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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 →
375Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

0Recall campaigns

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1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
576
1995205
1996543
1997375
1998325
199998
200068
2001
Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
75Suspension
50Engine And Engine Cooling
49Electrical System
43Power Train
43
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
32Fuel System, Gasoline
19Seat Belts
17Steering
17Visibility
16Structure
14Vehicle Speed Control
14Equipment
13Unknown Or Other
10Seats
9Tires
6Fuel System, Other
4Exterior Lighting
3Latches/locks/linkages
3Parking Brake
3Child Seat
2Engine
1

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

Electrical System complaints

43 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 1998
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST LOST POWER, THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. WHEN DRIVER TURNED OFF THE KEY IT WORKED FINE. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER, WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE JUST IDLED. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM LA…

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WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST LOST POWER, THE ENGINE WENT TO IDLE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE. WHEN DRIVER TURNED OFF THE KEY IT WORKED FINE. ABOUT ONE MONTH LATER, WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE JUST IDLED. CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM LAST WEEK. THE VEHCLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, AND THE COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #828958

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 1998
Electrical System

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING BLINKERS, HORN AND HEAD LIGHTS NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI #541075

Mileage unknown · Sep 11, 1998
Electrical System

WHEN IN A PARKING LOT VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. ALSO, AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESSED. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO START ON COLD MORNINGS DUETO ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #540760

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT

Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags

No summary supplied.