VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN OFF POSITION WHEN IT SUDDENLY IGNITED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, WHICH SPARKED UNDER DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT, BURNING THE INTERIOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
1995 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1995 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: 81 of 576 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 152 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 129 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Seats complaints
6 reportsTHE PART ABOVE THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT GO BACK TO PROTECT THE PASSENGER, THE MOTORS MAKES NOISES BUT DOES NOT WORK
DRIVER'S SEAT BACK BENT AND EVENTUALLY FAILED COMPLETELY IN RECLINED POSITION FOR NO APPARENT REASON OTHER THAN NORMAL USE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR ABUSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE, MY COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCESS OF $400, AS A NEW SEAT FRAME WAS DETEMINED TO BE NECESSARY. IT SEEMS THE VEHICLE SEAT BACK D…
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DRIVER'S SEAT BACK BENT AND EVENTUALLY FAILED COMPLETELY IN RECLINED POSITION FOR NO APPARENT REASON OTHER THAN NORMAL USE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR ABUSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE, MY COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCESS OF $400, AS A NEW SEAT FRAME WAS DETEMINED TO BE NECESSARY. IT SEEMS THE VEHICLE SEAT BACK DOES NOT HAVE DURABILITY TO WITHSTAND NORMAL EVERYDAY USE OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD. I BELIEVE NHTSA IS INVESTIGATING SEAT BACK FAILURES IN GENERAL, AND I JUST WANTED TO BE CERTAIN THIS CONCERN WAS ADDED TO THE INFORMATION YOU MAY BE REVIEWING ON THE MATTER. THANK YOU.
VAN IN FRONT MADE A "U" TURN. CAUSING ESCORT TO SLAM ON BRAKES AND BE REARENDED AFTER DRIVING 45MPH. UPON IMPACT, FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. PASSENGER'S SEATBACK HIT CHILD'S SEAT, CHILD NOT IN SEAT, ALSO, CAUSED VEHICLE TO REAREND ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO NOTBEING ABLE TO SEE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRI…
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VAN IN FRONT MADE A "U" TURN. CAUSING ESCORT TO SLAM ON BRAKES AND BE REARENDED AFTER DRIVING 45MPH. UPON IMPACT, FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. PASSENGER'S SEATBACK HIT CHILD'S SEAT, CHILD NOT IN SEAT, ALSO, CAUSED VEHICLE TO REAREND ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO NOTBEING ABLE TO SEE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED BACK & LEG INJURIES. EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN A 3/4 CAR INCIDENT HAPPENED. VEHICLE WAS HIT ON BOTHE SIDES AND THEN REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS RELEASED FROM THE RAIL, CONSUMER WAS LAID INTO THE BACK SEAT, THE SEAT BACK WAS BROKEN/ BENT/DISTORT…
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CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60MPH ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN A 3/4 CAR INCIDENT HAPPENED. VEHICLE WAS HIT ON BOTHE SIDES AND THEN REAR ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WAS RELEASED FROM THE RAIL, CONSUMER WAS LAID INTO THE BACK SEAT, THE SEAT BACK WAS BROKEN/ BENT/DISTORTED, CONSUMER WAS INJURED. THERE IS AN OPEN IVESTIGATION ATTHIS TIME-(IE-98-074). *AK
SHOULDER TRACK STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF DOOR AND FAILED AT THAT POINT
Official recalls
497V144000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Sep 3, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO OR WAYNE ASSEMBLY PLANTS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN NEVADA, FLORIDA, HAWAII, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, LOUISIANA, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, MISSISSIPPI, OKLAHOMA, ALABAMA AND ARKANSAS. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENTS. THIS WILL NOT AFFECT HEAT SHIELD LOCATION OR FUNCTION, AS THE ATTACHMENTS ARE INTENDED TO KEEP THE SHIELD IN PLACE UNTIL THE FUEL TANK IS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSTALLATION, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS RETAIN THE HEAT SHIELD.
97V145000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Sep 3, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ARIZONA. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENTS. THIS WILL NOT AFFECT HEAT SHIELD LOCATION OR FUNCTION, AS THE ATTACHMENTS ARE INTENDED TO KEEP THE SHIELD IN PLACE UNTIL THE FUEL TANK IS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSTALLATION, THE FUEL TANK STRAPS RETAIN THE HEAT SHIELD.
94V218000 · 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.
94V197000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 11, 1994
TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM MODULE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE MISSING. IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT, THE MODULE CAN COME OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD NOT RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER AND WOULD RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL AND TORQUE TO SPECIFICATION THE MOUNTING BOLTS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG.
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
1RQ97010 · Fuel Tank Assembly
Opened Sep 11, 1997 · Closed May 22, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
There is no summary currently available
Illustration