IllustrationTHE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OFF THE TRACK. THE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN MARCH OF 96 BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
1993 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Ford Escort are substantially higher than 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: 22 of 379 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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 109 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports15 fire reports25 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
109 reportsI DO NOT KNOW THE TYPE OF SEAT BELT. I DO KNOW THAT IT OPERATES ELECTRICALLY AS IT'S USE IS CONNECTED WITH A FUSE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT(WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON) THE WINDOW PART OF THE SHOULDER BELT WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARDS REPEATEDLY. YOU COULD NOT…
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I DO NOT KNOW THE TYPE OF SEAT BELT. I DO KNOW THAT IT OPERATES ELECTRICALLY AS IT'S USE IS CONNECTED WITH A FUSE. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT(WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON) THE WINDOW PART OF THE SHOULDER BELT WENT FORWARD AND BACKWARDS REPEATEDLY. YOU COULD NOT DRIVE WITH THIS DISTRACTION SO IT WAS NECESSARY TO DISCONNECT THE FUSE AND DRIVE WITH THE LAP BELT ONLY. WE BELIEVE IN THE BENEFITS OF USING SEAT BELTS AND I THUS FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN THIS CAR NOW. NO DO I KNOW THE COMPONENT.
SEAT BELT STAYS FORWARD AND WILL NOT GO BACK. SOMETIMES IT WILL GET STUCK AND NOT TIGHTEN. SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. DEALER CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE TRACK, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. ALSO, FOUND THAT A SWITCH IN THE DOOR LATCH IS DEFECTIVE, AND PART IS NOT COVERED IN THE WARRANTY. *AK
REAR AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT WAS BROKEN, AND MECHANIC REMOVED THE SEAT BELT. DID NOT REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER. NOW RIDES AROUND WITHOUT A REAR SEAT BELT. *AK
DRIVER SIDE STOP SLOT FOR LAP BELT BROKEN.
INGITION SWITCH AND MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELTS FAILURE.
SEAT BELTS NO LONGER RETRACT BACK AND FOURTH WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
FAILURE OR STICKING OF SEAT BELT MOTOR, DEALER OILED THE UNIT AND THE MOTOR COMPLETELY FAILED WITHIN A YEAR.
THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN CLOSING DOOR. *AK
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED.
Official recalls
194V055000 · Seats
Mar 26, 1994
THE LOCK PLATE OF THE DRIVER SIDE INBOARD SEAT TRACK ADJUSTERS WERE MANUFACTURED WITH AN UNAUTHORIZED MODIFICATION TO THE FABRICATION PROCESS WHICH CAUSES THE SEAT NOT TO FULLY ENGAGE IN CERTAIN SEATING POSITIONS NEAR THE MID-POINT OF THE SEAT TRACK TRAVEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THE SEAT CAN MOVE, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN REDUCED OCCUPANT PROTECTION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE INBOARD SEAT TRACK.
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