escort (1983–2003) that have at least 5 complaints. 1995 has the most, with 576. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (734 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Escort model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 10 | 18,785 | 0 | 2 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 33 | 51,600 | 0 | 6 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 68 | 40,600 | 0 | 7 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 98 | 57,810 | 1 | 7 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 325 | 67,856 | 1 | 6 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 375 | 75,000 | 0 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 543 | 78,000 | 1 | 2 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1996 | 205 | 86,000 | 0 | 1 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 576 | 99,650 | 4 | 1 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 279 | 82,937 | 1 | 1 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 379 | 82,170 | 1 | 1 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 162 | 111,000 | 2 | 1 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1991 | 327 | 128,375 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 101 | 79,893 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 152 | 100,000 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 143 | 67,000 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 56 | — | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 45 | 80,150 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 26 | 75,000 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1984 | 21 | 5,000 | 3 | 0 | — | Stable |
| 1983 | 7 | — | 5 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system734 21%
- Seat belts632 18%
- Engine cooling488 14%
- Air bags466 13%
- Fuel system400 11%
- Transmission and drivetrain310 8.7%
- Suspension295 8.2%
- Brakes254 7.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1997: “The brakes failed while my wife was driving this car. It was not very difficult to diagnose the problem. The brake fluid leaked out of a brake line in the rear of the car. The location of the brake line failure is where the line is fastened to the body when the car was manufactured. It is my opinion that this defect may exist on many other vehicles of this type, that is why I am reporting it to you.”
NHTSA complaint #10538195, filed 2013-08, 46,000 miles1998: “I am concerned regarding rear bumper cover. This very important paft on tbis vehicle is made totally of fiberglass or a similar product which becomes more cracked with time and the main issue is that it has no hard metal bar for protection in the event of a rear impact . This bumper which I had removed to rplaced what was left of it has something that appears to be a bar attached or part of it yet it is not any type of metal that would in any way help endure the rear of the vehicle in the event of a rear impact. …”
NHTSA complaint #11172236, filed 2019-01, 80,000 miles2001: “I was in a accident on the 105fwy west, going between 15-25 MPH in moderate morning traffic. I hit the back of a car, slammed my face against the steering wheel, and severely damaged my front hood, bumper and engine, which has been totaled out! My air bags failed to deploy! Its a 2001 Ford Escort, never been in a accident, and I have neck, back, and severe jaw pain.”
NHTSA complaint #10280479, filed 2009-08, 162,353 milesOther Ford models
38,897 complaintsFord Explorer
34,624 complaintsFord Escape
27,530 complaintsFord Fusion
22,441 complaintsFord Focus
22,107 complaintsFord Taurus
18,162 complaintsFord Windstar
14,152 complaintsFord Edge
14,106 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology