Electrical System. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 59 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

19 crash reports61 fire reports14 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

16 reports

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90,000 miles · Jun 28, 2005

Exterior Lighting

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DT: 1991, FORD, ESCORT HATCHBACK. CONSUMER'S WIFE CAME HOME YESTERDAY, AND SAID SHE SMELLED SMOKE. CONSUMER CHECKED VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED AT TOP OF REAR WINDOW SMOKED WHEN BRAKE WAS PRESSED. CONSUMER TOOK LIGHT APART, AND FOUND SAME PART AT A JUNK YARD. CONSUMER REPLACED HEAT SHIELD AND HALOGEN BULB WITH ONE FROM JUNK YARD. CONSUMER CALLED FORD AND GAVE FORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT. FORD TOLD CONSUMER THERE WERE NO RECALLS, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO TURN IT IN TO ENGINEERING. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT A LOWER WATT, COOLER BULB WOULD KEEP LIGHT FROM CAUSING FIRE.*AK BULB HOUSING HAD HOLE MELTED THROUGH IT. REPLACED HOUSING WITH GOOD HEAT SHIELD (ORIGINAL HEAT SHIELD HAD BURNED OFF CAUSING THE PROBLEM).*SB

NHTSA ODI #10125284

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2001

Exterior LightingFuel System, GasolineSeat Belts

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SEATBELTS: THE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT STICK IN THE TRACK, USUALLY HALF WAY BETWEEN OPEN & CLOSE. NOW THEY WILL NOT OPERATE AT ALL. I TOOK ONE APART & THE PLASTIC COVERING THE CABLE IS DETERIORATING & CAUSING THE CABLE TO STICK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS YOUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY. YOU CAN HAVE MY SEATBELT ASSEMBLE FOR INSPECTION, AS I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW ONE FOR MY SPOUSE'S SAFETY. FUEL: THIS CAR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL #92S54, AS THE PRODUDUCTION DATE WAS TOO EARLY, BUT IT HAS THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. I HAVE ALREADY CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM WITH A NEW FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. YOU MAY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS PART FOR YOUR INSPECTION AS WELL. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: HEADLIGHT: CLOUDY, YELLOW, AND DO NOT ALLOW LIGHT ON THE ROAD. VERY HAZARDOUS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS IS TYPICAL ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FORD CARS & TRUCKS. I HAVE PURCHASED A SET FROM THE LOCAL WRECKING YARD, BUT DO NOT HAVE THE HEADLIGHT FOR YOU TO INSPECT. I THREW THEM AWAY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #754407

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2001

Exterior Lighting

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #752667

Mileage unknown · Jul 9, 1999

Exterior LightingSteering

THEIR ARE THREE BRAKE LIGHTS. FROM WITHIN THE CENTER LIGHT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT BECAUSE BRAKE LIGHT MELTED THE PLASTIC. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED BOTH STEERING TIE RODS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #842010

Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 1999

Exterior Lighting

REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT SHORTED CAUSING SMOKE.

NHTSA ODI #545016

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 1999

Exterior Lighting

REAR BRAKE LIGHT GETS HOT, CAUSING THE PLASTIC COVER TO DRIP ALL OVER PASSENGER'S IN THE REAR. ALSO, THERE IS AN ODOR WITHIN THE VEHICLE, AND SMOKE IS COMING FROM THE LIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #834166

Mileage unknown · Jun 8, 1998

Engine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SMOKE COMES FROM THE THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT. DEALER FOUND AN OIL PAN GASKET LEAK, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. OWNER STILL EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUING TO SMOKE. OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #824035

Mileage unknown · Jun 5, 1998

Engine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT BULB MELTED THE SOCKET.

NHTSA ODI #536324

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 1998

Exterior Lighting

SOCKET IN THE MIDDLE TAIL LIGHT IN THE BACK WINDOW MELTED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822548

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 1997

Exterior Lighting

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WIRES/BULBS ARE CORRODED, PLASTIC CASING GOING AROUND LIGHT FIXTURE MELTED, NOT CHECKED BY DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #814158

Official recalls

93V057000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Apr 15, 1993

THE ROLL PINS SECURING THE IGNITION LOCK IN THE STEERING COLUMN HOUSING CAN SEPARATE OR MOVE OUT OF POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER MAY DISENGAGE FROM THESTEERING COLUMN HOUSING WHICH COULD CAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK UP,RESULTING IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: IF ONE OR BOTH OF THE ROLL PINS ARE MISSING OR NOT FULLY INSERTED, THE IGNITION LOCK HOUSING WILL BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE DOOR-LOCKS AND THE LIFTGATE OR DECK-LID LOCKS SO THAT KEY COMPATIBILITY IS MAINTAINED. IF BOTH PINS ARE PRESENT AND FULLY INSERTED, A PLASTIC SNAP-ON SLEEVE WILL BE INSTALLED AS A PRECAUTION TO PREVENT THE ROLL PINS FROM COMING OUT.

92V117000 · Fuel System, Gasoline

Aug 19, 1992

FATIGUE CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE SOLDER JOINT BETWEEN THE FUEL RETURN TUBE AND THE FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SHOULD A CRACK DEVELOP, FUEL VAPOR CAN ESCAPE FROM THETANK WHEN THE TANK IS FULL, AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL CAN LEAK FROM THE CRACK.FUEL LEAKS CAN RESULT IN FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW FUEL PUMP SENDING ASSEMBLY.

90V076000 · Vehicle Speed Control:accelerator Pedal

Apr 17, 1990

INTERFERENCE OCCUR BETWEEN BOLT THAT SECURES A FUEL LINE SHIELD TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DASH PANEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK AT THE WIDE OPEN THROTTLE POSITION AND RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL WITH THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: CUT OFF EXTRA LENGTH OF BOLT THAT PROTRUDES ABOVE SURFACE OF WELD NUT TO PREVENT INTERFERENCE.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