IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH A COMPUTER CHIP FELL FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. AND THEN THE FUEL GAS GAUGE SYSTEM INDICATOR STOPPED WORKING. *AK *SC *JB
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 reportsBROUGHT MY CAR TO SHOP TO HAVE STRUTS REPLACED. WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD BROKEN AND HAD DESTROYED THE STRUTS AS WELL. VEHICLE HAS 80,00 HIGHWAY MILES ON IT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THE MECHANIC HAS ONE EVERY WEEK INTO HIS SHOP. *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, AND SOON AFTER CONSUMER HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE GROUND. VEHICLE WAS GUIDED TO THE SHOULDER, AND CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER BRACKETS BROKE. THIS IN TURN, CAUSED THE AC COMPRESSOR TO FALL AND RIP A HOLE INTO THE OIL PAN.*AK *NM
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART, THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
I TOOK MY 1998 FORD ESCORT TO GAGNE FORD IN PRINCETON, WISCONSIN, TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING THE TIE RODS. "OUTER TIE ROD ENDS. RIGHT OUTER IS LOOSE. LEFT OUTER IS SIEZED." SINCE THERE IS ONLY 23,200 MILES ON THE CAR, I CHECKED FOR RECALLS. ARE PEOPLE JUST HAVING THIS R…
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I TOOK MY 1998 FORD ESCORT TO GAGNE FORD IN PRINCETON, WISCONSIN, TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING THE TIE RODS. "OUTER TIE ROD ENDS. RIGHT OUTER IS LOOSE. LEFT OUTER IS SIEZED." SINCE THERE IS ONLY 23,200 MILES ON THE CAR, I CHECKED FOR RECALLS. ARE PEOPLE JUST HAVING THIS REPAIR DONE AND NOT REPORTING IT? DO I REALLY NEED THIS WORK DONE?
HORN SOUNDS AT ALL HOURS. UNPLUGGED. *AK
SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD AND CANNOT GET CAR OUT OF PARK.ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEMS?*AK
REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS ARE UNABLE TO RETRACT. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SEATS ARE NOT BEING RESTRAINT. *AK
AT 123,00MI I NOTICED WATER LEAKING FORM BEHIND WATER PUMP TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP HOUSING PART #F8RZ-8501-EN IT HAD ERODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT RESULTING IN A PINHOLE LEAK I ALSO HAD THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT REPLASED JUST IN CASEAT A COST OF 625 DOLLARS. 13 MONTHS AND 33,000MI LATER SAME …
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AT 123,00MI I NOTICED WATER LEAKING FORM BEHIND WATER PUMP TOOK IT TO FORD DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP HOUSING PART #F8RZ-8501-EN IT HAD ERODED FROM THE INSIDE OUT RESULTING IN A PINHOLE LEAK I ALSO HAD THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT REPLASED JUST IN CASEAT A COST OF 625 DOLLARS. 13 MONTHS AND 33,000MI LATER SAME PROBLEM WITH WATER PUMP HOUSING ERODING FOR INSIDE OUT OF CORSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE TIMING BELT WAS FAILING DO TO A SEIZED IDLER COST TO REPAIR 700 DOLLARS. THE IDLER YOU CAN CHALK UP TO BAD LUCK THE HOUSING ON THE OTHER HAND IS RIDICULOUS IT HAS NO MOVING PARTS OTHER THAN ANTIFREEZE RUNNING THROUGH IT AND THE MECHANICS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. I DON'T CARE TO SPEND THIS KIND OF MONEY EVERY YEAR FOR SOME BAD CASTING ON FORDS PART 1 YEAR OR 12,00 MI SHOULD NOT APPLY TO APART THAT SHOULD LAST A WHOLE LOT LONGER. *AK
WHEN ENGAGING INTO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CRASHED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
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.