IllustrationTHE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE BEING DRIVEN AND IT WOULD NOT TURN OFF. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
1992 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 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: 11 of 162 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 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports17 fire reports4 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
36 reportsTHE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON AND THEN WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO RUN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
WHILE IDLING IN COLD WEATHER, INTERIOR OF COMPARTMENT WAS FILLED W/SMOKE DUE TO MAIN WIRING HARNESS BURNIN IN SEVERAL PLACES. DEALER REMOVED DASH. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND PUFF OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DASH. SMELLED WIRE BURNING LOSS ALL POWER IN THE CAR. ENGINE WIRING HARNESS BURNED. TT
WHEN STARTED, ENGINE SMOKED TURNED OFF IGNITION, ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY CABLE TO ABORT FIRE, DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. TT
Official recalls
292V117000 · 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.
92V103000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Jul 13, 1992
THE STOP LAMP SWITCHES COULD INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTION RESULTING IN THE STOP LAMPS NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN FOLLOWING MOTORISTS NOT BEINGSIGNALED THAT THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING, AND COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FAULTY STOP LAMP SWITCHES.
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
1EA94002 · Fuel Pump Wiring Shortage
Opened Jan 28, 1994 · Closed Jan 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available