Your vehicle report
1987 Ford Escort
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 56
- Received Jan 1995 to Jun 2009
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Vehicle catches fire from wiring24 complaints · 43% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine suddenly shuts off while driving6 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Seat belt fails to latch or retract4 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #89V170000The forward outboard pedestal of the seat track of driver's seat may be susceptible to fatigue fracture.
- Recall #87V139000Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 1 crash, 26 fires, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 4 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 5 |
| 1996 | 29 |
| 1997 | 4 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 56 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 24 | 43% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 11% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 4 | 7.1% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 7.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #89V170000October 13, 19891,375,500 vehicles affected
seats
The forward outboard pedestal of the seat track of driver's seat may be susceptible to fatigue fracture.
This could result in a limited degree of rocking motionof the drivers seat assembly upon acceleration or deceleration, which couldcause an accident.
Remedy
Install a reinforcement on all models and a new seat track as necessary
NHTSA recall #87V139000September 4, 19873,600,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Spring lock fuel line coupling may not be properly engaged.
Coupling could disengage due to fuel pressure,vibration, and engine movements; this would cause loss of fuel which, inpresence of an ignition source, creates a fire risk.
Remedy
Install retainer clips over the couplings to prevent coupling separation and fuel leakage.
NHTSA recall #87V060000April 27, 1987350 vehicles affected
wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Lug nuts could gall and possibly seize on the wheel studs without providing adequate clamping load on the wheels.
Wheel studs could fracture creating a risk of a wheelseparating with little forewarning.
Remedy
Replace wheel lug nuts and if necessary, replace wheels and wheel studs.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1987 Ford Escort.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN