IllustrationMileage unknown · Sep 30, 1999
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
NO SUMMARY.
NHTSA ODI #712605
1996 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 21 of 205 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 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
23 crash reports7 fire reports18 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
30 reportsNO SUMMARY.
SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING AN INCORRECT READING WHICH IS HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE. DEALER REPLACE SPEEDOMETER 3 TIMES. ALSO ENGINE PROBLEMS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE BLEW OUT RESULTING IN VEHICLE SMOKING. NLM
THE VEHICLE HAD THE TOP OF THE PISTON BRAKE OFF ON THE NO# 4 CYCLINDER, CAUSING A HOLE TO GO THROUGH THE ENGINE WHILE IN THE START UP MODE. THE FORD SERVISE MANAGER SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTER'S DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND THAT HE SAID HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE IT. I CALLED FORD TO SEE ASSISSTANCE IN PAYING FOR THIS AND THEY SAID NO …
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THE VEHICLE HAD THE TOP OF THE PISTON BRAKE OFF ON THE NO# 4 CYCLINDER, CAUSING A HOLE TO GO THROUGH THE ENGINE WHILE IN THE START UP MODE. THE FORD SERVISE MANAGER SAID IT WAS A MANUFACTER'S DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND THAT HE SAID HE NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE IT. I CALLED FORD TO SEE ASSISSTANCE IN PAYING FOR THIS AND THEY SAID NO SINCE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. *AK
ENGINE FAILED.
EGR SENSOR ASSEMBLY FAILED.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. LAST WEEK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, DROVE VEHICLE ABOUT FIVE MILES AND IT CUT OFF AGAIN. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE HOUSE, CALLED ZONE OFFICE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO SEE WHAT COLOR LIGHT WAS, AND LIGHT WAS YELL…
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CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. LAST WEEK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, DROVE VEHICLE ABOUT FIVE MILES AND IT CUT OFF AGAIN. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE HOUSE, CALLED ZONE OFFICE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD TO SEE WHAT COLOR LIGHT WAS, AND LIGHT WAS YELLOW. VEHICLE STARTED THE NEXT MORNING. THIRD FAILURE HAS OCCURRED AND DEALER HAS CALLED AND SAID COME PICKUP THE CAR BECAUSE FORD CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
`VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. OWNERAND HAS VEHICLE AT DEALER. OWNER IS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY BECAUSE VEHICLE CAN STALL FREQUENTLY AND AT ANYTIME. *AK
OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED; ALSO AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS LOCKED DURING DEPLOYMENT, INJURING DRIVER AND WIFE AND GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED, IS OFF BY AT LEAST 3 GALLONS. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.