RoadVitals

1991 Ford Escort Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints 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.
17
Latest Jun 28, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 327 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jun 28, 2005

DT: 1991, FORD, ESCORT HATCHBACK. CONSUMER'S WIFE CAME HOME YESTERDAY, AND SAID SHE SMELLED SMOKE. CONSUMER CHECKED VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THAT THIRD BRAKE LIGHT LOCATED AT TOP OF REAR WINDOW SMOKED WHEN BRAKE WAS PRESSED. CONSUMER TOOK LIGHT APART, AND FOUND SAME PART AT A JUNK YARD. CONSUMER REPLACED HEAT SHIELD AND HALOGEN BULB WITH ONE FROM JUNK YARD. CONSUMER CALLED FORD AND GAVE FORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT. FORD TOLD CONSUMER THERE WERE NO RECALLS, BUT THEY WERE GOING TO TURN IT IN TO ENGINEERING. CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT A LOWER WATT, COOLER BULB WOULD KEEP LIGHT FROM CAUSING FIRE.*AK BULB HOUSING HAD HOLE MELTED THROUGH IT. REPLACED HOUSING WITH GOOD HEAT SHIELD (ORIGINAL HEAT SHIELD HAD BURNED OFF CAUSING THE PROBLEM).*SB

NHTSA ID
10125284
Incident
Jun 13, 2005
Mileage
90,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Aug 19, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported1 death reported

FATALITY INVOLVING 1991 FORD ESCORT. *MR THE CONSUMERS AUNT WAS DRIVING AND WAS SEVERELY INJURED AND THE CONSUMERS MOTHER WAS KILLED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED OR CORRECTED FOR THE PROBLEM. (INSPECT THE BOLT LENGTH BEFORE DRIVEN OR DEMONSTRATED OR DELIVERED THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED) THIS WAS THE CONSUMER'S AUNT'S FIRST ACCIDENT UNTIL THE PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR. THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS POSSIBLY DEFECTIVE. RECALL# 90V076000 *SC THERE WAS ALSO A LEAKAGE PRESENT AT THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER UPON INSPECTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10089429
Incident
Dec 14, 2002
BrakesHeating & air conditioningEngine+1 more
Filed Sep 13, 2000

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
555379
Incident
Jul 17, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jul 28, 1999
Crash reported

UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
843657
Brakes
Filed Jan 28, 1999

REAR BRAKE LIGHT GETS HOT, CAUSING THE PLASTIC COVER TO DRIP ALL OVER PASSENGER'S IN THE REAR. ALSO, THERE IS AN ODOR WITHIN THE VEHICLE, AND SMOKE IS COMING FROM THE LIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID
834166
Incident
Dec 29, 1998
Brakes
Filed Jul 30, 1998

LOCATION OF FUEL LINE WHICH IS NEAR SWAY BAR AREA ON VEHICLE CAUSES FUEL LINES TO DEVELOP PIN HOLES, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID
826101
BrakesEngine
Filed Jun 8, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, SMOKE COMES FROM THE THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT. DEALER FOUND AN OIL PAN GASKET LEAK, AND STATED THAT THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. DEALER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. OWNER STILL EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUING TO SMOKE. OWNER HAS DISCONNECTED THE BRAKE LIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID
824035
Incident
Jun 3, 1998
Brakes
Filed Jul 14, 1997

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT WIRES/BULBS ARE CORRODED, PLASTIC CASING GOING AROUND LIGHT FIXTURE MELTED, NOT CHECKED BY DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
814158
Incident
May 15, 1997
Brakes
Filed Oct 15, 1996
Fire reported

BULB IN PLASTIC HOUSING OF HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT CAUGHT FIRE.

NHTSA ID
509917
Incident
Oct 10, 1996
Brakes
Filed Aug 15, 1996

THIRD (3RD) LIGHT STARTED SMOKING, CASING AROUND LIGHT COMPLETELY MELTED, WHOLE BRAKE LIGHT/CASING REMOVED. *AK

NHTSA ID
987349
Incident
Jun 15, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jul 12, 1996

THERE IS LOUD THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS, MOSTLY THE RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
986812
Incident
Dec 15, 1995
Brakes
Filed May 17, 1996

REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT, 3 THIRD LIGHT, LAMP WHEN OVER HEATED MELTED FROM THE BOLT. *AK

NHTSA ID
984593
Incident
May 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 1995
Crash reported

BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED EXPERIENCE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED UNKNOWN. TT

NHTSA ID
973963
Incident
Aug 15, 1995
Brakes
Filed Jun 20, 1995

THIRD BRAKE LIGHT MELTED DOWN AROUND THE BULB, RELEASING SMOKE INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
967343
Incident
Jun 16, 1995
Brakes
Filed Jun 15, 1995

EA95-016 ACTIVE, ABS BRAKE FAILS, LEAKS FLUID OUT RESERVOIR. TT

NHTSA ID
966967
Incident
May 1, 1995
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 20, 1995
1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROX 15MPH, SUDDENLY ENGINE SURGED THEN ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, BRAKES SEEMED INEFFECTIVE. TT

NHTSA ID
964101
Brakes
Filed Mar 2, 1995

ABS ANTI-LOCK KEEP ON FAILING. TT

NHTSA ID
960909
Incident
May 1, 1992

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .