RoadVitals

1998 Ford Escort Interior & seats Problems

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

Data refreshed

Interior & seats 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.
12
Latest Sep 21, 2004
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.
3%
of 375 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.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8

What this page shows

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Escort submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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 interior

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

Interior & seats
Filed Sep 21, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH A COMPUTER CHIP FELL FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. AND THEN THE FUEL GAS GAUGE SYSTEM INDICATOR STOPPED WORKING. *AK *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10089438
Incident
Aug 11, 2004
Interior & seats
Filed Jul 14, 2004

SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD AND CANNOT GET CAR OUT OF PARK.ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEMS?*AK

NHTSA ID
10081053
Incident
Jul 13, 2004
Interior & seats
Filed May 6, 2002

FRAME BROKE FROM UNDER PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT. CAN'T MOVE SEAT UP OR BACKWARDS. FRAME RUSTED OUT FROM UNDER SEAT. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
8009254
Interior & seats
Filed Apr 23, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A MOVING TRUCK (LIKE A RYDER TRUCK) WHO WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN HE HIT ME. I WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP. THE PROBLEM THAT I AM ASKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE THIS REPORTED, IS THAT MY SEAT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT, BROKE AND TWISTED ON IMPACT. AFTER THE IMPACT THE SEAT WAS LEFT BENT BACKWARDS AND TWISTED TO THE RIGHT CONSISTENT WITH MY INJURIES. I GUESS WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW IS, SHOULD THE SEAT HAVE DONE THAT AT THAT IMPACT SPEED WITH A WOMAN SITTING IN THE SEAT THAT IS 5' 5" AND WEIGHT 140 LBS? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION OR IF THIS IS EVEN THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK BUT I JUST THOUGHT THAT I WOULD TRY. THANKS FOR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE ME.*AK

NHTSA ID
744421
Incident
Feb 2, 2001
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Nov 13, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

CAR "TOTALED" IN REAR-END WRECK. PASSENGER SEATBACK COLLAPSED WHEN HIT FROM REAR, HARD CONTACT WITH 3-POINT SEAT BELTS WHEN THROWN FORWARD WHEN CAR CRASHED INTO VEHICLE STOPPED IN FRONT. GOT RIDE TO HOSPITAL IN AMBULANCE! DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK DID NOT COLLAPSE, DRIVER OKAY.

NHTSA ID
736255
Incident
Nov 12, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Aug 27, 2000

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
729289
Incident
Aug 26, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Mar 27, 2000

WHILE TRAVELING AT 69MPH HOOD ATTEMPTED TO POP & WAS CAUGHT BY A SECONDARY LATCH. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE LATCH, AND IT WOULD NOT RELEASE BY PULLING CABLE. BUT COULD PULL IT UP BY HAND. DEALER WILL REPAIR HOOD AT CONSUMER'S COST & DEDUCTIBLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
859258
Incident
Mar 24, 2000
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 24, 2000
Crash reported3 injuries reported1 death reported

THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A REAR END ACCIDENT WERE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BECAME TOTALLY DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH AND WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
857479
Incident
Nov 27, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 7, 2000
1 injury reported

TRUNK DID NOT STAY OPEN. IT HAS FALLEN ON CONSUMER, CAUSING HEAD INJURIES. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
856408
EngineInterior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

ENGINE TIMING IS MISSING, SLIGHT HESITATION. MGM

NHTSA ID
607652
Incident
Feb 1, 1999
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA ID
605995
Incident
Nov 15, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed May 29, 1998
1 injury reported

DURING REAR IMPACT AT 20 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAME BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO GO OFF SEAT TRACK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
823766

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

Airbags75Engine50Suspension50Electrical42Transmission39Brakes35Fuel system23Seat belts21Visibility17Steering17Body & structure14Driver assistance14Heating & air conditioning8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .