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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

View recall details →

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

What owners actually said

375 reports
Mileage unknown · Mar 23, 2001
Vehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE VIBRATES TERRIBLY AT STOPS SIGNS, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT FORD IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM,WHICH IS CALLED "POOR IDLE QUALITY" AND THAT A RECALL WOULD PROBABLY GO OUT SOON TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION AND THE VIBATION IS INTOLERABLE AND VERY LOUD.…

Read full complaint

VEHICLE VIBRATES TERRIBLY AT STOPS SIGNS, CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT FORD IS AWARE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM,WHICH IS CALLED "POOR IDLE QUALITY" AND THAT A RECALL WOULD PROBABLY GO OUT SOON TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTIFICATION AND THE VIBATION IS INTOLERABLE AND VERY LOUD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #560530

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

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

PULLEY HAD FROZEN AND SERPENTINE BELT HAD CAME OFF. IT WAS FRAYED. IT THEN SHOT UP INTO THE TIMING BELT. THIS CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO JUMP & CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC HAD REPAIRED IT THE FIRST TIME AT 24,000 MILES.*AK THE SURPENTINE BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 25000…

Read full complaint

PULLEY HAD FROZEN AND SERPENTINE BELT HAD CAME OFF. IT WAS FRAYED. IT THEN SHOT UP INTO THE TIMING BELT. THIS CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO JUMP & CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC HAD REPAIRED IT THE FIRST TIME AT 24,000 MILES.*AK THE SURPENTINE BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 25000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 54000 MILES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #883715

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury

CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, AND WAS FORCED INTO A VEHICLE AHEAD OF HER. AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #883572

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP FAILS EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT BUT THEY SAY NO PROBLEM KNOW OF OTHER FAILURES ON AT LEAST 3 AUTO IN OUR AREA ALONE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #742503

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2001
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH VEHICLE HIT POLE, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBELTS DID NOT WORK, DRIVER AND PASSENGER HIT THEIR HEADS ON WINDSHIELD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #883039

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2001
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE HIT POLE HEAD-ON AT 30 MPH, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, $ AMOUNT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #883037

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2001
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FRONT BRAKE CALIPER FREEZES, HALF OF PADS IS BEING APPLIED TO ROTORS, RESULTING IN PREMATURE WEARING OF ROTORS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #882730

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Air BagsCrashInjury

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY A CHAIN REACTION MULTIPLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS ONLY OCCUPANT, AND SHE SUSTAINED MODERATE/SEVERE INJURIES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881705

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2001
Air BagsFuel System, GasolineCrash

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH ON DRY ROADS ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT TRYING NOT TO HIT VEHICLE. CONSUMER HIT TWO PARKED CARS INSTEAD. AIRBAGS IN FRONT DIDN'T DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER REFERRED CONSUEMR TO A FORD DEALER. VEHICLE HAS A FUEL INJECTION SWITCH THAT CUT VEHICLE OFF. VEHICLE STARTED BACK UP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881512

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.