IllustrationVEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. WOULD START REVVING AT STOP LIGHT/SIGN. MANUA CLUTCH MAKES NOISE. SPEED NOT A FACTOR. THE BRAKES WOULD JERK & JIGGLE WHEN APPLIED. HAD RATTLE IN RIGHT FRONT AFTER REPAIRS. WAS INFORMED THAT WAS NORMAL. *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 reportsBRAKES PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN ENGAGING. *YC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
BRAKES DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN YOU TRY TO STOP THE CAR TAKE LONG TIME TO STOP,WATER LEAK FROM WINDSHELD,TRUNK,FRONT END LEFT SIDE MAKE LOUD NOISE,CAR MAKE NOCKING NOISE,WHEN HIT SPEED BUMB STARIO CHANGE ON IT'S OWNE TO TAPE,FRONT DRIVER DOOR LEAK& MORE.
BRAKES DISCS WORN OUT. YH
ABS BRAKE FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED , AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR BRAKES TO WEAR OUT AT 25000 MILES OF WEAR. CONSUMER NEEDS HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
BRAKES GRINDING AND GLAZING CONSTANTLY , TAKING LONGER TO GET STOPPED, OTHER TIMES IT GRIPS TO HARD, WHEN I TAKE IT IN THEY DELAZE THEM, AND TELL ME IT IS NORMAL, I'VE TAKEN IT IN TWICE IN DEC FOR PROBLEM SO FAR, TAKING BACK AGAIN FRIDAY. I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF I HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK STOP. WAS FINE FOR T…
Read full complaint
BRAKES GRINDING AND GLAZING CONSTANTLY , TAKING LONGER TO GET STOPPED, OTHER TIMES IT GRIPS TO HARD, WHEN I TAKE IT IN THEY DELAZE THEM, AND TELL ME IT IS NORMAL, I'VE TAKEN IT IN TWICE IN DEC FOR PROBLEM SO FAR, TAKING BACK AGAIN FRIDAY. I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF I HAVE TO MAKE A QUICK STOP. WAS FINE FOR THE FIRST 5 MONTHS, BUT THEY INSIT IT IS NORMAL.
CAR DID NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED VERY CLOSE TO FLOOR BEFORE FEELING SLOWING WAS FIRST FELT.
WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ABOUT 35-40MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED THE CORNER, HEADING NORTH & SPEEDING, DRIFTED INTO ESCORT'S LANE. ESCORT DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES TO AVOID VEHICLE, & VEHICLE PULLED LEFT. IT SKIDDED ACROSS THE ROAD & HIT A POLE. ABS DID NOT WORK. RIGHT BRAKES HAD DISINTERGRATED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT SEAT BELT …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ABOUT 35-40MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED THE CORNER, HEADING NORTH & SPEEDING, DRIFTED INTO ESCORT'S LANE. ESCORT DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES TO AVOID VEHICLE, & VEHICLE PULLED LEFT. IT SKIDDED ACROSS THE ROAD & HIT A POLE. ABS DID NOT WORK. RIGHT BRAKES HAD DISINTERGRATED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BUT SEAT BELT HELD. DRIVER HAS BRUISED KNEE. VEHICLE TOTALED BY INSURANCE CO.
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.