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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

162Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1992 Ford Escort

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 162 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 36 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline: 35 reports
Seat Belts: 28 reports
Vehicle Speed Control: 22 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 15 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Escort years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System

36 Fuel System, Gasoline

35 Seat Belts

28 Vehicle Speed Control

22 Engine And Engine Cooling

All reported categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

3 Latches/locks/linkages

2 Seats

2 Child Seat

1 Equipment

1 Fuel/propulsion System

1 Parking Brake

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

Tires complaints

3 reports

Clear category filter

12,000 miles · Jul 14, 2008

Tires

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD ESCORT. THE VEHICLE HAS BIG O PRESTIGE RADIAL MAX TIRES, SIZE 175/70/R13 (NA). THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALLS ON THE FRONT TWO TIRES WERE CRACKING. BECAUSE THE TIRES EXCEEDED THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY, THE DEALER WOULD BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE. THE CONSUMER NO LONGER HAS THE TIRES. THE DOT AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/10/08. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10234178

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2000

Tires

FOUR TIRES DEVELOPED BUBBLES. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 65-70 MPH TIRE ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD A BLOW OUT. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. REPLACEMENT TIRE EQUIPMENT ON A 1992, ESCORT. GOODYEAR MONACRCH METRIC BLACK. TIRE SIZE P17570R13, DOT # C2FHHNLP407. TIRE MILEAGE ABOUT 1100. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #874643

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 1995

Engine And Engine CoolingParking BrakeService Brakes, Hydraulic

Read full complaint

BRAKES GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR-LOUD ENGINE NOISE. TT BOTH REAR MICHELIN TIRES, P175/70R13, DOT B3F253AX102 SHOWED SIGNS OF ABNORMAL WEAR. WARPED DISCS, DRUMS AND SHOES FOUND GLAZED, BRAKES SQUEAL AND CAUSE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE, BRAKES DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY UNDER EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS. LOUD KNOCKING SOUND IN ENGINE UPON COLD START UPS, DEALER REPLACED TIMING BELT, HOWEVER ON BOTH OCCASIONS SAME NOISE WAS HEARD AFTER REPAIRS. AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED 1/4 INCH HEX HEAD SCREW HOLDING THE COSMETIC COVER TO THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN CAUSED BUZZING SOUNDS. BEARING FAILURE. PARKING BRAKE CABLE STRETCHED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #974850

Recall campaigns

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.

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 ↗

Defect investigations

EA94002 · 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

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.