Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
26
Latest Jul 30, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
10
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 6, 1995
What this page shows
Our database holds 26 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1985 Ford Escort. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–25 of 26 · page 1 of 2
Engine
Filed Jul 30, 2002
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED PROBLEM WITH IGNITION MODULE. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ALSO VEHICLE EMITS FUMES THAT SMELL LIKE ACETONE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO PURCHASE NEW IGNITION MODULE FOR FEAR THAT VEHICLE MAY CATCH ON FIRE.*AK EXHAUST, IGNITION SWITCH, ALTERNATOR, VOLT REGULATOR, IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL REPLACED HOWEVER FUMES WERE STILL PROMINENT. *TT
NHTSA ID
8015102
Incident
Jul 1, 2002
Mileage
75,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 22, 2002
PUT A STOP TO HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLIGHTS: WHEN AN SUV WITH THOSE LIGHTS COMES UP BEHINE ME, EVEN A FLIPPED DOWN REARVIEW MIRROR DOES NOT PROTECT ME. *AK
NHTSA ID
764545
BrakesElectricalSeat belts+1 more
Filed May 14, 2001
SEAT BELT LATCH INCORPORATES A PLASTIC SPACER WHICH HOLDS METAL BAR IN POSITION, THE METAL BAR HOLDS THE SEAT BELT WEBBING IN PLACE, THE PLASTIC HAS BECOME BRITTLE AND NO LONGER HOLDS THE BAR IN POSITION, ALLOWING THE SEAT BELT NOT TO STAY FASTENED, CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SELL PLASTIC PART, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE HIM TO PURCHASE AN ENTIRE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *JB
NHTSA ID
561204
Electrical
Filed Feb 8, 2001
DRIVING AT ROAD SPEED AND CAR STALLS OUT 'IT WILL ONLY START AFTER THE CAR SETS FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES THIS HAS HAPPEND SEVERAL TIMES. *AK
NHTSA ID
740631
Incident
Jul 15, 2000
Engine
Filed Jun 3, 2000
CONSTANT OIL LEAK ONTO THE MANIFOLD WHICH REQUIRES ME TO USE A HEAVIER OIL SO IT WONT RUN OUT. OIL LEAKING ON MANY AREA'S OF THE ENGINE WHICH CAN POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS BEING DONE REGARDING THE OIL LEAK PROBLEM RECALL AND WHERE DO I GO TO GET IT CORRECTED. *AK
NHTSA ID
723533
Seat belts
Filed Nov 25, 1999
A PLASTIC PART INSIDE OF THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BECOME BRITTLE, REDUCING THE STRENGTH OF THE SEAT BELT. EVEN THOUGH IT LATCHED NORMALLY, MY BELT BUCKLE FELL APART AS I WAS DRIVING. I EXAMINED THE SAME PLASTIC PART ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE SEATBELT, (WHICH HAS ALMOST NEVER BEEN USED), AND FOUND THAT IT WAS BRITTLE AND FALLING APART AS WELL. THIS PLASTIC PART HOLDS IN POSITION A METAL BAR, AROUND WHICH THE SEAT-BELT WEBBING WRAPS. THE PLASTIC BECOMES BRITTLE WITH AGE, AND CAN ALLOW THE METAL BAR TO FALL OUT OF THE BUCKLE, RELEASING THE SEAT BELT. THIS BELT DESIGN IS IN MILLIONS OF FORD VEHICLES ON THE ROAD TODAY, ALL OF WHICH MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO SEAT-BELT FAILURE IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DETERIORATING PLASTIC PART. FRANKLY, IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SEAT BELTS IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC. EVEN WORSE, IT IS A PLASTIC THAT DISINTEGRATES WITH AGE.
NHTSA ID
715241
Incident
Oct 15, 1999
Transmission
Filed Dec 24, 1998
VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE IN PARK AND RUNNING. THIS CONDITION DAMAGES VEHICLE. DEALER/MFR. NOT NOTIFED AT THIS TIME. *AK
NHTSA ID
832666
Incident
Dec 23, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 11, 1997
SEAT FRAME AND SLIDE RAIL SUPPORTS CRACKED. (SECOND VEHICLE FROM 514712)
NHTSA ID
602876
Fuel system
Filed Oct 22, 1996
ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTOR FAILED.
NHTSA ID
510468
Incident
Jan 25, 1995
Electrical
Filed Sep 4, 1996
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
NHTSA ID
508204
Incident
Apr 15, 1996
Airbags
Filed Jul 15, 1996
Crash reported4 injuries reported
WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED 60MPH IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, DRIVER AND PASSENGER LAP/SHOULDER BELTS FAILED,IMPACT 12:00 POSITIONS , DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
NHTSA ID
986849
Incident
Jul 6, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jun 12, 1996
Fire reported
FIRE STARTED IN THE IGNITION COLUMN, TOTALLY BURNED. *AK
NHTSA ID
985580
Incident
Jun 11, 1996
Engine
Filed May 17, 1996
Fire reported
ENGINE LOST POWER, CAUGHT FIRE. *DH
NHTSA ID
504663
Incident
May 1, 1996
Fuel system
Filed May 17, 1996
GAS GAUGE INOPERATIVE. *SD
NHTSA ID
504454
Incident
Dec 1, 1987
Electrical
Filed May 9, 1996
Fire reported
IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH
NHTSA ID
504259
Incident
Jan 1, 1991
Electrical
Filed May 8, 1996
Fire reported
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS. *AK
NHTSA ID
984262
Incident
Feb 3, 1992
Electrical
Filed May 3, 1996
Fire reported
VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA ID
503874
Incident
Feb 12, 1996
Transmission
Filed Apr 17, 1996
AFTER A HEAVY RAIN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OR GO OVER 50MPH AND THERE IS NO POWER. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
NHTSA ID
982854
Incident
Apr 12, 1996
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Feb 13, 1996
Fire reported
EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDERHOOD. *TT CONSUMER STATES FIRE STARTED IN THE VEHICLE DASHBOARD AND STEERING WHEEL,VEHICLE ALSO STARTED BY ITSELF.*JB
NHTSA ID
979180
Incident
Feb 12, 1996
Electrical
Filed Feb 12, 1996
FAILURE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH BAD SMELL FROM THE IGNITION. TT
NHTSA ID
979070
Incident
Oct 9, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Feb 12, 1996
Fire reported
THE OWNER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE NOTICED THAT BURNING SMELL AND DRIVER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD AND SMOKE AND FIRE WAS EVERYWHERE. TT
NHTSA ID
979008
Fuel system
Filed Dec 14, 1995
Fire reported
WHILE DRIVING AUTO, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET HELP AND LOOKED BACK THE AUTO WENT IN FLAMES. TT
NHTSA ID
976562
Seat belts
Filed Jul 20, 1995
LAP/SHOULDER BUCKLE FELL APART ON DRIVER SIDE, ALSO THE PASSENGER IS EXPERIENCE PROBLEM. TT
NHTSA ID
969157
Incident
Jul 1, 1995
Engine
Filed Mar 1, 1995
Fire reported
ENGINE FIRE. *SKD
NHTSA ID
481864
Incident
Feb 6, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jan 9, 1995
DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON WINDSHIELD, IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. *AK
NHTSA ID
476885
Incident
Jan 9, 1995
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.
Narrow this down by component
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own