IllustrationFUEL TANK CRACKED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGE . A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE MAKE, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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 reportsTHERE WERE INTERMITTANT SPEEDOMETER NOISES WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A RATTLING SOUND. THE DEALER HAD BEEN NONE RESPONSIVE ABOUT ALL PRIOR PROBLEMS SO ANOTHER DEALER WAS CALLED CONCERNING THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN EXCEPT THAT IT HAPPENS.
SNOWED THE NIGHT BEFORE. TRIED TO USE WIPERS IN INTERMIT FUNCTION. THEY FAILED TO WORK. DELAY SWITCH ALSO FAILED TO WORK. WASHER FUNCTION ALSO FAILED. WIPERS WILL NOT RETURN TO DOWN POSITION UNLESS TIMED RIGHT. WIPERS STILL WORK IN LOW AND HIGH OPERATION THOUGH.
THE REPAIR BILL ON THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM WILL BE BETWEEN $300 AND $400. THE FORD DEALER I CONTACTED STATED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THIS REPAIR, AND ARE DRIVING WITH NO RESTRAINT SYSTEM? I CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF PERHAPS A NORMAL SHOULDER BELT C…
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THE REPAIR BILL ON THE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT SYSTEM WILL BE BETWEEN $300 AND $400. THE FORD DEALER I CONTACTED STATED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD THIS REPAIR, AND ARE DRIVING WITH NO RESTRAINT SYSTEM? I CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF PERHAPS A NORMAL SHOULDER BELT COULD BE FITTED INTO THIS CAR. THEY COULDN'T HELP ME.
FORD SENT ME A NOTICE FOR A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE GAS TANK
THIS IS THE 3RD TIME IN 4 YEARS THIS PART HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SEAT BELT PULLS OUT ALL THE WAY AND FAILS TO RETRACT. IT COSTS $114. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH, ENGINE STALLED OUT. WAS NO WARNING CONCERNING ENGINE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN & NEED TO BE REPLACED. HAD CONTACTED DEALER & MANUFACTURER & WAS INFORMED BY BOTH ENGINE HAD 3 YEAR WARRANTY. *AK
THE VEHICLE HAS AN PLASTIC GAS TANK WHICH CRACKED AT THE HALFWAY MARK. WHEN THE TAKN IS FULLED UP MORE THAN A HALF OF A TANK, THE GAS WILL BEGIN TO LEAK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS USED PROGRAM VEHICLE, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES, THE BACK TOP BRAKE LIGHT NUMEROUS TIMES (FUSE) THE BRAKES AT LEAST TWICE AND WHEN MY SON WAS HIT DURING THE WINTER THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HE HAD BACK INJURIES HIS PASSENGER HAD CHEST PAINS FROM THE SEAT BELTS, WE DID REPLACE T…
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SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS USED PROGRAM VEHICLE, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES AT LEAST 4-5 TIMES, THE BACK TOP BRAKE LIGHT NUMEROUS TIMES (FUSE) THE BRAKES AT LEAST TWICE AND WHEN MY SON WAS HIT DURING THE WINTER THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HE HAD BACK INJURIES HIS PASSENGER HAD CHEST PAINS FROM THE SEAT BELTS, WE DID REPLACE THE TIMING BELT THIS YEAR AND THAN IN JULY THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING AND THE MECHANIC (PRIDE AUTO) STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED THIS OCCURED WHILE DRIVING APPX. 25 HRS PER MILE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO HELP US STATING THAT WE GOT 99,000 MILES OUT OF IT. WE ARE VOLUNTARILY RETURNING THE VEHICLE, THEY ARE GIVING US A HARD TIME ABOUT IT.
HEATER CORE LEAK--ANTIFREEZE ODOR INSIDE CAR--WINDOWS FOGGED
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