1993 Ford Escort Problems
- Complaints
- 379filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 82,170miles, 22 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 1campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 25 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl FWD · 23 city / 29 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1993 Ford Escort (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owner complaints about the 1993 Ford Escort center on the motorized automatic shoulder belts, which often stop moving, stick, or fail to latch, and on fuel leaks and strong fuel smells around the tank and sending unit. Steering wheel lock and ignition issues, unintended revving, and weak or failing brakes are also reported, and many complaints involve older, high-mileage cars.
- Seat belts
Motorized shoulder belt stops, sticks, or will not latch
- 84 complaints (22%)
- median 66,590 mi at 10.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
- owner-quoted repair $400 (median of 5 quotes)
- filed 1995–2009
Owners of the motorized front shoulder belts report that the belt stops partway along its track, gets stuck, or stops retracting, leaving the occupant unrestrained. Some describe a grinding or whirring noise, a jammed motor, a belt that tightens on its own, or a buckle that will not latch. Dealers often oiled the track, quoted several hundred dollars for repairs, or told owners the car was out of warranty, and several complaints note that the same failure came back after a repair. Reported across a wide mileage range, from lower-mileage cars to vehicles well over 100,000 miles, usually as a gradual failure.
What to check: With the door open and closed, watch the driver and passenger shoulder belts move through the full track and confirm they latch and release. Check the belt motor for noise and ask whether the track or motor has been serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Two dealers were contacted. At one dealer I was told that the same thing happened to someone else the day before. Total cost for me comes to over $400. A seatbelt is a critical safety component of the car and should be backed by the company for life of vehicle. The Ford dealership told me that”
NHTSA complaint #700161, filed 1998-10“Fuel tank leaking at hose fitting. Crack in plastic tank. No replacement available due to many failures. Bought car new and it has never been in a wreck. Seat belts fail to retract in rear seat compartment. Dealer fixed twice for the same problem. Car is now out of warranty. **dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis*768008”
NHTSA complaint #10006958, filed 2002-10, 35,000 miles - Fuel system
Fuel leaks and fuel smell around the tank
- 36 complaints (10%)
- median 55,000 mi at 10.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2012
Complaints describe fuel leaking at the tank, hose fitting, or sending unit, and a strong gasoline odor inside and outside the car, sometimes after filling the tank. Some owners report a cracked plastic tank, and a few mention that the fuel gauge reads incorrectly. Dealers in some cases replaced a corroded fuel pump or recommended a new tank, and some owners were told their vehicle was not covered by a related recall. Reported from roughly 35,000 miles up, often noticed when filling the tank or while the car is parked.
What to check: Fill the tank and then check underneath and around the sending unit for wetness, and smell for fuel inside the cabin. Ask whether the tank, pump, or sending unit has been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The car was leaking fuel at the gas ank. The dealer replaced a corroded fuel pump the first time under warranty. The second time this happend, the car was out of warranty, and we had to pay for repairs. The dealer requested payment from Ford, but we received no response.”
NHTSA complaint #541834, filed 1998-07“Smoked started coming from under the hood. This occurred while the vehicle was parked, but idling. Where the fire originated was difficult to determine because all the engine components melted. Mechanic indicated fire started due to a fuel line failure as stated in recall 92v117000.”
NHTSA complaint #10050555, filed 2003-12, 75,000 miles - Vehicle speed control
Engine revs or keeps running above idle
- 40 complaints (11%)
- median 93,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
- 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2007
Owners report the engine revving high or continuing to accelerate after the accelerator is released, sometimes forcing them to shut the engine off and coast to slow down. Some describe the problem as intermittent and hard to reproduce, and dealers were sometimes unable to duplicate it. One owner notes it began in very cold weather after cleaning the air intake valve did not help. Often reported on higher-mileage cars, with some cases tied to cold weather.
What to check: Test-drive from cold and check that rpm drops promptly when you lift off the pedal. Ask whether the throttle body, idle control, or speed control components have been serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Vehicle's rpms stay high after the accelerator is released. The mechanic indicated that the pedal wasn't sticky nor was the throttle cable. The check engine light rarely illuminated. This problem started occurring during cold weather (below 0 degrees). The rpms revved high and continued to rise when the problem occurred. Shutting off the engine solved the problem for a few minutes or until the pedal was pressed. The air intake valve was cleaned but the problem still occurred.”
