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1989 Ford Escort

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 Ford Escort do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →
152Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

1Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
45
198656
1987143
1988152
1989101
1990327
1991162
1992
Compare all Escort years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System
64Engine And Engine Cooling
22Seat Belts
19Fuel System, Gasoline
12Exterior Lighting
9
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
9Power Train
8Steering
7Seats
6Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4Wheels
3Structure
2Suspension
2Unknown Or Other
2Equipment
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Parking Brake
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 152 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 64 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports60 fire reports7 injury reports

Visibility complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 1997
Visibility

BOX CONNECTING WITH HEAT COIL IS MISSING , NO CONNECTION THAT WILL START HEAT/AIR. DEALER KNOWS THAT IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT OF MANUFACTURER, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT DUE TO NO HEATER AND DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER, HE GOT SICK, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT SINCE HE NEVER NOTICED …

Read full complaint

BOX CONNECTING WITH HEAT COIL IS MISSING , NO CONNECTION THAT WILL START HEAT/AIR. DEALER KNOWS THAT IT WAS AN OVERSIGHT OF MANUFACTURER, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT WARRANTY THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT DUE TO NO HEATER AND DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER, HE GOT SICK, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT SINCE HE NEVER NOTICED THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE HEATER OR DEFROSTER INSTALLED THAT THIS WAS HIS PROBLEM SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT, CONSUMER WAS FROM HAWAII WHERE HE NEVER HAD TO USE THE HEATER OR DEFROSTER AND NEVER REALIZED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD LEFT THIS OUT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #819338

Official recalls

1

96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 25, 1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

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

2

DP91003 · Engine Stalling

Opened Nov 29, 1990 · Closed Jan 31, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE STALLING

EA90008 · Failed Passive Restraint

Opened Dec 27, 1989 · Closed Dec 31, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS WHICH ALLEGE A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.ADDITIONAL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO RESTRAIN/ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE OCCUPANT DURING AN ACCIDENT