IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL LOCKS OPENED , CAUSING CHILDREN TO FALL FROM THE VEHICLE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
279 reportsBRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/4 TO 1/2 WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE. VERY SPONGY FEEL. TWICE HAVE ALMOST REARENDED OTHER CARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING RUSH HOUR. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO LOCAL GOODYEAR SERVICE TO INSPECT BRAKES AND BLEED AIR FROM THE SYSTEM. THEY SAY BRAKE PADS AND SHOES ARE FINE AND THAT THEY FOUND NO AIR BUBBLES O…
Read full complaint
BRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/4 TO 1/2 WAY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE. VERY SPONGY FEEL. TWICE HAVE ALMOST REARENDED OTHER CARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING RUSH HOUR. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO LOCAL GOODYEAR SERVICE TO INSPECT BRAKES AND BLEED AIR FROM THE SYSTEM. THEY SAY BRAKE PADS AND SHOES ARE FINE AND THAT THEY FOUND NO AIR BUBBLES OR CONTAMINATED FLUID WHEN THEY TRIED BLEEDING THE SYSTEM. THEY SAID THAT FORD HAS A TSB OUT FOR THE ESCORT FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDER AND BOOSTER BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS TOTALLY UNSAFE AND IF FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL. FORD SHOULD BE REPLACING THESE PARTS AT THIER EXPENCE. MY FAMILYS SAFETY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD WITH ME ARE AT RISK. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER YET; THIS REPORT IS TO DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM AND IS MY FIRST STEP IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WOMEN SEEM TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WHEN DEALING WITH SERVICE MANAGERS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD BE WITH RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM.
IE98074; MOTORIZED SEAT BELT JAMMED. THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RETRACTOR, AND A BIG WIRE IS HANGING OUT. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. REPORT GIVEN BY DAUGHTER, NICOLE CALDWELL. *AK
THE 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 CUTS OFF WHILE RUNNING.
PULLEY LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOOSE CONTROL RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
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.
INTERMITTENT FLASHING OF AIR BAG LIGHT. (QCAW)
AT HIGH SPEEDS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK
DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED. THE MOTOR RUNS BUT THE BELT DOES NOT MOVE.
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.