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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 →

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 · Jul 13, 2002
Power Train

VEHICLE HAD TRANSMISSION REPAIRED IN AUGUST OF 2001. SOON THEREAFTER, IT STARTED TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH SHIFTS. NOW, THE VEHICLE GRINDS GOING INTO 5TH GEAR / REFUSE TO GO INTO 5TH AND WILL ACTUALLY FORCE ITSELF OUT OF 5TH GEAR WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO / DRIVE ON DC HIGHWAYS. T…

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VEHICLE HAD TRANSMISSION REPAIRED IN AUGUST OF 2001. SOON THEREAFTER, IT STARTED TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH SHIFTS. NOW, THE VEHICLE GRINDS GOING INTO 5TH GEAR / REFUSE TO GO INTO 5TH AND WILL ACTUALLY FORCE ITSELF OUT OF 5TH GEAR WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE TRYING TO MERGE ONTO / DRIVE ON DC HIGHWAYS. TOOK IT TO A DEALER ON MAY 30TH, WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO SAME DEALER ON JULY 5TH, RODE WITH SHOP MANAGER WHO RECREATED THE PROBLEM BUT WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS FOR REPAIR. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHO HAD IT ALL WEEK, REPAIRED SOME COMPONENT, BUT PROBLEM RESURFACED ON TRIP HOME FROM DEALERSHIP. CONTACTED DEALER, WHO SUGGESTED THAT I COULD DRIVE A VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION ON THE HIGHWAY FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, THEN BRING IT IN. I AM TEACHING IN ANOTHER STATE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, SO I AM IN AN URGENT NEED OF A FUNCTIONAL VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #764177

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2002
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH DRIVESHAFT WAS FORCED INTO ENGINE AND CAUSED ENGINE TO STOP OPERATING. FEEL FREEE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8010075

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2002
Power Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN EVERY GEAR AND SHIFTS HARD, ESPECIALLY ON COLD MORNINGS. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 2 TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8004057

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2002
Power Train

WHEN VEHICLE GETS STARTED UP IT WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. VEHICLE WILL JUST SIT THERE AND NOT MOVE ANYWHERE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8003657

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainVisibility

WHEN YOU TRY TO USE THE WASHER FLUID IT LEAKS ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR CAUSING THE HOOD TO BECOME DISCOLORED FROM THE WINDSHEILD WASHER FLUID. ALSO WHENEVER YOU ARE AT A STOP THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THEY FORD SAY THAT IT IS FROM THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND THAT IT IS NOT HAZARDOUS SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT. LAST THEIR IS PROBL…

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WHEN YOU TRY TO USE THE WASHER FLUID IT LEAKS ON THE HOOD OF THE CAR CAUSING THE HOOD TO BECOME DISCOLORED FROM THE WINDSHEILD WASHER FLUID. ALSO WHENEVER YOU ARE AT A STOP THE CAR STARTS TO SHAKE, THEY FORD SAY THAT IT IS FROM THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND THAT IT IS NOT HAZARDOUS SO THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT. LAST THEIR IS PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISION, WHENEVER YOU ARE MOVING SLOW OR IN A STOP POSITION AND START TO MOVE THE CAR JERKS REALLY BAD. IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE SOMEONE RAN INTO YOU OR THAT YOU RAN SOMETHING OVER. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE COMPANY, BUT THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING ABOUT. I HAVE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE ECAXT SAME CAR HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS

NHTSA ODI #757475

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY, IT OFTEN REVS AT HIGH RPM AND DOES NOT RETURN TO A NORMAL RPM UNLESS VEHICLE COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.*JB

NHTSA ODI #785442

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001
Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #561310

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2001
Power Train

TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH. PRIOR TO BREAK DOWN, HAD HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND. VEHICLE STOPPED DEAD. WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED WITH A USED ONE SINCE OLD TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPAIRABLE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887258

Mileage unknown · Dec 3, 2000
Power Train

I LIVE IN BURLINGTON ONTARIO CANADA, YET FELT THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED BEYOND CONTACTING THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA, (OF WHICH I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DOING). I BELONG TO A LARGE GROUP OF ESCORT ZX2 OWNERS WHO ARE ON THE SECOND AND EVEN 3RD TRANSMISSION! THIS MODEL WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1998(THE YE…

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I LIVE IN BURLINGTON ONTARIO CANADA, YET FELT THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED BEYOND CONTACTING THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION IN CANADA, (OF WHICH I AM IN THE PROCESS OF DOING). I BELONG TO A LARGE GROUP OF ESCORT ZX2 OWNERS WHO ARE ON THE SECOND AND EVEN 3RD TRANSMISSION! THIS MODEL WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1998(THE YEAR OF MY CAR) AND SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR TRANSMISSIONS. IT IS EXTREMELY WEAK AND HAS FREQUENT MIS-SYNCING SHIFTS. I FEEL THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE, YET ONE THAT DESERVES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. PLEASE HAVE FORD DO A STUDY ON THIS TRANSMISSION AND COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF "FIX" AS THE PRESENT IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HAVE GONE THROUGH EVERY OTHER CHANNEL OF WHICH I COULD IN CANADA AND AM NOW COMING TO YOU. PLEASE HELP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #737227

Mileage unknown · Oct 13, 2000
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. NLM

NHTSA ODI #556082

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.