IllustrationHOOD LATCH MECHANISM DOES NOT PROPERLY LATCH WHICH COULD CAUSE HOOD TO FLY UP WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. *AK THE CABLE TO THE HOOD RELEASE IS THE PROBLEM. *SLC
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 reports6-7 TIMES BRAKE PEDAL GOT STUCK. IT HAPPENED ONLY ON HIGHWAY AND BELTWAY AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER. WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKE PEDAL IT GET STUCK, AND CONTINUING TO PRESS DOWN IT BECAME UNSTUCK. DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD DO ANYTHING WRONG. 2 MECHANICS HAS TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE, AND ANOTHER MECHA…
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6-7 TIMES BRAKE PEDAL GOT STUCK. IT HAPPENED ONLY ON HIGHWAY AND BELTWAY AT 55 MPH OR HIGHER. WHEN PRESSING DOWN ON BRAKE PEDAL IT GET STUCK, AND CONTINUING TO PRESS DOWN IT BECAME UNSTUCK. DEALER HAS BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, BUT THEY COULD DO ANYTHING WRONG. 2 MECHANICS HAS TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE, AND ANOTHER MECHANIC FROM DEALERSHIP WILL BE TEST DRIVE IT AGAIN. *AK WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE AT 55 MPH, THE BRAKES BECAME HARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMYED FOLLOWED BY BRAKE GOING TO FLOOR. *YH
THE RIGHT PASSENGER AIRBAG EXPLODED WHEN DEPLOYED, SEPARATING ENTIRELY FROM THE DASHBOARD AND WAS BRIEFLY ON FIRE, THEN SMOKING ON THE FLOOR.*AK
CATASTHROPIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE GOING 75 MPH ON FREEWAY. ENGINE RUNS FINE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR REVERSE. NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS OR SIGN(S) OF IMPENDING FAILURE. WOULD LIKE MANUFACTURER TO DO MATERIAL FAILURE ANALYSIS. *AK
THE DRIVER SEAT ROLLS BACK AND FORTH. THE SEAT IS NOT SUPPORTED AND EFFECTS THE CONSUMERS DRIVING. THE DEALER COULDN'T HELP WITH THE CHARGES AND THERE WOULD BE A FEE TO DIAGINOS THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS SUPPOSE TO CONTACT THE CONSUMER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE.
WHEN VEHICLE PURCHASED ENGINE VIBRATED WHILE HEATING AND AC SYSTEM ON. BROUGH TO DEALER 4-5 TIMES STATE NORMAL. FINALLY ENGINE REMOVED PLACED ON MOUNT AND AS A RESULT ENGINE KNOCKS AT START UP. BROUGHT TWICE TO DEALER, CLAIM IT IS NORMAL CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. STILL UNDER WARRANTY.
THE TIRES WERE PRORATED AND REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 185/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 185/65R15 )
IGNITION SWITCH IS TOO CLOSE TO ENGINE BLOCK WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO COMPLETLEY SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ACCELERATOR CAUSES CAR TO SURGE FORWARD OR BACKWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, DEPENDING ON GEAR. HAPPENS 9 TIMES OUT OF 10. HAVE LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE THREE TIMES ON ICE THIS WINTER, AND HAD REPEATED CLOSE CALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN REVERSING. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER WHERE BOUGHT, AND TOLD IT IS MODEL DEFECT AND NOT FIXABLE. NOTE ON…
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ACCELERATOR CAUSES CAR TO SURGE FORWARD OR BACKWARD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, DEPENDING ON GEAR. HAPPENS 9 TIMES OUT OF 10. HAVE LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE THREE TIMES ON ICE THIS WINTER, AND HAD REPEATED CLOSE CALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN REVERSING. TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER WHERE BOUGHT, AND TOLD IT IS MODEL DEFECT AND NOT FIXABLE. NOTE ONE SIMILAR IN YOUR RECORDS, SEE: ODI ID:854752. *AK
VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION AT A STOP SIGN AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS COMING UP A HILL, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES.*AK *SLC
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.