IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THERE WAS A TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER TURNED QUICKLY TO AVOID HITTING THE TIRE, AND LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE WENT INTO THE WOODS AND HIT A POLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *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
What owners actually said
205 reportsINTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED ACCELERATOR PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE ON THREE OCCASIONS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. NLM
THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER DEFECTIVE PASSIVE SEATBELT RESTRAINT MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE TRACK TO BE WORN OUT IN 41,000 MILES FOR RIGHT SIDE AND 51,000 MILS FOR LEFT SIDE, WHICH WILL NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF A CRASH.
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
DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT INOPERABLE WHICH RESULTED IN FAILURE TO PASS STATE REQUIRED SAFETY INSPECTION, AND CAR IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE EXCEPT FOR REPAIRS. DEALER REPLACEMENT COST: $600+. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND RELATED THERE IS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO AS WARRANTY IS 5 YR/50,000. *AK
SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING THIS POPPING OR CRACKING SOUND AT LOW SPEEDS AND ON SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENTS AND ON UNEVEN TERRAIN. DEALER HAS NOT FOUND THE CAUSE BUT YET CHANGED ALL SHOCK ABSORBERS AND FINALLY INFORMED ME IT WAS DESIGN FLAW FOR 96 MODELS - CHASSIS AND BODY - WILL SEND ME A BULLETIN BUT …
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SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING THIS POPPING OR CRACKING SOUND AT LOW SPEEDS AND ON SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENTS AND ON UNEVEN TERRAIN. DEALER HAS NOT FOUND THE CAUSE BUT YET CHANGED ALL SHOCK ABSORBERS AND FINALLY INFORMED ME IT WAS DESIGN FLAW FOR 96 MODELS - CHASSIS AND BODY - WILL SEND ME A BULLETIN BUT NEVER RECEIVED ONE. THE NOISE PERSIST AND MUCH LOUDER.
I FILLED OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE BEFORE AND MADE A MISTAKE IN THE VIN NUMBER.
MY DRIVERSIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT HAS COME OFF TRACK, THEREFORE LEAVING ME WITH NO DRIVERSIDE SEATBELT. IF I WAS TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT, I WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON THE AIRBAG ONLY. IF I GET STOPPED BY THE POLICE, THEN I WILL GET A SEATBELT TICKET. THEN I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A FINE FOR SOMETHING I COULDN'T CONTROL OR BETTER YET THAT …
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MY DRIVERSIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT HAS COME OFF TRACK, THEREFORE LEAVING ME WITH NO DRIVERSIDE SEATBELT. IF I WAS TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT, I WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON THE AIRBAG ONLY. IF I GET STOPPED BY THE POLICE, THEN I WILL GET A SEATBELT TICKET. THEN I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A FINE FOR SOMETHING I COULDN'T CONTROL OR BETTER YET THAT FORD COULDN'T CONTROL. I CALLED THEM AND SINCE MY 50,000 MILE SAFETY RESTRAINT WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR ME. NOW ALL I CAN DO IS HOPE I DON'T GET IN AN ACCIDENT OR GET PULLED OVER BECAUSE NOW MY LIFE IS IN FORD'S HANDS (BY THEIR CHOICE, NOT MINE). I MEAN PLAIN AND SIMPLE, THAT'S A LIFESAVING DEVICE THAT'S JUST NOT THERE FOR ME.
STARTED VEHICLE ON MORNING OF 1/28. REVVING AT EXTREMELY HIGH SPEED. THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING (THROTTLE?) WAS FROZEN. DROVE 2 MILES TO SERVICE STATION. TECH WORKED FOR 10 DAYS TRYING TO FIND ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. TOWED TO DEALER ON 2/8/99. DEALER COULD FIGURE OUT WHERE PROBLEM IS. CAR STILL WITH DEALER. *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.