Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 143 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1988 Ford Escort, most frequently naming the electrical, engine and seat belts categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 5 NHTSA investigations name it; and 25 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 | 5 | 5 |
| Feb 1995 | 2 | 7 |
| Mar 1995 | 4 | 11 |
| Apr 1995 | 2 | 13 |
| May 1995 | 2 | 15 |
| Jun 1995 | 4 | 19 |
| Jul 1995 | 1 | 20 |
| Aug 1995 | 1 | 21 |
| Sep 1995 | 2 | 23 |
| Oct 1995 | 1 | 24 |
| Nov 1995 | 5 | 29 |
| Jan 1996 | 2 | 31 |
| Feb 1996 | 3 | 34 |
| Mar 1996 | 2 | 36 |
| Apr 1996 | 13 | 49 |
| May 1996 | 4 | 53 |
| Jun 1996 | 4 | 57 |
| Jul 1996 | 10 | 67 |
| Aug 1996 | 9 | 76 |
| Sep 1996 | 4 | 80 |
| Oct 1996 | 8 | 88 |
| Dec 1996 | 1 | 89 |
| Jan 1997 | 6 | 95 |
| Feb 1997 | 3 | 98 |
| Mar 1997 | 1 | 99 |
| Apr 1997 | 1 | 100 |
| May 1997 | 3 | 103 |
| Aug 1997 | 1 | 104 |
| Sep 1997 | 3 | 107 |
| Nov 1997 | 1 | 108 |
| Jan 1998 | 1 | 109 |
| Feb 1998 | 2 | 111 |
| Mar 1998 | 1 | 112 |
| Apr 1998 | 1 | 113 |
| May 1998 | 1 | 114 |
| Jul 1998 | 1 | 115 |
| Sep 1998 | 1 | 116 |
| Nov 1998 | 1 | 117 |
| Dec 1998 | 3 | 120 |
| Feb 1999 | 1 | 121 |
| Mar 1999 | 1 | 122 |
| May 1999 | 2 | 124 |
| Jan 2000 | 1 | 125 |
| Feb 2000 | 2 | 127 |
| Sep 2000 | 2 | 129 |
| Oct 2000 | 4 | 133 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 134 |
| Dec 2000 | 1 | 135 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 136 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 137 |
| Jun 2001 | 1 | 138 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 139 |
| Oct 2001 | 1 | 140 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 141 |
| Apr 2002 | 1 | 142 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 143 |
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.
2 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.govELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
SAFETY BELT D-RING
There is no summary currently available
FAILED PASSIVE RESTRAINT
WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS WHICH ALLEGE A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.ADDITIONAL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO RESTRAIN/ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE OCCUPANT DURING AN ACCIDENT
PASSIVE BELT FAILURE
===
REAR SAFETY BELT FIT
===
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
CAR HAS BEEN STALLING REGARDLESS OF SPEED. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. MECHANIC HAS (SO FAR) IDENTIFIED BAD HEAD GASKET. I AM SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS ONLY 67,000 MILES ON IT. VERY FEW MILES FOR AN EXPENSIVE HEAD GASKET REPAIR!! *JB
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE HAVING VEHICLES OIL CHANGED THE MECHANIC NOTICED HIM THE LOWER ARM SHAFT WAS RUSTED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. NLM
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED, HAS STALLED 4 TIMES. INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED IGNITION MODULE 4 TIMES.*AK *JB
WHILE TRAVELING, VEHICLE BOUNCED TO LEFT OR TO RIGHT DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR OF TIRES. *AK FRONT END CAN NOT BE ALIGNED PROPERLY TO SPECIFICATION PER DEALER. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE 4 DIFFERENT TIMES. *SLC
KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE BEGAN - DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED NOISE PROBABLY DUE TO BENT ROD. KNOCK SEEMS TO LESSEN DURING COLD WEATHER AND WHEN OIL IS SERVICED. WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP INTERMITTENTLY DURING OPERATION. REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR - PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY TIME AND ANY SPEED.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
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
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONCERNS WITH PREMATURE FAILURE OCCURING ON THE 1.9L MOTORCRAFT REMANUFACTURED LONGBLOCK ASSEMBLY AND SHORTBLOCK ASSEMBLY DUE TO INGESTION OF FOREIGN OBJECTS REMAINING IN THE TRANSFERRED INTAKE SYSTEM FROM THE ORIGINAL FAILED ENGINE. *JB
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
INFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY, AND PERFORMANCE CONCERNS IF INSTALLED IN FORD A/C SYSTEMS. *TT
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 |
| 1988Viewing | 143 | 2 | 5 | 71.7 |
| 1987 | 56 | 3 | 7 | 75.1 |
| 1986 | 45 | 2 | 7 | 73.2 |
| 1985 | 26 | 3 | 9 | 73.4 |
| 1984 | 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.