SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

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 · Feb 22, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING, CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT VEHICLE WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL, THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP, ALSO 2 WIRES, A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, HAD SOLDERED TOGETHER AND HAD BARE SPOTS THAT WERE TOUCHING, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP, FORD WILL NOT ASSIST CONSUMER A…

Read full complaint

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING, CONSUMER HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT VEHICLE WHO FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING FUEL, THE PROBLEM WAS THE FUEL PUMP, ALSO 2 WIRES, A POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE, HAD SOLDERED TOGETHER AND HAD BARE SPOTS THAT WERE TOUCHING, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP, FORD WILL NOT ASSIST CONSUMER AT ALL IN THIS MATTER. *SCL

NHTSA ODI #881134

Mileage unknown · Feb 21, 2001
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER WAS ON A SIDE STREET TURNING INTO A PARKING LANE. AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT HER FROM BEHIND, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG WENT OFF ALL THE WAY. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAD DIDN'T DEPLOY ALL THE WAY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881043

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2001
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A TURN ANOTHER CAR HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON RIGHT SIDE. DASHBOARD CRACKED, BUT NONE OF FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED DURING THE ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ODI #880622

Mileage unknown · Feb 6, 2001
Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

CONSUMER'S WIFE ATTEMPTED TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY INTO ROAD, SHE STEPPED ON GAS, AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THEN, AFTER JUGGING GEAR SHIFT AROUND VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD. *AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED HITTING THE CORNER OF THE GARAGE AND WAS TOTTALED. *YH

NHTSA ODI #879955

Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2001
Visibility

A SEVERE FOGGED FRONT WINDSHIELD CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE OR CLEANED IT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #879034

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2001
Air BagsElectrical System

WHILE DRIVING HORN KEPT GOING OFF WHICH MIGHT STARTLE OCCUPANT AND CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO AIRBAG SYSTEM WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 59,000 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878922

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2001
Electrical System

VEHICLE CONTINUOSLY STALLS OUT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSUMER MUST PULL OVER AND WAIT ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO RESTART VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TWICE, BUT DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK THERE WAS A RECALL ON EMISSION AND SERVICE WAS DONE BY THE DEALER PRIOR TO THE STALLING PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ODI #878893

Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2001
Electrical System

OPENING AND CLOSING OF HATCHBACK DOOR HAS CAUSED INSTALLATION ON WIRING HARNESS TO FRAY OFF, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE POTENTIAL. *AK THE RUBBER COVERING THE WIRE HARNESS FOR HATCHBACK DOOR WAS FRAYED AND THREE OF THE TOP WIRES WERE EXPOSED. THIS HAS POTENTIAL FOR ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. *YH

NHTSA ODI #878700

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2001
Air BagsCrash

CONSUMER GOT INTO A ACCIDENT AT 25MPH AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO PRIOR WARNINGS. HAS NOT CONDUCTED DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ODI #878558

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2001
Air BagsCrash

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION OF 40-45 MPH WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878249

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.