2002 Ford Escort

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Ford Escort are lower than the model-year median of 101.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

33Owner complaints

Model-year median: 101

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2002 Ford Escort

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 33 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 11 reports
Power Train: 5 reports
Suspension: 4 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 3 reports
Steering: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Escort years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

11 Power Train

5 Suspension

4 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

3 Steering

All reported categories

1 Vehicle Speed Control

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 18 of 33 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Suspension. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

11 reports

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Mileage unknown · May 27, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

Read full complaint

THE STEERING WHEEL/COLUMN SHAKES AND VIBRATES. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL, IT IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS RUBBER MOTOR MOUNTS, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES AND NOTHING HAS BEEN FIXED. I FEEL THAT I WAS MISLEAD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. WHEN I MENTIONED THE SHAKING STEERING WHEEL TO THE SALESMAN, HE DIDN'T SAY IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF CAR, HE SAID WE WILL FIX IT. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR FOR $17720.00 IF I HAD KNOWN THAT IT WOULD DO THAT ALL THE TIME. I WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT MONEY AND BOUGHT A BETTER CAR OR KEPT THE ONE I TRADED IN.*AK

NHTSA ODI #762308

Recall campaigns

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 ↗

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.