IllustrationGAS IS LEAKING DUE TO CRACKS THAT DEVELOPED IN GAS TANK . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
576 reportsRECALL 97V145 000/FUEL TANK: VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FUEL LEAKAGE. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK
WENT TO START VEHICLE AND IT TURNED OVER ONCE. BUT, KEY WAS PUT IN OFF POSITION AND VEHICLE STARTED, BUT STARTER CONTINUED TO ROTATE. BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. CONSUMER DID SEE SMOKE. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED FOR BRAKES AND TECHNICIAN FOUND A BROKEN REAR SPRING LEAF WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UP TO 90 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALLS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 1995 FORD ESCORT LX IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN I GET TO 60-65 MPH, THE NEEDLE BEGINS TO JUMP ALL OVER THE PLACE AND A HIGH PITCHED NOISE COMES OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I HAVE EXAMINED YOUR COMPLAINT SITE AND NOTICED A NUMBER OF OTHER COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THESE SPEEDOMETERS. COULD YOU POSSIBLY…
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THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 1995 FORD ESCORT LX IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. WHEN I GET TO 60-65 MPH, THE NEEDLE BEGINS TO JUMP ALL OVER THE PLACE AND A HIGH PITCHED NOISE COMES OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I HAVE EXAMINED YOUR COMPLAINT SITE AND NOTICED A NUMBER OF OTHER COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THESE SPEEDOMETERS. COULD YOU POSSIBLY LOOK BACK AT COMPLAINTS FROM 1993-1996 OWNERS OF FORD VEHICLES AND DETERMINE IF A RECALL IS WARRANTED? I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THIS CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, I DON'T ABUSE IT, AND IT ONLY HAS 51000 MILES ON IT BUT FORD WANTS TO CHARGE ME $700 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY SPEEDOMETER...WHICH I BELIEVE THIS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM NOT A PART PROBLEM. THANKS, DENNIS STILL. *AK
CONSUMER HAD REPAIRS ON THE FUEL TANK, RECALL NOTICE 97V144 WAS RECEIVED AFTER REPAIRS WERE MADE. *SLC
REAR PASSENGER'S SHOULDER SEAT BELT MECHANISM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK DEALER REPLACED PLUGS AND GASKET, HOWEVER STALLING STILL EXISTS. *SLC
CONSUMER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 3 TIMES WITHIN 5 YEARS. VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE ONCE FROM IGNITION, THE DAY AFTER THE STARTER HAD BEEN REPLACED. STARTER, STARTER SOLENOID, IGNITION SWITCH(WHICH HAD MELTED TO THE SWITCH), AND O2 SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN TRYING TO START VE…
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CONSUMER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH 3 TIMES WITHIN 5 YEARS. VEHICLE HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE ONCE FROM IGNITION, THE DAY AFTER THE STARTER HAD BEEN REPLACED. STARTER, STARTER SOLENOID, IGNITION SWITCH(WHICH HAD MELTED TO THE SWITCH), AND O2 SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PROBLEM STARTED WHEN TRYING TO START VEHICLE WITH THE ENGINE BEING COLD, IT WOULD CRANK SEVERAL TIMES, BUT NEVER START UNTIL TURNING KEY OFF AND BACK ON. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE LIGHT BECOMING ILLUMINATED, DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAULTY FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL COMES ON OCCASIONALLY. PCV VALVE WAS ALSO REPLACED. *SLC
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