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 · Aug 1, 2005
Seat Belts
DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE SEAT BELT STRAPS WILL NOT PULL OUT FROM THE SEAT, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THIS WAS IN JUNE OF 2004. AND ON 7-25-05 THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. TH…
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DT: 1998 FORD ESCORT. BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. THE SEAT BELT STRAPS WILL NOT PULL OUT FROM THE SEAT, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO USE THEM. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THIS WAS IN JUNE OF 2004. AND ON 7-25-05 THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT STOPPED RETRACTING. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HER THE SAME THING. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN 2002. BUT, IT WAS JUST A FENDER BENDER TYPE ISSUE. NO ONE WAS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10130856
32,400 miles · Jul 8, 2005
Electrical System
I OWN A 1998 FORD ESCORT WITH 32,000 MILES AND RECENTLY HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL MODULE REPLACED.WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A NEW PART, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN MANY PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLE…
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I OWN A 1998 FORD ESCORT WITH 32,000 MILES AND RECENTLY HAD THE AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL MODULE REPLACED.WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE A NEW PART, THEY WERE TOLD THAT THIS PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACKORDER. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE HAS BEEN MANY PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
NHTSA ODI #10127883
10,200 miles · Jul 6, 2005
Electrical SystemFire
MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK , WHEN SHE CALLED ME & SAID "DAD MY CAR HAS LOSS POWER & IS RUNNING VERY ROUGH". I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER & I WOULD BE THERE SHORTLY, SINCE SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. AS I WAS PREPAIRING TO LEAVE, MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME BACK & SAID THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD HER TO CAL…
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MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK , WHEN SHE CALLED ME & SAID "DAD MY CAR HAS LOSS POWER & IS RUNNING VERY ROUGH". I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER & I WOULD BE THERE SHORTLY, SINCE SHE WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. AS I WAS PREPAIRING TO LEAVE, MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME BACK & SAID THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD HER TO CALL 911 AND GET AWAY FROM THE CAR. IT TOOK ME LESS THAN 10 MINUTES TO GET THERE & BY THAT TIME THE FIREMEN HAD PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING GREAT, WITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL.
NHTSA ODI #10127682
Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2005
Power TrainFire
DT: CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE LEFT FRONT UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, AND HAD BEEN SITTING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 HOURS. THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM THE POWER CONTROL MODULE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10127109
95,000 miles · May 23, 2005
Suspension
DT: VEHICLE BROKE REAR SPRINGS 2 YEARS AGO. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10121870
76,100 miles · Apr 26, 2005
Suspension
BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE HAS SEEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES AND IS WELL KEPT. THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM ,AND WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE REAR BRAKES. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOUND. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10118503
Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2005
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10115186
Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 2005
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPI…
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WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL LATER THAT DAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10111174
Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE VEHICLE'S BELT TENIONER ASSEMBLY BROKE 3 TIME. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE HOUSING FOR WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT TENIONER AND MICO V BELT. *BF *NM
NHTSA ODI #10111441
Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2005
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING THE GEARS ON THE VEHICLE CHANGE FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL ON THEIR OWN. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED BY OWNER.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10109405
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.
1998 Ford Escort Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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