IllustrationDURING NORMAL STOPPING CONDITIONS SEAT BELT ANCHORED TO THE FLOOR BROKE. OWNER HAS DEFECTIVE COMPONENT. TT
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escort years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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
What owners actually said
152 reportsFUEL TANK RUSTED OUT DUE TO CHEAP STEEL USED IN DESIGN RATHER THAN STAINLESS STEEL. *AK
THE GAS ROTTED OUT AND CAUSED THE GAS TO LEAK AND CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
THE CAR HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
FUEL PUMP FAILED 2 TIMES. *SD
EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FIRE UNDERDASH ON DRIVERS SIDE. TT
TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED MANY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. TT
CONSUMER RECEIVE A RECALL FOR THE HEAD GASKET HAD DEALER FIX CAR CONSUMER BEEN HAVING PROBLEM WITH CAR CAN'T FIND THE RECALL FOR THIS CAR . TT
WATER THAT BUILDS IN THE LIGHT HOUSING WHEN HITTING A BUMP WATER BLOWS OUT THE BULB AND HAVE TO REPLACE . TT
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT SIDE IMPACT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FELL BACKWARDS AND THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR CAME APART . TT
Official recalls
196V071000 · 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
2DP91003 · 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