IllustrationCONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO FIRE, LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON THE DASH, THERE WAS ALSO AN ODOR THAT SMELLED LIKE FIRECRACKERS, THE NEXT DAY WAS WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, FIRE WAS IN THE FLOORBOARDS WHICH SPREAD WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED, CLAIM 35-W686-849. *SLC
1997 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1997 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: 100 of 543 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 152 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. 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.
66 crash reports83 fire reports52 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
114 reportsVEHICLE BURNED FROM THE OUTSIDE, FIRE STARTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD BY THE FLOORBOARDS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, CLAIM 04-1295-042. *SLC
PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE AT DASH PANEL, CLAIM 18-0486-942. *SLC
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE ALARM WENT OFF, ACCORDING TO ONE DEALERSHIP THE WIRING SHORTED OUT THE HORN AND CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO NEED REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER ANOTHER DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE WIRING BURNED INTO THE HORN, CLAIM 40-2507-626. *SLC
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SHOP ASKED THE CONSUMER TO RETURN THE VEHICLE IN 2-3 DAYS, DURING THIS TIME A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE CENTER MODULE LOCATED IN THE CONSOLE, LATER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE DEALERSHIP, SOMEONE NOTICED THE MODULE WAS AGAIN SMOLDERING, CLAIM 28-3088-664. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING TO THE STORE, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A LOOSE WIRE, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED, CLAIM 40-2555-468. *SLC
CONSUMER CAME BACK TO VEHICLE AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND THE INTERIOR WAS SMOKEY, DASHBOARD AND INTERIOR WERE BURNED, ADJUSTER STATED ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLAIM 05-4953-366. *SLC
DASH WAS ON FIRE AND ALL WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC
FIRE STARTED IN THE DASH AREA, ALL THE WIRING WAS BURNED, CLAIM 31-3120-259. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE VENTS AREA, AFTER PARKING VEHICLE, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT, AND VEHICLE WOULD SMOKE AGAIN AND SPARKS COULD BE SEEN. THIS CAUSED DASHBORAD AND OTHER FRONT AREA OF THE VEHICLE TO BURN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Official recalls
102V323000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Dec 9, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
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
2EA02008 · Water Intrusion Into Airbag Monitor
Opened Jun 10, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
BY LETTER OF DECEMBER 6, 2002, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL 1997 FORD ESCORT AND MERCURY TRACER VEHICLES.FORD FOUND THAT ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM)DUE TO LIQUID INTRUSION OF WATER OR ENGINE COOLANT CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO IT'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE FORD'S DECEMBER 6, 2002 DEFECT AND NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE02010 · Integrated Air Bag Monitor Water
Opened Jan 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 10, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.