IllustrationFRONT BRAKE CALIPER FREEZES, HALF OF PADS IS BEING APPLIED TO ROTORS, RESULTING IN PREMATURE WEARING OF ROTORS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escort years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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 reportsENTERED EXPRESSWAY AND THROTTLE LINKAGE STUCK OPEN. GOT VEHICLE SLOWED FROM UPWARDS TO 75 MPH BY SMASHING BRAKES AND SLOWED ENOUGH TO EXIT. WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP SO TURNED RIGHT ON EXITED STREET AND ONCE STRAIGHTENED OUT, WHILE STILL MOVING AT APPROX. 30MPH, SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL, LETTING THE MOTOR RACE UNCONTROLLAB…
Read full complaint
ENTERED EXPRESSWAY AND THROTTLE LINKAGE STUCK OPEN. GOT VEHICLE SLOWED FROM UPWARDS TO 75 MPH BY SMASHING BRAKES AND SLOWED ENOUGH TO EXIT. WAS NOT ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP SO TURNED RIGHT ON EXITED STREET AND ONCE STRAIGHTENED OUT, WHILE STILL MOVING AT APPROX. 30MPH, SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL, LETTING THE MOTOR RACE UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. AT THAT TIME LEVER WAS PUT INTO PARK AND MOTOR TURNED OFF. DRIVER SHAKEN UP AND VEHICLE MOTOR MAY BE COMPROMISED DUE TO STUCK ACCELERATOR OVER-REVVING. LOOKED FOR A RECALL FOR MODEL TYPE FOR STUCK THROTTLE LINKAGE-NONE FOR ESCORT BUT THERE IS ONE FOR FORD LIKE MODEL, THE CONTOUR, RECALL # 99V194000. ESCORT WAS BUILT IN 3/1998 WHICH FALLS UNDER TIME OF RECALL FOR OTHER FORD PRODUCT.*AK
VEHICLE MOVES WHILE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. CONSUMER TRIES TO BRAKE, AND FOOT GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR.*AK
BRAKES MADE 'CLICKING' NOISE WHEN CHANGING DIRECTIONS, FIXED IN DECEMBER, AND AGAIN IN JUNE. I DON'T THINK THIS IS RIGHT! 2ND PROB - WHEN TURNING RIGHT, THERE IS A 'CLICK'. WAS INFORMED BY SERVICER THAT THEY WERE ADVISED NOT TO FIX IT PER FORD MOTOR CO. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. DEALER DISCOVERED THAT STEERING/ BRAKES SQUEAKED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING & THEN APPLYING BRAKES, WOULD HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC REPLACED CALIPERS. CURRENTLY WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY WOULD STICK & MAKE GRINDING NOISES WHEN TRAVELING BETWEEN 30-55MPH. THEN AFTER A WHILE NOISE WOULD STOP. TAKING VEHICLE BACK AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MECHANIC CHECK. *AK
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN WET CONDITIONS VEHICLE SLIDES INTO THE LANE BESIDE IT, LEFT OR RIGHT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
ABS LOCKED UP RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION. YH
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY., SHE ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE LANES AND APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VECHICLE SWERVED INTO TRAFFIC AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RIGHT FRONT WHEEL GRINDS. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ANY KIND OF BRAKING SITUATION. BRAKE PADS AND SHOES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED. THIS HELPED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 500 MILES, AND THEN PROBLEM STARTED OVER AGAIN. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE WILL BE SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *A…
Read full complaint
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES RIGHT FRONT WHEEL GRINDS. THIS HAPPENS UNDER ANY KIND OF BRAKING SITUATION. BRAKE PADS AND SHOES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND ROTORS TURNED. THIS HELPED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 500 MILES, AND THEN PROBLEM STARTED OVER AGAIN. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE WILL BE SERVICED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
0No 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
1DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT
Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.