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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

View recall details →

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

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

19 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING, CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT VEHICLE WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL, THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP, ALSO 2 WIRES, A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, HAD SOLDERED TOGETHER AND HAD BARE SPOTS THAT WERE TOUCHING, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP, FORD WILL NOT ASSIST CONSUMER A…

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WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING, CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT VEHICLE WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL, THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP, ALSO 2 WIRES, A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, HAD SOLDERED TOGETHER AND HAD BARE SPOTS THAT WERE TOUCHING, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP, FORD WILL NOT ASSIST CONSUMER AT ALL IN THIS MATTER. *SCL

NHTSA ODI #881134

Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2000
Fuel System, GasolineTires

TIRES (NO MAKE OR SIZE) WILL NOT HOLD AIR ADEQUATELY, CONSUMER ADDS AIR ABOUT ONCE A WEEK, TIRE PRESSURE IS AS LOW AS 20. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #558511

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

ENGINE VIBRATES, AND HAS A HIGH IDLE. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND SHAKES. ENGINE SURGES AND HESITATES. CAR STALLS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS SAME REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF IT. THE MECHANICS HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL GUAGE, FUEL FILTER, VALVE IDLE AIR CONTROL, VAPOR MANAGEMENT, MOTOR MOUNTS. THE D…

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ENGINE VIBRATES, AND HAS A HIGH IDLE. ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND SHAKES. ENGINE SURGES AND HESITATES. CAR STALLS. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR THIS SAME REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE PURCHASE OF IT. THE MECHANICS HAVE REPLACED SPARK PLUGS, FUEL GUAGE, FUEL FILTER, VALVE IDLE AIR CONTROL, VAPOR MANAGEMENT, MOTOR MOUNTS. THE DEARLERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH REPLACED A CABLE SOMETHING (THE SERVICE MANGER QUIT AND A TICKET WAS NOT FOUND FOR THIS REPAIR.) THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING TOTALLY FIXED. THE LAST TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR STALLING, THE REPAIR WAS DONE, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE CAR CONTINUED TO STALL. AS OF THIS DATE, I AM TAKING THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. PLEASE NOTE: IN REVIEWING THE INFORMATION AFTER SUBMITTTING I NOTICED THAT IN # OF FAILURES PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED 8 TIMES WITH THE DATE OF 7/24/98. THIS IS INCORRECT, CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIR BAGS WERE NOT USED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #737718

Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2000
Fuel System, GasolinePower TrainStructure

FUEL GUAGE FAILS TO REGISTER THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP/JERK FORWARD IF PLACED INTO GEAR. WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK. REAR PASSENGER DOOR CANNOT BE OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED. MECHANIC INDICATED NOTHING WAS WRONG.*AK

NHTSA ODI #865251

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

VEHICLE STARTED, ENGINE RATTLED UPON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS AT 2300 MILES. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY DEALER,I SENT COMPLAINT TO FORDS DSB BOARD.WORKING THROGH ARBITRATION VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY ENGINEER.THEY REPLACED PCM.PROBLEM GOT WORSE,ALONG WITH NEW PROBLEMS,LACK OF POWER,HARD START,TRANSMISSION HESITAING.TH…

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VEHICLE STARTED, ENGINE RATTLED UPON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS AT 2300 MILES. AFTER NUMEROUS FAILED REPAIR ATTEMPTS BY DEALER,I SENT COMPLAINT TO FORDS DSB BOARD.WORKING THROGH ARBITRATION VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY ENGINEER.THEY REPLACED PCM.PROBLEM GOT WORSE,ALONG WITH NEW PROBLEMS,LACK OF POWER,HARD START,TRANSMISSION HESITAING.THEN THEY REPLACED FUEL PUMP,DIDNT HELP, THEN IGNITION SWITCH, DIDNT HELP,THEN MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND AIR FILTER, DIDNT HELP.FINALLY VEHICLE STARTED STALLING WHILE DRIVING, DURING ACC. TOWED BACK TO SHOP, FORD HAD IT SIX WEEKS THIS TIME REPLACED PCM TWO MORE TIMES.I HAVE VEHICLE BACK,STILL PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION HESITATING.VEHICLE IN SHOP EIGHT TIMES FOR SAME OR RELATED PROBLEMS AND TOTALLING ALMOST THREE MONTHS IN SHOP. STILL IN ARBITRATION, CONSDERING CLOSING CASE AND TAKING TO DSB. PERSONALLY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717171

Mileage unknown · Jun 14, 1999
Electrical SystemEquipmentFuel System, Gasoline

RADIO DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ODI #546113

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

THE VEHICLES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGE WHILE FUELING WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT STATES IT IS THE GAS STATION FILLER WHICH IS "TOO HEAVY". *AK.ET.

NHTSA ODI #835088

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL GAUGE FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #608141

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP FAILED. YH

NHTSA ODI #606397

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.