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1999 Ford Escort

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Escort years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Ford Escort are substantially higher than the model-year median of 101.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

92 reports with mileage · 233 unknown

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 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

79 crash reports11 fire reports42 injury reports

Suspension complaints

42 reports
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98,580 miles · Jun 24, 2014
Suspension

TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE. TECH DISCOVERED BOTH REAR SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. WAS QUOTED $1200 TO REPLACE, INCLUDING STRUTS (STILL GOOD). I AM IN MINNESOTA AND THIS CAR HAS NO TRACTION IN THE SNOW. I CAN DRIVE AT 10 MPH AND THE BACK STILL BREAKS TRACTION. I HAVE SPUN OUT MORE DRIVING THIS CAR THAN I HAVE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I DO…

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TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE. TECH DISCOVERED BOTH REAR SPRINGS ARE BROKEN. WAS QUOTED $1200 TO REPLACE, INCLUDING STRUTS (STILL GOOD). I AM IN MINNESOTA AND THIS CAR HAS NO TRACTION IN THE SNOW. I CAN DRIVE AT 10 MPH AND THE BACK STILL BREAKS TRACTION. I HAVE SPUN OUT MORE DRIVING THIS CAR THAN I HAVE WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE. I DO THINK FORD DESIGNED AND SOLD AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10605710

30,650 miles · Sep 25, 2010
Suspension

I BOUGHT A USED 1999 FORD ESCORT STATIONS WAGON WITH ONLY 16K MILES ON IT. AT 30K MILES I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE FOR $585 TO REPLACE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS THAT ARE BROKEN, SAYING IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. NOTE I NEVER ASKED FOR MORE THAN A SIMPLE OIL CHANGE. IN READING ALL T…

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I BOUGHT A USED 1999 FORD ESCORT STATIONS WAGON WITH ONLY 16K MILES ON IT. AT 30K MILES I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE FOR $585 TO REPLACE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS THAT ARE BROKEN, SAYING IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. NOTE I NEVER ASKED FOR MORE THAN A SIMPLE OIL CHANGE. IN READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS HERE FOR BROKEN SPRINGS I BELIEVE FORD HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH A MAJOR SAFETY DEFECT THAT EVEN ITS DEALERS ARE WELL AWARE OF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10357495

48,700 miles · Jun 15, 2008
Suspension

I OWN A 1999 FORD ESCORT S . THE MILEAGE IS 48,700 MILES. I TOOK IT IN YESTERDAY FOR A STATE INSPECTION. I WAS INFORMED THAT NOT ONLY ONE BUT BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. FROM MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE READ THAT THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. BUT YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10231051

38,350 miles · May 21, 2008
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. DURING A VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR COIL SPRING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRINGS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. DURING A VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR COIL SPRING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRINGS FAILED AND WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,350. UPDATED 06/09/08 *BF UPDATED 06/09/08

NHTSA ODI #10228382

155,962 miles · May 16, 2008
Suspension

DURING REPLACEMENT OF TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, SERVICE PERSONNEL ADVISED THAT THE REAR COILS SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. WAS ADVISED THAT SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN FILED WITH BOTH NHTSA AND MANUFACTURER BUT NO RECALLS HAD BEEN ISSUED. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH CAN RESULT IN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE DAMAGE, INJURIES OR DEATH.…

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DURING REPLACEMENT OF TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, SERVICE PERSONNEL ADVISED THAT THE REAR COILS SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. WAS ADVISED THAT SEVERAL COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN FILED WITH BOTH NHTSA AND MANUFACTURER BUT NO RECALLS HAD BEEN ISSUED. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHICH CAN RESULT IN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE DAMAGE, INJURIES OR DEATH. A MANDATORY RECALL NEEDS TO BE REQUIRED AND ENFORCED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10228039

137,400 miles · Jan 9, 2008
SuspensionCrash

REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE. 2 SEPARATE REAR COIL SPRING FAILURES WITHIN 2 MONTHS. 1 OF WHICH PUNCTURED THE TIRE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CAR LOST CONTROL AND WENT INTO THE MEDIAN. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS INJURED AND THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED. REPAIR SHOP NOTED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ESCORTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10214267

52,000 miles · Jul 19, 2007
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRINGS FAILED. THE SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE COILS SPRING RUSTING. THE CONTACT HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OR THE …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRINGS FAILED. THE SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE COILS SPRING RUSTING. THE CONTACT HAS NOT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OR THE LOCAL FORD DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 52,000.

NHTSA ODI #10196829

60,000 miles · May 23, 2007
Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE AXLE WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE VEHICLE'S FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE AXLE WAS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI #10191581

79,500 miles · Nov 30, 2006
Suspension

DURING SAFETY INSPECTION DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS OF 1999 FORD ESCORT SE HAD BROKEN. THIS IS THE SECOND FORD ESCORT I HAVE OWNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. FIRST VEHICLE WAS A 1997 FORD ESCORT LX THAT I PURCHASED FROM A DEALER IN FT. COLLINS, CO. I HAVE OWNED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10174772

70,000 miles · Jun 9, 2006
Suspension

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IT WAS DETERMINED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND NEW COIL SPRINGS HAVE BEEN ORDERED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.

NHTSA ODI #10159376

Official recalls

1

99V276000 · Power Train:manual Transmission:shift Pattern Indicator

Oct 12, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE S/R OPTION. THE S/R OPTION INCLUDES, AMONG OTHER FEATURES, A 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ON THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT PATTERN IS NOT DISPLAYED IN THE OCCUPANT COMPARTMENT IN VIEW OF THE DRIVER. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION POSITION OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN ADHESIVE BACKED PLAQUE CONTAINING THE SHIFT PATTERN, ALONG WITH MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOCATING AND AFFIXING THE PLAQUE TO THE VEHICLE CENTER CONSOLE, JUST FORWARD OF THE SHIFT LEVER. OWNERS WILL ALSO BE ADVISED THAT THEIR DEALER CAN AFFIX THE PLAQUE IF THEY PREFER.

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.