IllustrationTAPE GETS STUCK IN TAPE DECK AND WON'T PLAY OR EJECT. IT JUST MAKES A WHINING NOISE. HEATER/DEFROST DOESN'T WANT TO WORK IN EXTREMELY COLD CONDITIONS. *AK
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 reportsWHILE TURNING LEFT OUT OF A PARKING LOT THE CAR PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT AND ENDING UP GOING OVER THE CONCRETE MEDIUM. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS IF THE STEERING LOCKED UP.*AK
THE ESCORT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER CAR HEAD ON. (ESCORT FRONT HIT SIDE OF FLAT BED TRAILER) SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO FRONT END OF CAR AND NO DAMAGE TO TRAILER. *AK
VEHICLE HAS STALLED 5 TIMES, AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR 4 TIMES/ STARTER, AND BATTERY ONCE. CANNOT REMEDY. CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE.*AK
MOTOR DIED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. CONSUMER HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS ALTERNATOR. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT DEALER HAS REPLACED 4 ALTERNATORS/ ONE STARTER, AND A BATTERY. CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHCLE IN FEAR THAT IT MAY STALL AGAIN. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT COLLISION, IN WHICH NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.*JB
CAR COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN @ A BUSY INTERSECTION WHILE IN MOTION. *AK
THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE BLEW OUT OF THE PUMP AS WE BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE PUMP QUICKLY EMPTIED ITS OIL SUPPLY ONTO THE SERPENTINE BELT, ENGINE BAY & THE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARS AS IF THE RETAINING O-RING WAS SHEARED IN HALF AS THE MALE FITTING BLEW OUT OF THE RETAINING NUT THAT ATTACHES IT TO THE PUMP. I HAVE DIGITA…
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THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE BLEW OUT OF THE PUMP AS WE BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE PUMP QUICKLY EMPTIED ITS OIL SUPPLY ONTO THE SERPENTINE BELT, ENGINE BAY & THE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARS AS IF THE RETAINING O-RING WAS SHEARED IN HALF AS THE MALE FITTING BLEW OUT OF THE RETAINING NUT THAT ATTACHES IT TO THE PUMP. I HAVE DIGITAL CLOSE-UP PICTURES OF THE FAILED PART IF DESIRED (E-MAIL). THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS TOTALLY DISABLING FAILURE IN A 2 YR OLD CAR!!*AK
VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN A METALIC KNOCKING NOISE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE LIFTERS & OTHER PARTS HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR 2000. CAR STILL HAS THE NOISE AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE FORD INTERNATIONAL STILL DOES NOT WANT TO CLAIM THE VEHICLE A DEFECT. THE SE…
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VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN A YEAR WHEN A METALIC KNOCKING NOISE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE LIFTERS & OTHER PARTS HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR 2000. CAR STILL HAS THE NOISE AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE FORD INTERNATIONAL STILL DOES NOT WANT TO CLAIM THE VEHICLE A DEFECT. THE SECOND BAND OF THE TRANSMISION BROKE INTO MANY PARTS AND THE TECHNITION OF BAYAMON FORD SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD SEEN THIS ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. HE HAS SEEN THIS IN EXPLORER & EXPEDITIONS, BUT NOT ON FORD ESCORTS. BAYAMON FORD NOR AUTO VEGA HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIX THIS THIS PROBLEM IN MORE THAN A YEAR. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT ANOTHER RECURRING PROBLEM IN THIS CAR IS THAT THE HEADLIGHT SOCKET KEEPS MELTING. THIS IS A FIRE HAZZARD AND IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AFTER REPLACEMENT OF HEADLIGHT FIXTURE. I NOTICED THAT THE NEGATIVE WIRE IS THINNER THAN BOTH OF THE POSITIVE WIRES, THUS CAUSING THE OVER HEATING & CAUSING IT TO MELT. ANOTHER RECURRING PROBLEM IS THAT ABOUT EVERY 6 MONTHS I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE FRONT STRUTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SHOT. I WOULD LIKE TO GET A TECHNITION TO PROPERLY DO ITS JOB AND NOT TO PUT MYSELF OR OTHER PEOPLE IN DANGER BECAUSE HE/SHE DOES NOT WANT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE ON A PROBLEM.
WEATHER WAS 74 DEGREES, I T-BONED VEHICLE IN THE WRONG @ 25MPH. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON IMPACT, SEATBELT UNFASTENED CAUSING ME TO HIT WINDSHIELD AND GET LEG CAUGHT UNDER STEERING COLUMN. POSSIBLE PERMANENT INJURIES. *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.