Vehicle Data Hub

Ford Escort by model year

4,455 owner complaints are on file with NHTSA for the Ford Escort across 14 model years. Choose a year for problems, recalls, fuel economy and crash ratings in one place.

See the best and worst years for the Ford Escort

Complaints by model year

Total NHTSA complaints by model year, Ford Escort 0 375 750 1990: 128 '90 1991: 413 '91 1992: 222 '92 1993: 480 '93 1994: 351 '94 1995: 725 '95 1996: 257 '96 1997: 729 '97 1998: 470 '98 1999: 413 '99 2000: 128 '00 2001: 85 '01 2002: 41 '02 2003: 13 '03
Older model years have had longer to collect complaints, so a taller bar on an older year is not necessarily a worse year. The best and worst years page corrects for this.
View the numbers
Model yearComplaints
1990128
1991413
1992222
1993480
1994351
1995725
1996257
1997729
1998470
1999413
2000128
200185
200241
200313

All model years

Model yearComplaintsMost reportedRecallsMPGSafety
2003 13 25
2002 41 Engine (27%) 25 to 26
2001 85 Engine (14%) 25 to 26
2000 128 Engine (18%) 1 25 to 27
1999 413 Air bags (17%) 1 25 to 28
1998 470 Air bags (16%) 25 to 28
1997 729 Air bags (21%) 1 26 to 28
1996 257 Seat belts (31%) 22 to 30
1995 725 Seat belts (22%) 4 22 to 29
1994 351 Seat belts (23%) 1 23 to 29
1993 480 Seat belts (23%) 1 23 to 30
1992 222 Electrical system (20%) 2 23 to 30
1991 413 Electrical system (30%) 3 23 to 30
1990 128 Electrical system (45%) 2 24 to 32