1998 Ford Escort Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1998 Ford Escort most often report two things in this sample: rear coil springs that break, sometimes without any noise or handling change, and airbags that did not deploy in a collision. Cooling-system leaks, electrical failures such as a dead alternator or lost power, and occasional unintended acceleration or rough idle also come up, usually at moderate to high mileage.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Rear coil springs break

   Mentioned in 16 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe one or both rear coil springs cracked or broken, often found during a state inspection, brake work, or an oil change rather than noticed while driving. Many owners say there was little or no warning - no noise or change in how the car handled - and some report the broken spring rubbing or nearly damaging a tire, or the rear end behaving poorly. Dealers and shops replaced the springs, and several owners say they were told the part was not covered by warranty or a recall and that reimbursement was refused. Most reports fall between roughly 23,000 and 92,000 miles, with many under 60,000, and some owners describe replacements failing a second time.

   What to check: Have a shop inspect both rear coil springs for cracks, especially under the plastic sleeve, and ask whether either side has been replaced before. Look for corrosion on the spring surface.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While having my oil changed, the technician noted that the right rear suspension spring was broken near the bottom. The broken spring did not perceivably alter the function of the car nor did it make noise. It was clarified to me that the spring needed to be replaced and based on the number of complaints on this site I feel it is necessary to have both spring replaced. The estimate for this repair is estimated at about $400.”

   NHTSA complaint #10093090, filed 2004-09, 47,983 miles

   “Both rear springs broke. This is the second time in less then 6 months for the 2002. This seems to be a major design flaw in Ford Escort. I have a 1998 & 2002 and both have broken rear springs. Also every technician I have talked to knows the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10175924, filed 2006-12, 120,048 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy in a crash

   • 58 complaints (15%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 53 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2008

   Complaints describe frontal collisions where the driver and passenger airbags failed to inflate, with occupants reporting head and face injuries after hitting the steering wheel or windshield. Owners also mention seat belts that did not lock during impact. A separate but related group describes airbags inflating without a crash at very low speed, with the bag striking the driver. Reports span a wide mileage range, from vehicles with no mileage listed to over 150,000 miles, and appear across both low- and high-speed impacts.

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag system has ever been diagnosed or the warning lamp checked, and confirm the airbag warning light comes on at startup and goes out. Look for any history of airbag or seat belt repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My son was driving my 1998 Ford Escort lx on a 35 MPH road when the driver in front of him slammed on his brakes. My son immediately tried to stop the car, but he rear-ended the other car before he could come to a complete stop. During the impact, the driver's seat belt did not lock in place and the dual airbags did not deploy - allowing my son's upper body to continue forward until his face hit the steering wheel. The lap belt functioned properly, holding my son's lower body in place.”

   NHTSA complaint #10247134, filed 2008-10, 90,000 miles

   “While swerving to avoid hitting an animal rear end failed. As a result, vehicle collided into a tree, then flipped, and landed on all four tires. Upon impact, dual airbags did not deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #10053617, filed 2004-01, 55,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Sudden loss of electrical power or stalling

   • 17 complaints (5%)
   • median 51,950 mi at 7.8 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2005

   Complaints describe the car losing power and stalling after slowing from highway speed, with no warning lights or noise beforehand, and being restartable only after sitting for a while. Others report an alternator failing without warning, killing all power while driving, or the radio and ventilation cutting in and out before the battery went dead. Owners describe dealers and shops being unable to find a stored code or a clear cause. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 100,000 miles, often on the highway or right after exiting.

   What to check: Ask about the alternator and battery history, and have the charging system and stored codes checked. Note whether the battery warning light has ever come on while driving.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 1998 Ford Escort with 32,000 miles and recently had the air conditioner control module replaced.when the repair shop attempted to locate a new part, they were told that this part was on national backorder. This leads me to believe that there has been many problems throughout the country and maybe should have been recalled by the manufacturer.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127883, filed 2005-07, 32,400 miles

   “My daughter was on her way to work , when she called me & said dad my car has loss power & is running very rough . I told her to pull over & I would be there shortly, since she was only about 8 miles down the road. As I was prepairing to leave, my daughter called me back & said there was a fire under the hood. I told her to call 911 and get away from the car. It took me less than 10 minutes to get there & by that time the firemen had put the fire out. The car was totaled. The car had been running great, with no problems at all.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127682, filed 2005-07, 10,200 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Unintended acceleration and rough, surging idle

   • 22 complaints (6%)
   • median 73,475 mi at 6.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2010

   Owners describe the engine racing or the car accelerating on its own, in one case up to highway speed while stopped with the brakes applied, and in others a rough, surging idle that gets worse in cold weather. Repairs such as a speed control or idle control module, throttle position sensor, and fuel pump were tried without fixing the problem, and owners report the dealer could not determine a cause. Reported from as low as 3,000 miles up to about 150,000, with several owners noting the behavior was worse in cold weather.

   What to check: Drive the car long enough to observe a fully warm idle, and check for an idle that surges or races. Ask what throttle, idle control, or speed control parts have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car will loose power about 1 to 2 miles after slowing down from high speeds (55-75 MPH) to pass through an automated epass system (35mph). There is no bucking or surging, simply a loss of power. You can put the accelator to the floor to no avail. Once down below 10 MPH the car will stall out. After waiting 1/2 hour the car can be restarted. The first time this occured the car was towed to sun state Ford. The fuel pump was replaced to no avail. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10049176, filed 2003-12, 51,950 miles

   “Dt: the contact states the vehicle has a loud roar when idling. The vehicle also accelerates rapidly on its own. He took the vehicle to an independent garage. The technician suggested a new speed control and an idle control module. This was replaced twice but did not correct the problem. A diagnostic check did not detect any codes. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of this problem. There have been no further repairs at this time. Updated 12/27/2005 - this problem seemed worse in cold weather. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10142692, filed 2005-11, 3,000 miles
5. 5
   Engine cooling

   Coolant leaks and overheating

   • 16 complaints (4%)
   • median 81,756 mi at 6.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2008

   Owners describe coolant leaking from behind or around the water pump, and in one case a water pump housing that had corroded from the inside out and developed a pinhole leak. Repairs typically involved replacing the water pump, housing, and timing belt at the same time. Another owner reports a head gasket failure causing major overheating with fewer than 40,000 miles. Reported from under 40,000 miles up to about 156,000, with several cases in the 100,000-plus range.

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for crusty residue or stains around the water pump and housing. Ask whether the water pump, housing, and timing belt have been replaced and at what mileage.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “There have been many problems with my 1998 Ford Escort since I purchased it new in august, 1998. The most severe and recent problem was repaired in december, 2002. The head gasket blew, causing major overheating problems in my vehicle. The vehicle had less than 40,000 miles. I am not certain if the head gasket became faulty while vehicle was being built, or if fullerton Ford damaged the gasket while doing work on my vehicle, and then attempted to sodder the part together. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10004950, filed 2003-01, 39,500 miles

   “At 123,00mi I noticed water leaking form behind water pump took it to Ford dealer and they had to replace the water pump housing part #f8rz-8501-en it had eroded from the inside out resulting in a pinhole leak I also had the water pump, timing belt replased just in caseat a cost of 625 dollars. 13 months and 33,000mi later same problem with water pump housing eroding for inside out of corse it was out of warranty and the timing belt was failing do to a seized idler cost to repair 700 dollars. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10074856, filed 2004-06, 156,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection should focus on the rear coil springs and the airbag warning system, since both appear repeatedly in complaints and may not be obvious on a short test drive. Ask for service records covering the water pump and timing belt, charging system, and any prior idle or throttle repairs.

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.