IllustrationWINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. *AK CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
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 reportsI WAS SMELLING A LOT OF GAS SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE CRYSTAL FORD. THEY SAID THE TANK WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE QUOTE FOR DOING THE WORK WAS HIGH SO I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPEND SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL OF THESE GAS TANKS. THE MECHANIC AT THE INDEPENDENT SHOP SAID HE FELT THAT IT AS EITHER A DESI…
Read full complaint
I WAS SMELLING A LOT OF GAS SO I TOOK THE VEHICLE CRYSTAL FORD. THEY SAID THE TANK WAS CRACKED AND NEEDED REPLACING. THE QUOTE FOR DOING THE WORK WAS HIGH SO I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPEND SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL OF THESE GAS TANKS. THE MECHANIC AT THE INDEPENDENT SHOP SAID HE FELT THAT IT AS EITHER A DESIGN FLAW OR A FLAWED PART. THE TANK IS PLASTIC. ALSO, I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO REPLACE THE TANK FOR OVER A MONTH AS THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER FROM FORD.
THE REAR SEAT BELT LAP SNAPPED AND WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER NOT AWARE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *YC
WHILE DRIVING 20MPH IN 2ND GEAR VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD REAL FAST. RAN INTO THE CURB TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER SHIP NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN DRIVE IT WILL NOT FUNCTION ,AND WHEN CAR IS PUT IN REVERSE IT WILL NOT MOVE. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THE CAR COULD BE FIXED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
WHEN TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE JUST DIED / SHUT COMPLETELY OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION, ENGINE: PULLEY: CRANKSHAFT WAS FOUND BROKEN. THE PART TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IS ON BACK ORDER. *AK *YC
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
GEARS WILL GO INTO EVERY POSITION EXCEPT IN DRIVE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE PLANETARY GEAR THAT MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH DUE TO OIL NOT PUMPING INTO THE ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN ENGINE LOCK UP. PREVIOUSLY HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. DEALER SAID NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. *AK
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