IllustrationTHE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AROUND CHILD'S NECK AND ALMOST CAUSED A FATAL INJURY. THE RETRACTOR WOULD NOT RELEASE. *NLM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AROUND CHILD'S NECK AND ALMOST CAUSED A FATAL INJURY. THE RETRACTOR WOULD NOT RELEASE. *MR
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
Seat Belts complaints
12 reportsTHE BACK SEAT BELTS WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN USED TO JUST RECENT TO NOT RETRACT. YOU PUT THEM ON AND CAN NOT MOVE. FORD WILL NOT COVER THIS EXPENSE SINCE IT IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I BOUGHT THE CAR OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THE SEAT BELTS ARE ON SO TIGHT YO…
Read full complaint
THE BACK SEAT BELTS WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN USED TO JUST RECENT TO NOT RETRACT. YOU PUT THEM ON AND CAN NOT MOVE. FORD WILL NOT COVER THIS EXPENSE SINCE IT IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I BOUGHT THE CAR OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED SINCE IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THE SEAT BELTS ARE ON SO TIGHT YOU CAN'T BREATHE. THESE WERE PROBABLY DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING. WE USUALLY DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AND JUST DISCOVERED IT. I WOULD LIKE IT FIXED SINCE IF SOMEONE IS BACK THERE THEY WILL NOT WHERE THE SEAT BELT SINCE YOU CAN NOT BREATHE. THEY WANT OVER $400.00 TO CHANGE THE RETRACTOR. I BELIEVE IT WAS DEFECTIVE SINCE IT IS ON BOTH SIDES AND IF NO ONE IS BACK THERE HOW WOULD WE KNOW IT WAS DEFECTIVE. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE LIABLE. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THIS IS NOT COVERED. DT
WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELT ALSO DID NOT HOLD. CONSUMER SUFFERED CHEST INJURIES TO THE RIB CAGE. CONSUEMR WISHES TO HAVE AIRBAGS OPENED AND INSPECTED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. *JG
REAR SEAT BELT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, FAILS TO LATCH PROPERLY. LATCH FAILS TO ENTER THE BUCKLE BECAUSE INSIDE LOCKING MECHANISM WAS BROKEN. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK IT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A RAMP VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ON REAR LEFT/ RIGHT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AT 45MPH, SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELTS NEVER LOCKED DOWN. WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED IT SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD. GLASS WAS ON THE PASSENGER'S SEAT AND IF SOME ONE WAS THERE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CUT.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH CONSUMER'S SON PULLED OUT THE SHOULDER BELT. BUT WHEN SEAT BELT RETRACTED, THEY COULDN'T TAKE IT OFF HIS NECK AND THEY HAD TO CUT THE BELT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
FALSE DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIR BAGS.
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.