NHTSA complaint #10054041, filed 2004-01, 180,000 miles“When air conditioner is on car accelerates and decelerates on its own. Tt air conditioner also makes noises and has an odor. Transmission takes 3 to 4 attempts before engaging in reverse. Steering wheel does not lock. Hatchback does not open and close properly. Front driver's side lense is cracked. Front bumper is not aligned properly. Doors are not aligned properly, causing them not to close properly. Window seal broke causing wind noise.”
NHTSA complaint #973461, filed 1995-10 - Brakes
Weak or failing brakes, low pedal
- 23 complaints (6%)
- median 39,188 mi at 12.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2007
Complaints describe a brake pedal that travels almost to the floor, weak braking, and in some cases a loss of braking while driving. Owners mention leaking at the master cylinder or proportioning valve and having to add brake fluid, and some replaced the master cylinder, calipers, and hoses without fully fixing the pedal feel. Some owners report that parts were unavailable or repairs were not covered. Reported across a range of mileages, including some cars with low mileage.
What to check: Check brake fluid level and look for leaks around the master cylinder. Ask about recent brake work and press the pedal firmly to confirm it holds and does not sink.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Initially, the brake light came on. I then checked the brake fluid, which was below minimum required. I have now filled the required level. Yesterday, the brake pedal completely failed to stop the vehicle - no compression at all. The brake pedal goes down all the way with no compression. It could have caused a serious accident but luckily, I was able to control due to manual gear.”
NHTSA complaint #10205740, filed 2007-10, 190,957 miles“The brakes on our 1993 Ford Escort locked up causing catastrophic brake failure. Had to replace the master cylinder, both front calipers, both rotors, all hoses and pads. This brake failure could have caused an accident and even death.”
NHTSA complaint #10172597, filed 2006-11, 39,188 miles - Electrical system
Ignition switch and steering lock problems
- 32 complaints (8%)
- median 115,330 mi at 11.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2007
Owners report the engine failing to start unless the key is jiggled, and the steering wheel not locking after the key is removed. Some describe wiring problems, including a battery cable that broke and a harness short that led to smoke or a fire. Dealers sometimes said the car was out of warranty or that parts were no longer available. Reported from low mileage up to high-mileage cars, with wiring issues often appearing on older vehicles.
What to check: Start the car several times and check that the steering wheel locks with the key out. Look over the wiring at the hatch and under the dash for cracked or exposed insulation.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The battery cable broke off and the consumer was unable to start the vehicle unless she taped the cable in place. The vehicle was taken to Ford and the consumer was told that the part was no longer available. The consumer was driving the vehicle when the engine shut off. There was a special grounding wire from the computer to the cable post wire. …”
NHTSA complaint #10087225, filed 2004-08, 8,000 miles“1993 Ford Escort station wagon. Sharp metal edge at wiring harness entrance to station wagon hatch, caused abrasion of wiring leading to short circuit and vehicle fire.”
NHTSA complaint #10051200, filed 2003-12, 115,330 miles
Buying note. Check the automatic shoulder belts and the fuel system carefully before buying, since these are the most frequent complaints, and confirm the brakes hold firm. Ask for service records, since many repairs were done outside warranty and some parts are reported as hard to find.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 379 consumer complaints for the 1993 Ford Escort. 22 of the complaints include a mileage, and 32% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 82,170 miles. Of all complaints, 31 involved a crash, 16 a fire, 31 an injury, 6 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Seat belts109 29%
- Fuel system49 13%
- Vehicle speed control49 13%
- Electrical system40 11%
- Brakes36 9.5%
- Engine cooling33 8.7%
- Transmission and drivetrain30 7.9%
- Suspension19 5.0%
- Steering13 3.4%
Also reported: Seats (9), Body and structure (9), Tires (9), Other or unknown (8), Exterior lighting (5), Equipment (4), Latches, locks and linkages (4), Wheels (3), Air bags (2), Interior lighting (2).
Example complaints
Seat belts: “Passenger's side front seatbelt stopped working in october 2003, driver's side seatbelt stopped working about february 2004, automatic belt retractors try to move then stop. A grinding / whirring can be heard at times. Both belts are un usable.”
