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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.

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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

Power Train complaints

43 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 18, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

I HAVE HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS RELATING TO CAR FUEL PUMP OR TRANSMISSION SHOPS COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS BUT THE DRIVABLITY OF MY 98 ESCORT ZX2 COST ME MORE MONEY IN PROBLEM SOLVING, 1,500 PLUS IN RECENT REPAIRS INCLUDING EMERGENCY AND REPEAT REPAIRS AND FAULTY REPAIRS. MY FUEL ECONOMY IS 160 MILES PER TANK TO ALMOST 200 MILES. NO…

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I HAVE HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS RELATING TO CAR FUEL PUMP OR TRANSMISSION SHOPS COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS BUT THE DRIVABLITY OF MY 98 ESCORT ZX2 COST ME MORE MONEY IN PROBLEM SOLVING, 1,500 PLUS IN RECENT REPAIRS INCLUDING EMERGENCY AND REPEAT REPAIRS AND FAULTY REPAIRS. MY FUEL ECONOMY IS 160 MILES PER TANK TO ALMOST 200 MILES. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM(S). LARGE THUNKING IN REAR TRUNK (SCARY)WHEN IM TAKING OFF AND REACHING A STEADY SPEED. TAKE THE CAR TO MAJOR FORD DEALERSHIPS, TO NO AVAIL. CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS "GO" FROM A COMPLETE STOP IN TRAFFIC,THIS HAS CAUSED QUITE A SCARE AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR HELPING AND MAKING NOTE OF MY ACCOUNT. DEBBIE

NHTSA ODI #10157775

91,500 miles · Sep 1, 2005
Power Train

THE FAILURE INVOLVES THE INTERLOCK THAT KEEPS YOU FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE. MY LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL BULB HAD BURNED OUT. I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT IT IN PARK, AND SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, TO GET OUT AND CHECK THE OTHER TURN SIGNALS. FIRST I TURNED ON THE LEFT SIDE AND VERIFIED THAT THE LEFT REAR BULB…

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THE FAILURE INVOLVES THE INTERLOCK THAT KEEPS YOU FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE. MY LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL BULB HAD BURNED OUT. I STOPPED THE CAR, PUT IT IN PARK, AND SET THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, TO GET OUT AND CHECK THE OTHER TURN SIGNALS. FIRST I TURNED ON THE LEFT SIDE AND VERIFIED THAT THE LEFT REAR BULB WASN'T WORKING. THEN I ASKED THE PASSENGER IN THE CAR TO SWITCH ON THE RIGHT SIGNALS. SHE LEANED ON THE SHIFT LEVER TO TRY TO REACH THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, AND WHEN SHE DID, THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE. IT MOVED BACK SLOWLY SINCE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON, SO I JUMPED OUT OF THE WAY AND GOT IN AND STOPPED IT. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THIS: THAT IF THE LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL BULB IS BAD, THE SHIFT INTERLOCK IS RELEASED WHEN YOU TURN ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, ALLOWING THE SHIFT LEVER TO BE MOVED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE FIRST. WHEN I PUT IN THE NEW BULB, THE BEHAVIOR DID NOT HAPPEN ANYMORE. I PUT THE BAD BULB BACK IN, AND IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. IF I HAD NOT SET THE PARKING BRAKE, I COULD HAVE BEEN RUN OVER. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFECT MAY EXIST IN SEVERAL MODEL YEARS ON THIS VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM WAS ON A 1998 FORD ESCORT SEDAN WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10135027

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2005
Power TrainFire

DT: CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE LEFT FRONT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, AND HAD BEEN SITTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 HOURS. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10127109

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2005
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING THE GEARS ON THE VEHICLE CHANGE FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL ON THEIR OWN. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10109405

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 2003
Power Train

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION HAD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10022388

64,544 miles · Apr 10, 2003
Power Train

WHEN THE KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION , THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO THE MOVE GEAR SHIFT LEVER FROM THE PARK POSITION. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10015584

Mileage unknown · Mar 26, 2003
Power Train

THE VEHICLES GEAR SHIFT LOCKED AND COULDN'T BE MOVED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10012524

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2002
Power Train

VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 5 TIMES FOR TRANSMISSION, STILL LURCHES IN FIRST, HAS HEAVY SIDEWAYS VIBRATION UNTIL VEHICLE HITS HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HAVE BEEN CHARGED FOR REPAIR WHILE UNDER WARRANTY FROM FIRST REPAIR, FORD MOTOR COMPANY DID NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. DT

NHTSA ODI #769267

11,019 miles · Oct 31, 2002
Power Train

THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT WOULD ONLY MOVE IN REVERSE AND WOULD SLIP IN ALL GEARS. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS DUE TO MODIFICATION CONSUMER MADE TO PROTECT THE TRANSMISSION WHEN IN TOW. WARRANTY REPAIR IS DENIED BY THE DEALER. *JG

NHTSA ODI #566352

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2002
Power Train

TS

NHTSA ODI #768000

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.