IllustrationTHE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING. WHEN CONSUMER MANEUVERS THE STEERING WHEEL IN ONE DIRECTION, VEHICLE TURNS IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. THE CONSUMER OWNS TWO OF THE SAME VEHICLES THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *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.
75 crash reports19 fire reports53 injury reports
Steering complaints
19 reportsTHE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING STEERING PROBLEMS. WHEN DRIVER STEERS STEERING WHEEL IN ONE DIRECTION, IT TURNS INTO THE OTHER DIRECTION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
SYMPTOM: NOISE LIKE A MUFFLER BRACKET FAILURE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPY ROADS. STEERING NOT CHANGED. DEALER REPORTED TIE ROD CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. PART REPLACED OUT OF WARRANTY 1/2 COST COVERED BY FORD. DEALER REPORTS NO ACTUAL ROAD FAILURES OF ESCORT TIE ROD ENDS BUT SEVERAL (INCLUDING THIS ONE) HAVE BEEN A…
Read full complaint
SYMPTOM: NOISE LIKE A MUFFLER BRACKET FAILURE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPY ROADS. STEERING NOT CHANGED. DEALER REPORTED TIE ROD CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. PART REPLACED OUT OF WARRANTY 1/2 COST COVERED BY FORD. DEALER REPORTS NO ACTUAL ROAD FAILURES OF ESCORT TIE ROD ENDS BUT SEVERAL (INCLUDING THIS ONE) HAVE BEEN AT THE POINT OF FAILURE (PRINCIPALLY HELD TOGETHER BY THE RUBBER MOUNTING IN THE TIE ROD END). TIE ROD FAILURE IS VERY SERIOUS SINCE THE DRIVER LOSES ALL STEERING CONTROL.
GOODYEAR TIRES BLEW OUT. (2ND VEHICLE ON 514699)
ON GOING PROBLEM WITH SHAKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL AFTER GOING 65 MPH, DEALERS CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE HAS IRREGULAR STEERING CONTROL AND ROUGH RIDING, INAPPROPIATE TIRE WEAR. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE CAN NOT BE ALIGNED PROPERLY DUE TO THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DESIGN WHICH IS CAUSING IRREGULAR STEERING AND TIRE WEAR. *SLC
VEHICLE WILL STALL DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WILL NOT START. *AK DEALER REPLACED NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. WHEN TURNING LEFT/RIGHT, VEHICLE MAKES A GROANING NOISE. *SLC
CONSUMER RENTED A CAR FROM BUDGET RENT CAR THE STEERING LOCK UP CONSUMER TRY TO TURN RIGHT CAR WHEN LEFT. TT
AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE DURING ACCIDENT.
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