IllustrationRIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS MAKING NOISE WHEN CONSUMER STOPPED. CALLED A MECHANIC WHO HAD TOLD HER THAT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN, AND IF SHE WAS DRIVING FASTER THE TIRE COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.
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
Suspension complaints
18 reportsTHE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH REAR COIL SPRINGS. REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE CONSISTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONSUMER HAS TO START APPLYING BRAKES AT A LONG DISTANCE FROM THE DESTINATION DESIRED TO STOP. *AK
VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT KIT, CAUSING THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO POCKET AND THEN OFFSETS THE ALIGNMNET. INSTALLATION OF THE KIT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM, OWNER HAS GONE THROUGH FOUR SETS OF TIRE IN THREE YEARS.
VEHICLE'S TIRES ARE WEARING PREMATURELY DUE TO A DEFECT IN SUSPENSION ALIGNMENT. THE CONSUMER HAD REAR ALIGNMENT KIT INSTALLED ON VEHICLE, HOWEVER PROBLEMS WITH TIRES WEARING OUT IS STILL OCCURRING.
(FOURTH TIME), WHEN CHANGING LANES TO THE LEFT AFTER 55MPH OR MORE THE CAR FISHTAILS (WANDERS), AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK
VEHICLE MADE WITHOUT LEFT REAR DOGBONE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ALIGN REAR WHEELS. *DSH
VEHICLE PULLS TO THE SIDE, HAD SIXTEEN TIRES ON VEHICLE BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WEAR. *AK
VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY VIBRATES/PULLS TO THE LEFT. *SKD
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.