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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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

32 reports
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65,000 miles · Sep 6, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE SERVICED, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN , APPROXIMATELY 1 TURNS FROM THE TOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN NO NOTICEAB…

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DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE SERVICED, AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN , APPROXIMATELY 1 TURNS FROM THE TOP. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THE PART WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THERE HAD BEEN NO NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS BEFORE THIS.*AK THE CAPLIPERS WERE REPLACED DUE THEM BEING FROZEN. THE CRANK PULLEY AND SERPENTINE BELT WERE REPLACE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10132258

Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2005
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPI…

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WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL LATER THAT DAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10111174

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

MY ESCORT'S ROTORS GET HOT AND OUT OF ROUND, CONSEQUENTLY I NEED MY THIRD BRAKE JOB IN 26000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #765046

Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ACCELERATOR CAN EASILY BE MASHED DOWN DUE TO BRAKE PEDAL BEING SMALL. ALSO, BECAUSE BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT SIT HIGH OVER ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT IS CAUSING SOME DRIVING DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE ADD MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8008593

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY LOCKED ON ONE SIDE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO A SPIN, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION/ ROLLOVER. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #898859

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2001
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE, AND LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF BRAKES AND LANDED IN A DITCH, AND SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT A BOLT NEVER SNAPS FROM THE BOOSTER IN THAT WAY, FUTHERMORE THE DELAER STATES THAT THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AND A NEW ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE M…

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WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A SNAPPING NOISE, AND LOST COMPLETE CONTROL OF BRAKES AND LANDED IN A DITCH, AND SUFFERED ONLY MINOR INJURIES, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DEALER THAT A BOLT NEVER SNAPS FROM THE BOOSTER IN THAT WAY, FUTHERMORE THE DELAER STATES THAT THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. AND A NEW ONE WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #785451

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING WOULD STEP ON BRAKES PEDAL TO STOP, BUT PEDAL WILL GO ALWAY TO FLOOR ,AND TIRES WILL NOT SKID.*AK

NHTSA ODI #889020

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

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #561310

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. DEAELR HAS REPLACED 3-4 SETS OF BRAKES. ALSO, REPLACED ROTORS TWICE, AND RESURFACED ROTORS TWICE.THERE WAS CONSTANT SQUEAKING WHEN APPLYING BRAKES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887691

Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REPORTING DEALER / INDEPENDENT AUTO PARTS SHOP ARE UNABLE TO GET OR HAVE REPLACEMENT HARDWARE( SPRING & CLIPS) NEEDED TO REPAIR BOTH REAR WHEEL CYLINDER BRAKES. MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS STILL LOOKING FOR PARTS FOR SPRINGS, CLIPS AND PINS. *YH

NHTSA ODI #883893

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.