NHTSA complaint #10273940, filed 2009-06, 145,347 milesFuel system: “I purchased this car at 127,000 miles, and noticed the smell of gas whenever it was filled up. I talked to the previous owner (owner #1), and he had the same problem. He took it in on warranty, but the problem persisted. I thought that it may have been a hole in the gas tank and had it checked out. The gas tank was fine, but the fuel pump had been repaired before. The fuel pump was cracked between the two lines exiting the top, and had some sort of adhesive that had broken loose. I had the fuel pump replaced thinking that I had found the problem, but the smell of gas was still there. …”
NHTSA complaint #732731, filed 2000-09Vehicle speed control: “Acceleration noticed while driving over 45mph, and when slowing down after driving over 45 MPH, sometimes as little as 1 minute. At times, the cruise control accelerated to over 40 mp on its own after a complete stop. Engine temperature has rarely been in the normal range during this occurrence. This problem is wearing out the brake system.”
NHTSA complaint #541619, filed 1998-09Electrical system: “1993 Ford Escort wagon - rear window defrost - electrical wiring shorted at hatchback door. Wire harness was cracked at bend point for rear door to open. All most all wires going to hatchback door had been exposed down to the core wire! When rear defrost was turned on a smell of burnt plastic was detected, then smoke was seen coming from driver side dash. Defrost at hatchback door had shorted with tail light wiring, melting wiring back into fuse box. Fire was prevented by shutting off defrost. But rear brake and tail lights did not work.”
NHTSA complaint #10043458, filed 2003-10, 130,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
32% of the 22 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 39,188 and 145,347 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1993 Ford Escort. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escort · coupe | not rated | 5 / 5 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1993 Ford Escort version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escort FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 23 | 29 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Escort FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 21 | 27 | 23 | $2,900 |
| Escort FWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 26 | 33 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Escort FWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 22 | 30 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Escort FS FWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 26 | 35 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Escort Wagon FWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Escort Wagon FWD | 1.9L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 22 | 30 | 25 | $2,700 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 94V055000Mar 26, 1994SeatsCovers: Ford Escort 1993
The lock plate of the driver side inboard seat track adjusters were manufactured with an unauthorized modification to the fabrication process which causes the seat not to fully engage in certain seating positions near the mid-point of the seat track travel.
Recall details for the 1993 Ford Escort → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- EA94002Fuel pump wiring shortageClosed · Jan 28, 1994
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10013060Oct 14, 2002Equipment. Climate control a/c service tech tips.
Other model years of the Ford Escort
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 10 | 18,785 | 0 | — | 25 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 33 | 51,600 | 0 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2001 | 68 | 40,600 | 0 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 98 | 57,810 | 1 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 325 | 67,856 | 1 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 375 | 75,000 | 0 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 543 | 78,000 | 1 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1996 | 205 | 86,000 | 0 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 576 | 99,650 | 4 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 279 | 82,937 | 1 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 379 | 82,170 | 1 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 162 | 111,000 | 2 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1991 | 327 | 128,375 | 3 | — | 25 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 101 | 79,893 | 2 | — | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 152 | 100,000 | 1 | — | 27 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 143 | 67,000 | 2 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 56 | — | 3 | — | 28 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 45 | 80,150 | 2 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 26 | 75,000 | 3 | — | 26 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1984 | 21 | 5,000 | 3 | — | 25 | — | Stable |
| 1983 | 7 | — | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Escort model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1993 Ford Escort?
Owner complaints about the 1993 Ford Escort center on the motorized automatic shoulder belts, which often stop moving, stick, or fail to latch, and on fuel leaks and strong fuel smells around the tank and sending unit. The issues reported most often: Motorized shoulder belt stops, sticks, or will not latch; Fuel leaks and fuel smell around the tank; Engine revs or keeps running above idle.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1993 Ford Escort have?
NHTSA recorded 379 consumer complaints for the 1993 Ford Escort as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1993 Ford Escort is reported most often?
Seat belts is named most often, in 109 complaints (29% of the total), followed by fuel system with 49.
Has the 1993 Ford Escort been recalled?
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1993 Ford Escort get?
The EPA rates the 1993 Ford Escort (Escort, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 25 mpg combined, 23 city and 29 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1993 Ford Escort reported?
Among the 22 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 82,170 miles and the middle half falls between 39,188 and 145,347 miles; 32% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
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. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.