IllustrationVEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL STATES 8.3 QUARTS OF TRANSMISSION FLUID IS TO BE USED WHEN REFILLING, CONSUMER ACTED ACCORDINGLY RESULTING IN DAMAGE/FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION TO THE POINT OF BEING UNUSEABLE. MANUAL INFORMATION IS INCORRECT, THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FLUID IS 4.5 QUARTS.
1990 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 2 of 101 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 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports41 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
101 reportsKNOWN FAILURE OF VANE AIR FLOW METER CAUSE BUCKING OF CAR AT HIGHWAY AND STREET SPEEDS.SEE FORD TSB 94-23-8. CAR LOCKS FRONT WHEELS ON SNOWY CONDITIONS WHEN ENGINE BUCKS. THE TSB CALLS FOR KIT FOPZ-9K672-A AND VFMETER E9FZ-12B529-A. KIT DESIGNED IN 1994 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NO NOTIFICATION ON TSB'S ACCORDING …
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KNOWN FAILURE OF VANE AIR FLOW METER CAUSE BUCKING OF CAR AT HIGHWAY AND STREET SPEEDS.SEE FORD TSB 94-23-8. CAR LOCKS FRONT WHEELS ON SNOWY CONDITIONS WHEN ENGINE BUCKS. THE TSB CALLS FOR KIT FOPZ-9K672-A AND VFMETER E9FZ-12B529-A. KIT DESIGNED IN 1994 WHILE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NO NOTIFICATION ON TSB'S ACCORDING TO FORD POLICY. PLEASE SEND ADDRESS I CAN SEND MY DOCUMENTATION TO DATE, TO YOUR OFFICE. THANK YOU. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR SHAKES OPEN ON ITS OWN WHILE TURNING A CORNER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
IN COLD WEATHER (LESS THAN 15 F), THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT MOTOR FAILED ON MUTILPLE OCCASIONS TO EITHER RETRACT OR ADVANCE THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT. THE SHOULDER BELT MOTOR EVENTUALLY BROKE ENTIRELY (MILEAGE AROUND 60,000 AT THE TIME). THIS DEFECT FIRST SHOWED UP WHEN I MOVED TO A COLD CLIMATE IN 1993. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN DRIVER TURNS VEHICLE OFF, THE VEHICLE STILL CONTINUES TO RUN. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
THERE WAS A RECALL LISTED ON THIS MAKE AND YEAR, BUT THE OWNER NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. ON APR.9,1998, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOSS. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY WILL NOT GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH THE OWNER. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ENGINEER CALL AND TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (96V…
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THERE WAS A RECALL LISTED ON THIS MAKE AND YEAR, BUT THE OWNER NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE. ON APR.9,1998, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOSS. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY WILL NOT GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH THE OWNER. WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ENGINEER CALL AND TALK ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (96V-071000). *AK
ENGINE FIRE.
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
SMOG TEST WAS ABORTED DUE TO HIGH RMPS.
TURN IGNITION ON, HEARD CRACKLING SOUND, THEN NOISE WENT TO A POPLIN SOUND, SMOKE CAME FROM HOOD AND VENT INSIDE, FLAMES NOW EVITABLE, RESULTING IN TOTALLED.
Official recalls
296V071000 · 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.
89V174000 · Visibility:windshield
Oct 13, 1989
SPECIAL PRIMER THAT PROMOTES THE BONDING OF A URETHANE ADHESIVE TO THE GLASS WAS NOT APPLIED TO THE WINDSHIELDS BEFORE INSTALLATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OMISSION OF THE PRIMER COULD CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD NOT TOBE PROPERLY ADHERED TO BODY, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 212.
Remedy: REMOVE AND PROPERLY INSTALL WINDSHIELD USING SPECIAL PRIMER.
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
3EA95002 · Fires In Steering Column
Opened Feb 24, 1995 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
ELECTRICAL FIRES IN THE STEERING COLUMN.
PE94089 · Front Brake Fires
Opened Nov 25, 1994 · Closed Mar 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE94078 · Fires In Steering Column
Opened Nov 4, 1994 · Closed Feb 24, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available