Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Ford ZX2 (escort), most frequently naming the engine, body & structure and driver assistance categories. 58 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2000 | 1 | 1 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 2003 | 2 | 4 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 5 |
| Jul 2005 | 1 | 6 |
| Jul 2008 | 1 | 7 |
| Dec 2011 | 1 | 8 |
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.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
THE PLASTIC COVER ON THE SEAT-BACK RELEASE HANDLE ( PASSENGER SIDE) OF MY 1998 FORD ESCORT ZX2 HAS BECOME BROKEN AND WILL POP OFF WHEN THE SEAT BACK IS RELEASED. AS A RESULT, ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20TH, I SEVERELY LACERATED MY FINGER ON THE SHARP METAL LEVER INSIDE THE PLASTIC COVER WHILE RELEASING THE SEAT BACK. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. *TR
A STALLED SUBURBAN IN THE #1 LANE AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL BECAME VISIBLE WHEN THE VAN DIRECTLY AHEAD OF ME SWERVED AT THE LAST MOMENT. I HIT THE BRAKES BUT HIT THE SUV AND TOTALED MY ESCORT. THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE SEATBELT CAUSED A BROKEN STERNUM, CRACKED RIBS. ALSO HAD RIGHT ARM BROKEN IN 3 PLACES WHILE BRACING FOR IMPACT. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID DEPLOY, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER. *TR
CAR MAKES HIDIOUSLY LOUD SCREECHING SOUND. MECHANICS CAN'T FIND WHERE IT IS. I REPLACED MANY PARTS BUT THE SOUND CONTINUES TO COME OUT.
CLOSE CALL: THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF AND THE CAR LOOSES POWER STEERING.*AK
I HAVE A '1998 FORD ZX2. IT'S REALLY MAKING SQUEAKING SOUND SINCE AROUND 2 YEARS AGO, I AM SURE THAT THIS IS NOT AN USUAL SQUEAKING SOUND YOU IMAGINE. I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED AT FORD DEALERSHIP AND OTHER CAR REPAIR CENTER. BEFORE INSPECTION, EVERY MECHANICIAN GUARANTEED HE COULD FIX IT. BUT AFTER LOOKING AT MY CAR, THEY JUST WONDERING WHY, AND THEY GAVE UP, AND I JUST SHOULD PAID. I TRIED TO REPLACE ALL KINDS OF BELTS AND COMPRESSA(?), BUT I JUST WASTED MY MONEY ABOUT $2,000 FOR THAT. AND THERE'S STILL LOUD SOUND OF PROBLEM. WHEN I REPORTED AT FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT MY CAR, THEY E-MAIL ME THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT WITHIN 3 BUSINESS DAY, BUT THEY DIDN'T.HE FORD IS SO "IRRESPONSIBLE". I THINK I DID EVERY THING I CAN.*AK EVERYBODY ON THE ROAD IS LAUGHING AT ME AND MY CAR, WHILE I AM DRIVING. I SHOULD SELL MY CAR NOW, BUT WHO CAN BUY THIS KIND OF BAD FORD CAR? PLEASE TELL ME WHAT SHOULD I DO. THANKS.
CONSUMER STATES WHEN ACCELERATING VEHCILE MAKES A VERY WIERD NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVINH 65 MPH PASSENGER TAPPED GEARSHIFT AND VEHICLE JUMPED FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT GEARSHIFT BUTTON BEING PUSHED. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES. *AK
DRIVER APPARENTLY LOOKED AWAY AND RAN OFF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, FLIPPED OVER AND THE DRIVRERS SIDE DOOR BECAME AJAR AND THE DRIVER WAS CRUSHED, INVESTIGATOR SAID THE DOOR SHOULD NOT HAVE COME OPEN. NLM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) MAY BE ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P1380, P1381, P1383, AND/OR P0340 MAY BE STORED IN MEMORY. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
IDLE VIBRATION ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0L SPI OR ZETEC ENGINE ONLY. *TT
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATION WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0442, P0455, P0456, P0457, P1442 OR CHECK FUEL CAP LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0457. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SOME VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLES MAY EXHIBIT A CLUNK NOISE ON INITIAL REVERSE ENGAGEMENT COLD. *TT
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE INOPERATIVE OR INCORRECT A/C OPERATION AFTER REPLACING THE CCRM. *JB
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A GRINDING NOISE WHILE BRAKING, BRAKE DRAG AND/OR UNEVEN FRONT BRAKE PAD WEAR MAY OCCUR. *MJS
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
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.