IllustrationPOWER BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
21 reportsTHE CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT FEB. 12, 1995 AND DRIVERS AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE BRAKES HAD BEEN FIXED 6 TIMES SINCE SHE HAD THE CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
BRAKES REPAIRED (8) TIMES W/BRAKES FAILING TO STOP VEHICLE. TT FORD REPLACED VEHICLE UNDER THE REACQUIRED VEHICLE PROGRAM, AT TIME OF REPLACEMENT VEHICLE HAD 19169 MILES. *SLC
BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING BRAKE/ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO BE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY. *SD
HAD TO HAVE FRONT BRAKES REPLACED BECAUSE OF GRINDING, STILL NOT STOPPING PROPERLY. TT
BRAKE PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY HARD AND VEHICLE CAN'T BE STOPPED. TT
BRAKE PADS WEAR PREMATURELY. *SKD
BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE, LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. TT
ABS: WHILE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, APPLIED BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WITH NO BRAKING EFFECT; HIT BACK BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. TT
EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE WHEN PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, AND HEARD METAL TO METAL SOUND UPON BRAKING, ALSO BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. TT
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.