IllustrationCONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE DRIVING AND WITH OUT WARNING THE REAR SPRING SNAP CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
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
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
110–25K
1625–50K
2650–75K
1875–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
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
What owners actually said
325 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT FUSES WILL JUST BLOW OUT. UNDER THE DASH THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE BACK OF THE TURNING SWITCH, IT MELTED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE.REPLACE THE HARNESS. PROBLEM REACCURED. TS
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASHBOARD THE MECHANIC FIX IT THREE MONTHS AGO AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A TIRE JACK. *MR
IN A FRONTAL COLLISION NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING HOOD LATCH SNAPPED,CAUSING HOOD TO FLY OPEN, DISTRACTING CONSUMER'S VIEW, AND CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 45MPH FRONT OF VEHICLE HIT SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
FRONT OUTER TIE ROD ATTACHED TO WHEEL ASSEMBLY FAILED TWICE. FIRST TIME FAILURE WAS FOUND DURING MAINTENANCE, NEXT TIME FAILED WHILE GOING AROUND RAM, INTERRUPTING STEERING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS LOSING AIR. HAD TIRE CHECKED. THERE WERE CRACKS ALL OVER IT. ALSO, OTHER 3 TIRES HAD CRACKS. SIZE P185/65R14, ORGINAL TIRES. *AK MS P185/65R14 85S, E4027261, AP7J5K7U949, UNIROYAL TIGER PAW. *SLC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
199V276000 · 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
1DP01001 · Air Bag NON-DEPLOYMENT
Opened Apr 19, 2001 · Closed Nov 1, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.