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
What owners actually said
543 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2002
Air BagsInjury
ON APRIL 17 MY 1997 FORD ESCORT WAS INVOLVED WITH FLYING ROAD DEBRIS ON THE INTERSTATE. A PIECE OF TIRE WAS THROWN BY THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME INTO MY BUMPER COVER. WHAT WOULD HAVE STARTED OUT AS A MINOR SCRATCH IN THE BUMPER TURNED INTO A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND TWO BLOWN AIRBAGS, WHICH ASSISTED IN NO WAY. THEY CAUSED BURNS ON …
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ON APRIL 17 MY 1997 FORD ESCORT WAS INVOLVED WITH FLYING ROAD DEBRIS ON THE INTERSTATE. A PIECE OF TIRE WAS THROWN BY THE VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME INTO MY BUMPER COVER. WHAT WOULD HAVE STARTED OUT AS A MINOR SCRATCH IN THE BUMPER TURNED INTO A BROKEN WINDSHIELD AND TWO BLOWN AIRBAGS, WHICH ASSISTED IN NO WAY. THEY CAUSED BURNS ON THE ARMS AND CREATED A DRIVING HAZARD ON THE ROAD IN WHICH I ENDED UP IN THE MEDIAN TRYING TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION. I FEEL THESE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE EXPLODED IN THIS INCIDENT. NO CONTACT WAS MADE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CREATE SUCH CONDITIONS FOR THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS TOO SENSITIVE. COULD YOU PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHETHER OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE HAVE OCCURRED? HAS ANY TYPE OF RECALL BEEN WARRANTED WITH PREMATURE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT? POTENTIAL FOR INJURIES WERE TREMENDOUS IN THIS INCIDENT. I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.*AK
NHTSA ODI #761211
Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2002
Suspension
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE AT APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES. BROKEN SPRING HAS A HIGH POTENTIAL TO PUNCTURE A TIRE AND IF AT HIGH SPEED CAUSE MAJOR WRECK AND PERSONNAL INJURY. INVESTIGATION AT SEVERAL REPAIR FACILITIES I DISCOVERED THAT THIS VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR HAS A SYSTEMMATIC PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SPRINGS BREAKING AT 60000 MI…
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BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE AT APPROXIMATELY 60000 MILES. BROKEN SPRING HAS A HIGH POTENTIAL TO PUNCTURE A TIRE AND IF AT HIGH SPEED CAUSE MAJOR WRECK AND PERSONNAL INJURY. INVESTIGATION AT SEVERAL REPAIR FACILITIES I DISCOVERED THAT THIS VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR HAS A SYSTEMMATIC PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SPRINGS BREAKING AT 60000 MILES. THE AUTO COMPANY HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR NOTIFICATION OF A POTENTIAL CONCERN.
NHTSA ODI #761013
Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2002
Suspension
REAR COIL SPRING FOUND BROKEN AT STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. BREAK OCCURRED AT BOTTOM, INSIDE THE VINYL COVERING OF SPRING. NEW SPRINGS WERE $165.*AK
NHTSA ODI #759723
Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2002
Suspension
REAR SUSPENSION COIL SPRING BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8006000
Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2002
Power Train
I DO NOT DRIVE MY ESCORT "WILD" I TRY TO TAKE CARE OF MY CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED THE COMPANY TO GET IT REPAIRED; THEY ONLY COVER PART'S. I AM FIGHTING THE WARRANTY COMPANY THAT CANCELLED ME; THAT PAID FOR THIS AT THE TIME.NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #759580
Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2002
Tires
WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT 2 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE COMING APART, ONE OF THE TIRES WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN IN 3 PLACES ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE THE OUTER RUBBER LAYER HAD SEPARATED, OR WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM ANOTHER LAYER.(GOODYEAR…
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WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT 2 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE COMING APART, ONE OF THE TIRES WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE TIRE, THE CONSUMER WAS SHOWN IN 3 PLACES ON THE INTERIOR OF THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE THE OUTER RUBBER LAYER HAD SEPARATED, OR WAS ABOUT TO SEPARATE FROM ANOTHER LAYER.(GOODYEAR CONQUEST GL P185/65R14)*JB
NHTSA ODI #564490
Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2002
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
WHILE DRIVING 20MPH THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #8004407
Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 2002
SteeringSuspension
WENT IN FOR REPAIR TO BAD SPOT ON TIRE. MECHANIC FOUND THAT ALL 4 GAS STRUTS AND BOTH SETS OF COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH A TIE ROD, AND ALL 4 TIRES. I HAD NOT STRUCK ANYTHING AT ALL TO CAUSE THIS, AND ALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS WOULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THEY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. $ 11…
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WENT IN FOR REPAIR TO BAD SPOT ON TIRE. MECHANIC FOUND THAT ALL 4 GAS STRUTS AND BOTH SETS OF COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH A TIE ROD, AND ALL 4 TIRES. I HAD NOT STRUCK ANYTHING AT ALL TO CAUSE THIS, AND ALL OF THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS WOULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THEY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. $ 1136.48 IN REPAIRS AFTER ONLY 30K MILES IS COMPLETELY UNCONSCIONABLE!!
NHTSA ODI #758186
Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2002
Air BagsCrash
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND WHILE DRIVING ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN STOP AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SHE RAN INTO THE BACK OF DRIVER'S VEHICLE. DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T GO OFF FULLY, BUT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG BROKE OF WINDOW OF DOOR. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ODI #8003964
Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2002
Steering
WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE VEHICLE LOST CONTROL DUE TO FAILURE OF TIE ROD END. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
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
2
EA02008 · 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.
1997 Ford Escort Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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