Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 21 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1984 Ford Escort, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and seat belts categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 6 NHTSA investigations name it; and 13 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1995 | 1 | 1 |
| Feb 1995 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 1995 | 1 | 3 |
| May 1995 | 1 | 4 |
| Jul 1995 | 1 | 5 |
| Feb 1996 | 1 | 6 |
| Mar 1996 | 1 | 7 |
| Apr 1996 | 4 | 11 |
| May 1996 | 3 | 14 |
| Jul 1996 | 1 | 15 |
| Oct 1997 | 1 | 16 |
| Sep 2001 | 2 | 18 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 19 |
| Feb 2003 | 1 | 20 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 21 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
3 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
REAR SAFETY BELT FIT
===
REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE
REAR SEAT BELT COMPLIANCE
STALLING
NO SAFETY DEFECT TREND HAS BEEN DETECTED.===
FIRES
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:THE ALLEGED FIRES RESULT FROMA VARIETY OF CAUSES.FIRE RATE REMAINS ABOUT THE SAME DESPITE MAJORCHANGES WITH 85-1/2 MODELS.IT BELIEVES THAT THE FIRE RATE IS LESS THANINDUSTRY AVERAGE.MFGR REQUEST COPIES OF SPECIFIC FIRE REPORTS FOR TRENDANALYSIS.ANALYSIS:SEVERAL AREAS OF FIRE ORIGIN ARE MENTIONED.ENGINE FIRESALLEGEDLY CAUSED BY LEAKAGE OF FLAMMABLE FLUIDS (OIL, GAS, TRANS FLUID).CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FREQUENTLY CITED AS OVERHEATING.CERTAIN MODELSARE REPORTED AT A GREATER FREQUENCY.EXP TURBO REPORTED MOST OFTEN ON APER UNIT BASIS.STATUS: IR SENT 2/19/88. AWAITING RESPONSE.===
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED THERE WAS A DELAY IN ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER HAD TO SLAM ON THE GAS PEDAL TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE CARBONATED UP. *NLM
THE SEAT BELT BROKE, THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE ISSUE, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NEVER INFORMED.*JB
VACUUM PUMP (BRAKES) HOUSING IS BROKEN AND PUMP DOES NOT WORK. CONTACTED FORD IN SEPT 2001 BUT HAVE HAD NO SUCCESS IN THEM HELPING TO LOCATE THIS PART. NO SALVAGE YARD OR AUTO PARTS STORE HAS IT. CAR IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION BUT IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH BRAKES IN THIS CONDITION.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT JUST STOPPED RUNNING WITHOUTWARNING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED IT WAS THE IGNITION. WHEN THE TFI OVERHEATED IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP RUNNING. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT CONNECT. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE AND WILL NOT GO UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA RECALL# 09V095000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 89S66. CONSUMER GOT A RECALL NOTICE ON VEHICLE, AND DEALER DIDN'T HAVE PARTS. ALSO, DEALER WILL PUT ANOTHER ENGINE IN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER HAD TO PAY 1300.00 OUT OF POCKET FOR EXHAUST THAT GOES WITH ENGINE.*AK
RECALL 89V095000; ENGINE GASKETS; WHEN THE RECALL WAS ISSUED GILBERT TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO KENDALL MOTORS. KENDALL MOTORS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND THER WAS NO PROBLEM. NOW THER IS A LEAKAGE COMING AND CAUSED BY THE RECALLED PART AND KENDALL MOTORS WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *AK
ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK *SLC
VEHICLE FIRE. *DH
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE CORROSION AT THE TERMINALS. *YC
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC
TIRES
INFORMATION ON TIRE COMPANY TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE. *YC
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A NEW SILICONE GASKET AND SEALANT. *YC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
THE USE OF PETROLEUM-BASED GREASE AS A LUBRICANT IN SERVICING DISC BRAKES IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE. *YC
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 37.7 |
| 2002 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 43.4 |
| 2001 | 68 | 1 | 0 | 47.6 |
| 2000 | 98 | 2 | 0 | 54.2 |
| 1999 | 325 | 2 | 1 | 61.5 |
| 1998 | 375 | 1 | 1 | 55.2 |
| 1997 | 543 | 2 | 2 | 65.3 |
| 1996 | 205 | 1 | 0 | 47.7 |
| 1995 | 576 | 5 | 1 | 61.0 |
| 1994 | 279 | 2 | 0 | 56.7 |
| 1993 | 379 | 3 | 1 | 59.1 |
| 1992 | 162 | 3 | 1 | 59.4 |
| 1991 | 327 | 4 | 6 | 69.4 |
| 1990 | 101 | 2 | 3 | 70.2 |
| 1989 | 152 | 1 | 2 | 62.7 |
| 1988 | 143 | 2 | 5 | 71.7 |
| 1987 | 56 | 3 | 7 | 75.1 |
| 1986 | 45 | 2 | 7 | 73.2 |
| 1985 | 26 | 3 | 9 | 73.4 |
| 1984Viewing | 21 | 3 | 6 | 73.8 |
| 1983 | 7 | 5 | 3 | — |
| 1982 | 4 | 5 | 5 | — |
| 1981 | 1 | 10 | 4 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.