IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE AT AN IDLE PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND VEHICLE ENGINE RIVED UP. STEPPED ON GAS PEDAL VEHICLE IDLED FASTER. SHUT VEHICLE OFFAND RESTARTED IT. HAD VEHICLE SERVICE. THIS IS AS RESULT OF THE ENGINE COMPUTER CHIP SENDING WRONG INFORMATION. MR
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
Equipment complaints
4 reportsWHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIR…
Read full complaint
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WITHOUT WARNING IGNITION STARTED TO CRANK, CAUSING IGNITION SWITCH TO MELT.*AK DEALER FOUND FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED MALFUNCTION TO BURN WIRE ON STARTER SOLENOID OFF CAUSING CAR TO TURNOVER BY ITSELF. BRAKE CALIPERS, ALTERNATOR, TWO AIR CONDITIONER POWER HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER, STARTER AND TIRES (TIRE INFORMATION UNKNOWN) HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE MANIFOLD TO THE AIR CONDITIONER BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALSO POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND, THERE WERE NO BRAKES WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY. *AK
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.