1994 Ford Escort Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 54about this part
- Share
- 19%of 279 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 115,404miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 54 complaints about the air bags of the 1994 Ford Escort, 19% of the 279 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 115,404 miles. 35 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The contact owns a 1994 Ford Escort. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. The dealer and manufacturer were contacted and explained that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with NHTSA campaign id number: 94v218000 (air bags:frontal). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 115,404.”
NHTSA complaint #10408678, filed 2011-06, 115,404 miles“The 1994 Ford Escort is a very poorly made car. Most of these vehicles were manufactured with automatic seatbelts, the motors of which almost always fail. Ours was no exception. We had a manual seatbelt installed-- at our expense-- and today that manual seatbelt saved my husband's life in a rollover crash. Imagine if he had only had a lapbelt! Ford repeatedly denies that there is a problem, but for every 10 escorts I see that were made about the same time, 9 of them have at least one failed seatbelt. In addition, the airbag failed to deploy in a rollover crash going some 75 MPH. …”
NHTSA complaint #10129817, filed 2005-07“I was in a near head-on collsion, I don't think I would have been injured if my air bag would have deployed. It was not disconnected, nor has it ever been modified, and I have have never been notified of a recall.”
NHTSA complaint #714658, filed 1999-11“The air bag has broken 3 of my ribs and failed to deploy before I hit my head on the front windshield that is what a police had told me. I had burns and alot of bruising due to the air bag in my car. Plus alot of headaches and neck injuries because of that failure to deploy soon enough and then when it did lookout. They need to recall and retrofit these cars with the airbags that wont harm a women like me that is of smalll stature and that 9 and 3 position doesnt work my arms still got burned. I still got hurt and my feeling on these things is I hate them. …”
NHTSA complaint #750327, filed 2001-08“Consumer was at intersection waiting for light to change, and vehicle in back of her hit consumer's vehicle from behind, causing consumer to hit vehicle in front of her. Upon impact, airbags deployed/punctured, and chemicals from airbags caused third degree burns on right side of her face. Her eye sight was damaged, and vehicle vehicle was totaled.”
NHTSA complaint #881598, filed 2001-02Related recalls
- 94V218000Nov 10, 1994The driver side air bag module can have an inadequately welded inflator canister.Covers: Ford Escort 1994–1995, Mercury Tracer 1994–1995
Air bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 | 10% |
| 2002 | 2 | 6% |
| 2001 | 9 | 13% |
| 2000 | 18 | 18% |
| 1999 | 66 | 20% |
| 1998 | 75 | 20% |
| 1997 | 152 | 28% |
| 1996 | 18 | 9% |
| 1995 | 67 | 12% |
| 1994 | 54 | 19% |
| 1993 | 2 | 1% |
| 1991 | 1 | 0% |
| 1985 | 1 | 4% |
Other parts of the 1994 Ford Escort
79 complaintsElectrical system
30 complaintsEngine cooling
30 complaintsBrakes
22 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
19 complaintsSuspension
18 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
14 complaintsSteering
11 complaintsFuel system
8 complaintsSeats
6 complaintsTires
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
6 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1994 Ford Escort
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology