IllustrationBRAKES DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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
What owners actually said
375 reportsI HAVE BEEN IN THE SERVICE CENTER 3 TIMES FOR THIS VIBRATION AND 1 SPECIAL SERVICE BULLETIN.I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AFTER HAVING MY IAT SENSOR REPLACED IN MY TRANSMISSON AND HE TOLD ME SOMETIMES THEIR SERVICE TECHNICIANS REPLACE PARTS THAT. *AK
SMELL COMES FROM A/C-HEATER VENTS WHEN EITHER ONE IS TURNED ON. MAKES PASSENGER NAUSEOUS. .WAS TOLD BY MY 2 YR. OLD TO TURN OFF, MAKING HIM FEEL SICK. REPORTED TO DEALER. TWICE. NO PROBLEM FOUND. 97/98 COUGAR SAME PROBLEMS AS REPORTED BY FRIEND. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 65 MPH THE WINDOWS VIBRATE. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM 4 TIMES. CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BLOWER MAY BE SUCKING THINGS UP INTO THE VEHICLE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER THINKS FIRE MAY BE STARTED IF THINGS ARE TRAPPED INTO THE COMPRESSOR. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE SPINNED OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE BY THE PASSENGER'S SIDE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. BEFORE THE IMPACT, CONSUMER NOTICED SPEED OF 50 MPH. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE, AND AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER. NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER HEARS A LOUD NOISE EVERYTIME SHE STARTS THE VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT FIND THE CAUSE. *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.
MISSING JACK IN THE CAR. YH
THE VEHICLES THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE REFUELING VAPOR RECOVERY SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGE WHILE FUELING WHICH MAY CAUSE A FIRE. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT STATES IT IS THE GAS STATION FILLER WHICH IS "TOO HEAVY". *AK.ET.
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.