Your vehicle report
1991 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
- 327
- Received Jan 1995 to Jul 2013
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract55 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring55 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline25 complaints · 7.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #93V057000The roll pins securing the ignition lock in the steering column housing can separate or move out of position.
- Recall #92V117000Fatigue cracks can develop in the solder joint between the fuel return tube and the fuel pump sending unit located at the top of the fuel tank.
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: 20 crashes, 61 fires, 16 people injured, 2 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
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 | 52 |
| 1996 | 89 |
| 1997 | 43 |
| 1998 | 29 |
| 1999 | 38 |
| 2000 | 25 |
| 2001 | 20 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 6 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 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 | 327 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 55 | 17% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 55 | 17% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 25 | 7.6% | – | NHTSA recall #92V117000 |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 22 | 6.7% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 16 | 4.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 13 | 4.0% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 9 | 2.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 2.5% | – | NHTSA recall #90V076000 |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 7 | 2.1% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Tail light sockets melt and burn | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 5 | 1.5% | – | NHTSA recall #93V057000 |
| Tie rod ends break or come loose | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Electronic throttle body fails and cuts power | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 3 | 0.9% | – |
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 #93V057000April 15, 199391,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module
The roll pins securing the ignition lock in the steering column housing Can separate or move out of position.
The ignition lock cylinder may disengage from thesteering column housing which could cause the steering column to lock up,resulting in loss of vehicle control and a possible accident.
Remedy
If one or both of the roll pins are missing or not fully inserted, the ignition lock housing will be replaced, along with the door-locks and the liftgate or deck-lid locks so that key compatibility is maintained. If both pins are present and fully inserted, a plastic snap-on sleeve will be installed as a precaution to prevent the roll pins from coming out.
NHTSA recall #92V117000August 19, 199222,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline
Fatigue cracks Can develop in the solder joint between the fuel return tube and the fuel pump sending unit located at the top of the fuel tank.
Should a crack develop, fuel vapor Can escape from thetank when the tank is full, and a small amount of fuel Can leak from the crack.fuel leaks Can result in fire when exposed to a source of ignition.
Remedy
Install a new fuel pump sending assembly.
NHTSA recall #90V076000April 17, 19906,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal
Interference occur between bolt that secures a fuel line shield to the lower portion of the dash panel and the accelerator pedal.
This could cause the accelerator pedal to stick at the wide open throttle position and result in loss of control with the risk of a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Cut off extra length of bolt that protrudes above surface of weld nut to prevent interference.
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 1991 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