IllustrationDRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BROKEN AND WILL NOT MOVE BEYOND THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE MOTOR SO THAT IT WOULD NOT BURN OUT OR MELT THE PLASTIC INCASING. *AK
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
Seat Belts complaints
79 reportsSEAT BELT FAILED DURING VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN INJURY TO CONSUMER (HEAD,NECK AND BACK). *MJS
MOTOR BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE STOPPED OPERATING. BELT STOPPED MIDWAY, AND REMAINED THERE WITH MOTOR STILL RUNNING. MOTOR WAS DISCONNECTED TO KEEP IT FROM BURNING UP. DRIVER HAD NO RESTRAINT. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE DONE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK
DRIVER SIDE MOTORIZED SEATBELT LOCKED HALFWAY ON THE TRACK. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND DEALERSHIPS NOR FOMOCO WILL DO ANYTHING TO HELP US OUT WITH THEIR MISTAKE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS. *AK
MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS, BOTH ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE, FAILED. ALSO, PLASTIC BUMPER GUARDS BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DO NOT MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON THE RAIL. THE BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS IN CLOSED POSITION. WHILE PASSENGER'S SIDE BELT IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RAIL. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. COSTLY REPAIR JOB, FORD SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FO…
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SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DO NOT MOVE BACK AND FORTH ON THE RAIL. THE BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS IN CLOSED POSITION. WHILE PASSENGER'S SIDE BELT IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RAIL. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. COSTLY REPAIR JOB, FORD SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECT AND PAY FOR REPAIR. *AK *ML
VEHICLES ACTIVE SEAT AND SHOULDER BELTS ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, LEAVING THE DRIVER UNPROTECTED IN CASE OF VEHICLE CRASH. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT MOVE ON THE RAIL OR MOVES FORWARD AND BACK BEFORE DRIVER IS ABLE TO GET INTO VEHICLE. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WE FEEL THAT WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD SHOULD AT THE VERY LEAST HAVE A RELIABLE SAFETY SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR AND THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS OUR THIRD SEAT BELT THAT BROKE ON THIS VEHICLE. HOW CAN FORD ETHICALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT PUTTING OUT A PRODUCT WHERE EVEN THOUG…
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WE FEEL THAT WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD SHOULD AT THE VERY LEAST HAVE A RELIABLE SAFETY SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR AND THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT WORK. THIS IS OUR THIRD SEAT BELT THAT BROKE ON THIS VEHICLE. HOW CAN FORD ETHICALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT PUTTING OUT A PRODUCT WHERE EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY HAS WORN OFF, THE PRODUCT IS NOT EVEN REMOTELY SAFE FOR MY WIFE AND CHILDREN BECAUSE THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD BY LETTER AND BY PHONE AFTER EACH OF THE THREE INCIDENCES WHERE OUR SEAT BELTS HAVE BROKEN AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE EXPIRED WARRANTY. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO TELL MY KIDS, "SORRY KIDS YOU HAVE USED UP YOUR ALLOTED WARRANTY TO RIDE SAFELY FROM NOW ON YOU WILL HAVE TO RIDE UNSAFE. THE LACK OF SEAT BELTS IS THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATHS IN THE STATE OF UTAH FOR PEOPLE FROM 0 TO 24 YEARS OF AGE. IN 1998, OVER 370 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE STATE OF UTAH IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES, 75% OF THOSE WERE NOT WEARING SEATBELTS. I DO NOT EVEN HAVE THE CHOICE BECAUSE THE SEATBELTS IN MY CAR ARE DEFECTIVE AND DO NOT WORK. WHAT IS FORD'S EXCUSE? I HAVE JUST PAID $350.00 TO GET ONE OF THE SEAT BELTS FIXED. AM I SUPPOSE TO TAKE OUT A LOAN TO FIX THE OTHER TWO BROKEN AND DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS? I DO NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN FORD'S ESCORT. DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMETHING TRAGIC TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE AT FORD WILL LISTEN AND START MAKING VEHICLES WITH SAFE SEAT BELTS THAT ACTUALLY WORK? I WOULD LIKE THE DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS IN MY FORD ESCORT REPLACED AND SOME FORM OF RE-ASSUREANCE THAT THE OTHER SEAT BELTS IN MY VEHICLE ARE SAFE. THAT IS THE LEAST THAT FORD COULD DO. SINCERELY, TIM M. COSGROVE, MURRAY, UTAH 801-588-3672, WK, 801-685-0673, HM. *AK
PASSIVE RESTRAINT SAFETY BELT MOTOR FAILED, WILL NOT MOVE INTO LOCK POSITION. MJS
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.