MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD ESCORT LX ON A 35 MPH ROAD WHEN THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF HIM SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. MY SON IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STOP THE CAR, BUT HE REAR-ENDED THE OTHER CAR BEFORE HE COULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DURING THE IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE AND THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY…
Read full complaint
MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD ESCORT LX ON A 35 MPH ROAD WHEN THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF HIM SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES. MY SON IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STOP THE CAR, BUT HE REAR-ENDED THE OTHER CAR BEFORE HE COULD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. DURING THE IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE AND THE DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY - ALLOWING MY SON'S UPPER BODY TO CONTINUE FORWARD UNTIL HIS FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE LAP BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, HOLDING MY SON'S LOWER BODY IN PLACE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10247134
81,756 miles · Aug 26, 2008
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT THAT DID NOT PREVENT THEM FROM BEING THROWN TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND INJURED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HE…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS, BUT THAT DID NOT PREVENT THEM FROM BEING THROWN TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND INJURED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND FACE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARTIALLY DESTROYED AND THE FRONT BUMPER, BUMPER SUPPORT, RADIATOR AND SUPPORT, AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSER, AND POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WERE DAMAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 81,756.
NHTSA ODI #10239844
Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2005
Seat Belts
DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE SEAT BELT STRAPS WILL NOT PULL OUT FROM THE SEAT, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THIS WAS IN JUNE OF 2004. AND ON 7-25-05 THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. TH…
Read full complaint
DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE SEAT BELT STRAPS WILL NOT PULL OUT FROM THE SEAT, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THIS WAS IN JUNE OF 2004. AND ON 7-25-05 THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HER THE SAME THING. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2002. BUT, IT WAS JUST A FENDER BENDER TYPE ISSUE. NO ONE WAS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10130856
Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2005
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10115186
70,000 miles · Jun 14, 2004
Seat Belts
REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS ARE UNABLE TO RETRACT. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SEATS ARE NOT BEING RESTRAINT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10076180
Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2004
Seat BeltsUnknown Or Other
I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AS YOU ARE DRIVING THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL DROP DOWN. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND MADE COMMENT OF THIS TO WHICH I WAS TOLD I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS AND MILES, IS THAT THE SEATBELT STRAP AT THE LAP CA…
Read full complaint
I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AS YOU ARE DRIVING THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL DROP DOWN. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND MADE COMMENT OF THIS TO WHICH I WAS TOLD I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS AND MILES, IS THAT THE SEATBELT STRAP AT THE LAP CAN CATCH ON THE RELEASE LEVER OF THE SEAT AND ANY SHIFTING IN POSITION WILL PULL ON THE LEVER AND RELEASE THE SEAT BACK. THIS IS JUST A WARNING TO OTHERS AS IT CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT AS IT CATCHES THE UNSUSPECTING DRIVER OFF GUARD WHEN THE BACK OF YOUR SEAT FALLS. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN OVER A DOZEN TIMES SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #10070873
92,000 miles · Jul 30, 2003
Seat Belts
VEHICLE'S REAR SEAT BELTS ARE LOCKING IN THE RETRACT POSITION AND WOULDN'T RELEASE. CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO PROPERLY RETRAIN CHILDREN IN CSS. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN ORDER THE CORRECT PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10031584
Mileage unknown · May 6, 2003
Seat Belts
WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED HER DAUGHTER INSIDE OF THE CHILD INTERGRATED CAR SEAT, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE STRAP HAD SEPARATED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10018285
Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 2001
Seat Belts
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT IS GOES UP AND DOWN INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. BELT IS STUCK HALF WAY BECAUSE IT IS OFF THE TRACK. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8000754
Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001
Seat Belts
SEATBELT RETRACTORS IN THE BACK OF VEHICLE CONTINUALLY TIGHTEN, AND WILL NOT ALLOW FOR CONSUMER TO LEAN OR MOVE FORWARD. CONSUMER HAS TO RELEASE BUCKLE AND REATTACH BUCKLE IN ORDER HAVE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #888761
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.
1998 Ford Escort Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration