IllustrationWHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED IT GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, IT SLOWS TO A STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *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 reportsVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT BY HITTING A SNOW DRAFT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND INTO A DITCH AND STRIKE A CONCRETE BARRIER UPON IMPACT, SEAT BELT AND AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHILE TRAVELING AT 20MPH BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING OVER 60MPH. BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS FAILE D TO OPERATE PROPERLY, AND THEY WERE THROWN TO THE BACKSEAT OF VEHICLE .VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS ONE FATALITY, AND ONE INJURY. *AK
WHEN DRIVING DOWN ROAD, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AND MAKING A STOP, VEHICLE VIBRATES REAL BADLY. IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS ABOUT TO STALL OUT. CONTACTED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE THIRD TIME. THEY SAID THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT IS TOO TIGHT AND KEEPS MOVING UPWARD TO THE NECK. YH
WHILE SWITCHING LANES A CAR FROM THE BACK TAPPED BUMPER AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. CAR HIT GUARDRAIL STRIGHT ON AT ABOUT 50 MPH, AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR FRONT END CRASH, A FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE LEFT HEADLAMP, AND ENGULFED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED FROM THE FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. REPORT GIVEN BY JULIE GOOD, INSURANCE CLAIM REPRESENTATIVE. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO REVERSE. WHEN IT DOES ENGAGE IT WILL ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TMES, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY SHATTERED AFTER BEING UNDER LOAD IN FRONT END COLLISION. *AK
THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE INTO REVERSE. WHEN IT DOES ENGAGE IT ACCELERATES SUDDENLY . DEALER HAS INSPECED AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. *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.