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.
8
Latest Dec 21, 2011
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.
1
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 Jul 17, 2000
What this page shows
Our database holds 8 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Ford ZX2 (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 1–8 of 8
Interior & seats
Filed Dec 21, 2011
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
NHTSA ID
10440837
Incident
Dec 20, 2011
Mileage
117,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 29, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported
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
NHTSA ID
10236229
Incident
Jul 10, 2008
Mileage
130,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 14, 2005
CAR MAKES HIDIOUSLY LOUD SCREECHING SOUND. MECHANICS CAN'T FIND WHERE IT IS. I REPLACED MANY PARTS BUT THE SOUND CONTINUES TO COME OUT.
NHTSA ID
10128790
Incident
Dec 27, 2000
Mileage
40,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 12, 2003
CLOSE CALL: THE SERPENTINE BELT SLIPS OFF AND THE CAR LOOSES POWER STEERING.*AK
NHTSA ID
10049668
Incident
Dec 3, 2003
Mileage
79,682 mi
Suspension
Filed Jul 25, 2003
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.
NHTSA ID
10029210
Incident
Jul 25, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 7, 2003
CONSUMER STATES WHEN ACCELERATING VEHCILE MAKES A VERY WIERD NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
NHTSA ID
10026684
Transmission
Filed Mar 8, 2001
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
NHTSA ID
882469
Incident
Oct 1, 1998
Body & structure
Filed Jul 17, 2000
1 death reported
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
NHTSA ID
553053
Incident
May 26, 2000
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.