IllustrationWAS TRAVELING 35-40MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND WAS HIT HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NO INJURIES OR EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT. WENT TO DEALER LATER.*AK
1998 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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: 57 of 375 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 75 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
84 crash reports11 fire reports63 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
75 reportsCONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, AND WAS FORCED INTO A VEHICLE AHEAD OF HER. AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE HIT POLE HEAD-ON AT 30 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, $ AMOUNT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY A CHAIN REACTION MULTIPLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS ONLY OCCUPANT, AND SHE SUSTAINED MODERATE/SEVERE INJURIES. *AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH ON DRY ROADS ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT TRYING NOT TO HIT VEHICLE. CONSUMER HIT TWO PARKED CARS INSTEAD. AIRBAGS IN FRONT DIDN'T DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER REFERRED CONSUEMR TO A FORD DEALER. VEHICLE HAS A FUEL INJECTION SWITCH THAT CUT VEHICLE OFF. VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP. *AK
CONSUMER WAS ON A SIDE STREET TURNING INTO A PARKING LANE. AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HER FROM BEHIND, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF ALL THE WAY. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAD DIDN'T DEPLOY ALL THE WAY. *AK
WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A TURN ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON RIGHT SIDE. DASHBOARD CRACKED, BUT NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING HORN KEPT GOING OFF WHICH MIGHT STARTLE OCCUPANT AND CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 59,000 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER GOT INTO A ACCIDENT AT 25MPH AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO PRIOR WARNINGS. HAS NOT CONDUCTED DEALER.*AK
VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 40-45 MPH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *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
1DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT
Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.