IllustrationENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON, INDICATING BRAKE FAILURE AND LEAKING FUEL LINE. LIGHT STILL ON AFTER BRAKE CYLINDER REPAIR. *AK
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
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
10 reportsTHEERE IS A LOUD CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING GEAR. ALSO, CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES, AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWO TIMES. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE ROTORS TO BE WARPED AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO FAIL. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS, PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. *AK *SLC
FRONT DISC BRAKES LOCK UP ON SUDDEN STOPS, RESULTING IN FISHTAILING. *AK
BRAKES: INTERMITTENT BRAKE LOSS, BRAKES FAILED WHEN DRIVING AT 15MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES. CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES. LAST TIME A MASTER CYLINDER WAS PUT IN ,BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR 8 TIMES/FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE DRUM AND THE ROTOR ON THE RIGHT REAR. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
UPON APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, BRAKES FADE AWAY, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER ALSO STATES AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER NOTICED FILLING IN THE PEDAL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION A SEVERE PULL TO THE LEFT IS EXPERIENCED. THE RACK AND PINION, RIGHT FRONT SHOCKS, AND THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS A RESULT.*AK
BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, LOSS OF COMPLETE EFFECTIVENESS. *AK WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. CV JOINT FAILURE. STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER. *SLC
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.