IllustrationAS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
1994 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 14 of 279 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 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
51 crash reports16 fire reports34 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
54 reportsWHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH, HITTING A POLE, AIR BAG ON DRIVER'S SIDE CAME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT DID NOT DEFLATE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
I WAS IN A NEAR HEAD-ON COLLSION, I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED IF MY AIR BAG WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. IT WAS NOT DISCONNECTED, NOR HAS IT EVER BEEN MODIFIED, AND I HAVE HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. *AK
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING FRONT END DAMAGE COLLISION. MJS
ANOTHER CAR HIT OWNERS VEHICLE AT 55MPH ON FRONT RIGHT SIDE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN INTO A RAVINE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MECHANIC COULDN'T DECIDE WHY AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON CONTINUALLY. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED. CONTACTED DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC TO BRING VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. PROBLEM NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. ANOTHER DEALERSHIP HAD INDICATED CODE 5-1 MEANS BLOWN FUSE OR ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE AIR BAG MODULE. *AK
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON A GRAVELED DRIVEWAY, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER / MFR. NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASH BLINKS DTC 32. SHOULD THE MFG. BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THIS SAFETY RELATED DEFECT FREE OF CHARGE? *AK
RECALL 95S01. AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED NO RECALLS, REPLACEMENT AIRBAG NEEDED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML
Official recalls
194V218000 · Air Bags:frontal
Nov 10, 1994
THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CAN HAVE AN INADEQUATELY WELDED INFLATOR CANISTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THE WELD SEAM CAN SEPARATE, CAUSING THE AIR BAG TO FAIL TO DEPLOY PROPERLY AND HOT GASES TO BE EXPELLED FROM THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY FROM THE HOT GASES AND THE AIR BAG FAILURE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG MODULE.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.