IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING NOTICED A HALF INCH DROP IN ROAD. CONSUMER DROVE SLOWLY OVER THE DROP WITHOUT ANY INDICATION THAT CONSUMER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON.*AK
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
What owners actually said
543 reportsWHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER HAS REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER SAW SMOKE AND SOME SPARKS COME FROM UNDERNEATH PASSENGER FRONT SEAT, THE AREA WHERE SPARKS AND SMOKE CAME FROM IS THE EXACT SAME AREA WHERE AVR HAD WORKED, FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE CENTERED UNDER THE SEAT, CLAIM 03-3209-456. *SLC
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING ERRATIC OPERATION OF HORN. HORN WILL GO OFF WITHOUT CONSUMER ENGAGING IT. DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING AIRBAG AS WELL AS HORN TO FIX THIS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
THE HEATER CORE LEAKED ONTO THE AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. THIS ITEM WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HEATER CORE FOR A COST OF $955.00. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM CATCHING ON FIRE AND BURNING UP, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEGALL FORD IN PONTOTOC STATED I SHOULD NOT…
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THE HEATER CORE LEAKED ONTO THE AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MODULE, CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. THIS ITEM WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE HEATER CORE FOR A COST OF $955.00. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM CATCHING ON FIRE AND BURNING UP, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT STEGALL FORD IN PONTOTOC STATED I SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN BECAUSE THE NEW PART WAS SEALED IN PLASTIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR ODI ID LOGS OF 865884,867236,845896 AND 845837 ALONG WITH NUMEROUS AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS FOR THIS MODEL CAR FOR NO REASON. I BELIEVE THIS PART WAS CHANGED BY FORD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED ON ALL MODELS. I WORK AS A DESIGN ENGINEER AND IF AN ELECTRICAL ITEM IS SUBJECT TO MOISTURE INJESTION, IT SHOULD BE SEALED OR POTTED TO ELIMINATE SHORTS AND FAILURE. THE PLACEMENT OF THIS MODULE UNDER THE HEATER CORE WAS WRONG, I NOTIFIED FORD AND THEY ONLY APOLIGIZED FOR THE HEATER CORE LEAK, THEY DID NOT ACKNOWLEGE ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAG MODULE, I AGAIN NOTIFIED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT ON THIS ITEM, SINCE THE DESIGN HAD BEEN CHANGED, THEY HAVE NOT REPLIED TO THIS IN OVER A WEEK, STATING IT WOULD ONLY TAKE 3 DAYS FOR A REPLY. TO ME THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, I HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST UNDER FDA GUIDELINES IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY WITH REPORTING AND I DO NOT LIKE THE WAY THIS IS BEING HANDLED BY FORD, THEY ARE ACTING LIKE THEY ARE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING, A PERSONS LIFE OR PERSONAL INJURY IS NOT SOMETHING TO SWEEP UNDER THE RUG, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IN MY FAMILY SUSTAINED ANY INJURY, THEY COULD HAVE, I WILL NOW TRY TO SELL THIS CAR AS SOON AS I AM ABLE. THANK YOU JEFFREY L PLUNK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FIRE AT DASH PANEL, CLAIM 18-0486-942. *SLC
WHILE IN FOR STATE INSPECTION, WAS TOLD BY LOCAL GARAGE THAT CAR WOULD FAIL DUE TO REAR SPRING BEING BROKEN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD REPLACED SPRINGS ON OTHER '97 ESCORTS AND RECOMMENDED I CALL THE DEALER ABOUT POSSIBLE RECALL. CALLED PLEASANT VALLEY FORD, SPOKE TO STEVE IN SERVICE, SAID NO RECALL YET BUT WOULDN'T BE SURP…
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WHILE IN FOR STATE INSPECTION, WAS TOLD BY LOCAL GARAGE THAT CAR WOULD FAIL DUE TO REAR SPRING BEING BROKEN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD REPLACED SPRINGS ON OTHER '97 ESCORTS AND RECOMMENDED I CALL THE DEALER ABOUT POSSIBLE RECALL. CALLED PLEASANT VALLEY FORD, SPOKE TO STEVE IN SERVICE, SAID NO RECALL YET BUT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF ONE SOON. SAID NOT SAFE TO DRIVE CAR SINCE SPRING COULD PUNCTURE TIRE. SAID SAVE RECEIPT. HAD CAR REPAIRED, HAVE RECEIPT AND BROKEN SPRING. WILL BE CALLING FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE 2/27/01
CONSUMER CAME TO VEHICLE AFTER A DAY OF WORK AND INTERIOR WAS SMOKEY, DASHBOARD AND INTERIOR WERE BURNED, ELECTRICAL FIRE FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, CLAIM 05-4593-366. *SLC
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE. *AK MECHANIC STATED COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN IN TWO, HOWEVER INVOICE STATED THAT SPRINGS WERE WEAK, CONSUMER PAID 20% OF THE COSTS. *SLC
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.