Worst years for a Ford Escort
Owners have filed 5,050 complaints about the Ford Escort with NHTSA across model years 1981 to 2003. More of them are about the electrical system than anything else.
Every Ford Escort year, graded
The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.
| Year | Grade | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Median miles | Most reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | C | 13 | 1 | 0 | 23,600 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2002 | C | 41 | 6 | 1 | 51,600 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2001 | C | 85 | 17 | 4 | 40,300 | Engine & Cooling |
| 2000 | C | 128 | 31 | 2 | 50,800 | Engine & Cooling |
| 1999 | D | 413 | 99 | 14 | 70,000 | Airbags |
| 1998 | D | 470 | 102 | 17 | 76,100 | Airbags |
| 1997 | F | 729 | 78 | 133 | 80,000 | Airbags |
| 1996 | C | 257 | 30 | 11 | 87,767 | Seat Belts |
| 1995 | F | 725 | 106 | 27 | 99,500 | Seat Belts |
| 1994 | C | 351 | 65 | 18 | 80,180 | Seat Belts |
| 1993 | D | 480 | 37 | 17 | 48,000 | Seat Belts |
| 1992 | — | 222 | 7 | 20 | 106,619 | Electrical System |
| 1991 | — | 413 | 22 | 70 | 128,375 | Electrical System |
| 1990 | — | 128 | 8 | 49 | — | Electrical System |
| 1989 | — | 199 | 9 | 86 | 100,000 | Electrical System |
| 1988 | — | 206 | 6 | 66 | — | Electrical System |
| 1987 | — | 65 | 1 | 31 | — | Electrical System |
| 1986 | — | 53 | 3 | 20 | — | Electrical System |
| 1985 | — | 31 | 1 | 10 | — | Electrical System |
| 1984 | — | 27 | 0 | 9 | — | Electrical System |
| 1983 | — | 7 | 0 | 2 | — | Electrical System |
| 1982 | — | 5 | 0 | 3 | — | Electrical System |
| 1981 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | Seats |
What breaks on a Ford Escort
Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.
Exactly what failed on a Ford Escort
The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.
Complaints filed over time
Every complaint about every Ford Escort, by the month it reached NHTSA.
Ford Escort problems by state
Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.
Compare the Ford Escort
Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.