Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

68 reports

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2002

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

Read full complaint

I WAS STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I SLOWED DOWN AND WAS COASTING TO THE LIGHT. WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE IT MADE A LOUD NOISE AND DIDNT STOP. I PUT MY LEFT FOOT ON TOP OF MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PRESSED DOWN AS HARD AS I COULD. IT STILL WOULDNT STOP. I FINALLY MANAGED TO GET IT INTO PARK. IT STOPPED THE CAR INCHES AWAY FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER THE LIGHT CHANGED, I SAT THERE NOT ABLE TO MOVE. FINALLY I HAD TO. I MOVED A LITTLE TESTED THE BRAKES AND THEY WORKED. I WENT TO THE NEXT LIGHT TURNED OFF AND WENT SHOPPING TO CALM DOWN BEFORE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME. I WAS GOING TO TAKE THE CAR IN ON MON 8/12/2002 TO HAVE IT CHECKED. I WENT TO MY DRS OFFICE FIRST. I DIDNT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE GAS. I HAD BRAKED THE CAR TO SLOW IT DOWN. WHEN I PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKE THAT SOUND STARTED AGAIN THE CAR ROARED AND GOT FASTER. I WAS TRYING TO PUSH IT INTO GEAR, BUT IT HIT BEFORE I COULD DO IT. I REVERSED IT GOT OFF THE WALL. THE BRAKES WORKED FINE. THE AIR BAG DIDNT OPEN UP THE FRONT IS BADLY DAMAGED THE DEALER COULD GIVE AN ESTIMATE AT LEAST 2000 BUT IT WILL BE MORE. THEY COULDNT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THAT IS SCARY, THEY ARE GOING TO FIX THE BODY BUT IT WILL BE LIKE A DEATH TRAP NOT KNOWING WHEN THE BRAKES MIGHT FAIL. I WAS IN THAT CAR BOTH TIMES. I WAS NOT IN A HURRY; EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL THAT NOISE STARTED. I WAS NOT GOING FAST BOTH TIMES THAT IT HAPPENED THE CAR WAS COASTING I HAD BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN. THEN THAT LOUD SOUND AND THE CAR JUST TOOK OVER REFUSING TO STOP. I WAS THERE AND I SCARED ME BADLY. I WAS THERE AND I SCARED ME BADLY. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO SOME ONE ELSE???*AK

NHTSA ODI #765731

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002

Electrical SystemSteeringSuspension

NO DESCRIPTION.*JB

NHTSA ODI #764736

Mileage unknown · Apr 19, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MPH THE VEHICLES ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSUEMR STATES THAT THE POWER STEERING, AND BRAKES WERE REALLY HARD TO OPERATE. NLM

NHTSA ODI #8008054

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2002

Suspension

THERE IS CONSTANT VIBRATION IN FRONT END OF VEHICLE, ANY TIME ANY SPEED. TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, CANNOT BE REMEDIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8006740

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2002

Visibility

CONSUMER STATES A SHORT TIME AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, THERE WAS A STRONG HEATED METAL ODOR WHEN THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON, THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS POSSIBLY MILDEW PRESENT IN THE VENTING SYSTEM, AND THEY SPRAYED IT WITH AIR FRESHNER, HOWEVER THE ODOR ALTHOUGH NOT AS STRONG IS STILL PRESENT.*JG

NHTSA ODI #564658

Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2002

Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND UPON LETTING UP ON BRAKES THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS THE NATURE OF THE VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER CONSUMER ADDS THAT SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT IDLE DOWN WHEN NOT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. *AK *TT

NHTSA ODI #8005501

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2001

SteeringCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH STEERING FAILED, VEHICLE HIT GUARDRAIL. *AK CONSUMER IS AWAITING FOR FORD INSPECTOR TO INSPECT VEHICLE, HOWEVER NO RESPONSE FROM HOME OFFICE AS OF YET, CONSUMER STATES POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH RACK AND PINION, ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. *TT

NHTSA ODI #8001209

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2001

Vehicle Speed Control

A MOMENTARY/ INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH INVOLUNTARY ENGINE ACCELERATION OF A RENTAL VEHICLE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. ENTERPRISE RENTAL IN EAST BRUNSWICK NJ-7322540200.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #899245

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 2001

Vehicle Speed Control

WHILE DRIVING IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WOULD LET GO ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE WILL NOT DECELERATE, AND SPEED WILL CONTINUE. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL ON THIS MAKE/ MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #897424

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2001

Suspension

VEHICLE PULLED TO LEFT AT ALL TIMES/ ANY SPEED. DEALER DID WHEEL ALIGNMENT, NOT REMEDY. SECOND DEALER CHECKED WHEEL ALIGNMENT TWICE,BUT DID NOT REMEDY. FINALLY TOLD CONSUMER HE TEST DROVE 5 ESCORT'S ON HIS LOT, ALL AUTOMATIC MODELS PULLED TO THE LEFT, STANDART MODELS DO NOT. NOTHING HE COULD DO TO REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #896522

Official recalls

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.