Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Ford ZX2 (escort), most frequently naming the engine, airbags and transmission categories. 57 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 2000 | 1 | 1 |
| May 2000 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 3 |
| Feb 2003 | 1 | 4 |
| Jul 2003 | 2 | 6 |
| Jan 2004 | 1 | 7 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 8 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 9 |
| Jul 2005 | 1 | 10 |
| Oct 2005 | 1 | 11 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 12 |
| Aug 2012 | 1 | 13 |
| Jan 2016 | 1 | 14 |
| Nov 2016 | 1 | 15 |
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
HIT FROUT END AT AIR BAG SENCERS THAY DID NOT DEPLOYED COPPS SAID THAY SOULD OF MY FEAINCA HAS BRUISEING TO CHEST WALL AND PULLED MUSCIALS IN HIS NECK
CONTROL MODULE PROCEDURES OK. SO IF THERE IS A PROGRAMMING PROCEDURE IF IT FAILS YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO THEN TELL ME YOUR GOING TO CHARGE ME 50 DOLLARS TO TELL ME THE PROCEDURE LET ME CALM DOWN. YOUR KIDDING RIGHT. THAT IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I THINK I'VE EVER READ.YOUR AN AMERICAN COMPANY YOU OWE YOUR EXISTENCE TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC OK SO MAYBE WE SHOULD ALL TELL YOU TO TAKE YOUR [XXX] UP PRODUCT THAT YOU [XXX] AND EXPECT TO CHARGE US FOR YOUR [XXX] AND STUFF IT UP YOUR [XXX] SERIOUSLY WHAT KIND OF CRAP ARE YOU PULLING YA KNOW WHAT IM GOING TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE COMPETITORS AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU TOLD ME ON YOUR WEB SIGHT "WE DIDN'T BUILD OUR PRODUCT PROPERLY BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THE PROCEDURE TO FIX IT BUT HEY UM WERE GONNA CHARGE YA 50 BUCKS CAUSE AH YOU TRUSTED US TO BUILD A QUALITY PRODUCT AND WE DIDN'T SO GIVE US MORE MONEY TO PAY FOR OUR MISTAKE AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THE PROCEDURE OF HOW TO FIX IT CAUSE WE DON'T GIVE A [XXX] ABOUT OUR PRODUCT JUST THE MONEY YOUR FOOLISH ENOUGH TO PAY FOR IT"IM SENDING IT TO DODGE,CHEVY=MAYBE AS CONSUMERS YOU WILL BE FORCED TO FIX YOU PRODUCT BECAUSE YA KNOW YA [XXX] AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD PAY US BACK FOR THE CRAP YOU SOLD US INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS OUT DRIVING THE OTHER DAY, AND I HEARD SOMETHING DRAGGING ON THE GROUND, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK, AND UPON INSPECTION, FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK SUPPORT STRAPS HAD RUSTED OUT, ONE OF THEM SO BADLY THAT IT HAD SPLIT IN TWO, AND THE OTHER IS CLOSE TO FAILURE. I DID AN INTERNET SEARCH, AND FOUND THAT SOME FORDS (PICKUPS) ON THE SAME YEAR RANGE HAD A RECALL ON THE SAME ISSUE. FORD HAS YET TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE ISSUE FOR MAY CAR MAKE MODEL AND YEAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD ESCORT ZX2. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPG THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED AND THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATED. APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS LATER THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME STEADY THEN COMPLETELY FAILED AND WENT TO ZERO. THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN ALSO FAILED. THE CURRENT AND MILEAGES WERE 130,788 MILES.
1999 FORD ZX2, ROUGH IDLE AND VIBRATION. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO CHECK WHY IT WAS IDLING SO ROUGH, COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. FOUND TSB 031515, WHICH SAYS THAT THE BUSHINGS ON THE ENGINE MOUNT WERE DEFECTIVE. FORD REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE MOUNT IN CARS MADE AFTER MINE WAS BOUGHT. REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $400. FORD REFUSED TO CONSIDER REIMBURSEMENT. TSB 031515 IS SECOND BULLETIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM
DT: CALLER STATED PCV VALVE HAD A HOLE IN IT. WHEN SHE WENT TO BUY THE PART SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS DISCONTINUED. CALLER COULD NOT FIND THE PART EVEN IN A A JUNK YARD. MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK
MY SON'S COOPER TIRE SEPARATED AT THE POINT WHERE THE SIDEWALL MEETS THE TREAD WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING HIM TO SWERVE AND RUN OFF THE ROAD. BOTH HE AND I CHECKED THE TIRE AND SAW NO PUNCTURE. I CALLED COOPER TIRE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRE, SINCE IT WAS A CERTAIN DOT NUMBER, WOULD BE REPLACED FOR FREE. I WAS DIRECTED TO A COOPER TIRE DEALER. THE DEALER TOOK THE TIRE IN THE BACK AND RETURNED WITH THE TIRE SHOWING A PUNCTURE MARK IN THE TIRE TREAD. COOPER TIRE NOW CLAIMS THAT THE PUNCTURE WAS THE REASON FOR THE SEPARATION, AND THAT THE TIRE WAS PROBABLY UNDER INFLATED ALSO. BOTH OF THESE CLAIMS WERE ALSO USED BY COOPER IN LAWSUITS, WHICH I SUBSEQUENTLY WAS MADE AWARE OF WHEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET. I DID NOT SEE ANY PUNCTURE PRIOR TO GOING TO THE TIRE DEALER. IF THERE WAS A PUNCTURE IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHEN MY SON SPUN OFF THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH. THERE IS STILL THE ISSUE OF THE SEPARATION OF THE TIRE INTO TWO PARTS WHICH OCCURRED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.*AK
THE DESIGN OF PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG COVER BREAKS FRONT WINDSHIELD ON ESCORT ZX2'S. THE COVER FLIPS UP WHEN IT COULD FLIP DOWN WITHOUT DAMAGING THE WINDSHIELD. EVERY ZX2 I'VE SEEN OR HEARD ABOUT WHERE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED HAS HAD TO HAVE WINDSHIELD REPLACED. A REAL MONEY MAKER FOR DEALERSHIPS OR GLASS SHOPS. *JB
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT
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
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.