IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH THE VEHICLE HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT AND DRIVER'S/PASSENGER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN THIS CRASH. THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *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 reportsPASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT GOT VERY LOOSE AFTER IMPACT. YH
WHILE SITTING AT A STOP AND MAKING A LEFT TURN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'SVEHICLE, IN WHICH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS AIR BOUND ABOUT 50 FEET, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEAT AND PASSENGER'S SEAT TO GO BACKWARDS. ALSO, SWITCH FOR THE GAS UNIT SYSTEM DIDN'T SHUT DOWN, AND THE MOTOR KEPT RUNNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN CONSUMER OFF THE ROAD AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE , AND HIT A TREE. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL LINE, WHICH WAS PARTLY PLASTIC, WAS KNOCKED LOOSE AND FUEL LEAKED ON IT, CAUSING A FIRE. CONSUMER DIDN'T CONTACT DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVIN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE,AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE VEHICLE STALLS AND VIBRATES FROM THE FRONT END. DEALER SAID PROBLEM IS COMMON.
ON-GOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING WHENEVER VEHICLE CAME DOWN TO A SLOW SPEED OR AT A STOP AND PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE BEEN IN / OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED A PARKED VEHICLE. SEAT BELT DID NOT HOLD HER BACK, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
THE VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE INTERMITTENTLY, AND WILL START UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
CONSUMER HIT A LAMP POST HEAD-ON AT 61 MPH, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *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.