Your vehicle report
1993 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
- 379
- Received Jan 1995 to Jul 2012
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract90 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline34 complaints · 9.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Unintended acceleration despite braking19 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #94V055000The lock plate of the driver side inboard seat track adjusters were manufactured with an unauthorized modification to the fabrication process which causes the seat not to fully engage in certain seating positions near the mid-point of the seat track travel.
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: 31 crashes, 16 fires, 31 people injured, 6 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
- Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up
- Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly
1 more problem
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
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 | 59 |
| 1996 | 48 |
| 1997 | 50 |
| 1998 | 46 |
| 1999 | 52 |
| 2000 | 52 |
| 2001 | 23 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 18 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 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 | 379 |
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 | 90 | 24% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 34 | 9.0% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 19 | 5.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 15 | 4.0% | – | |
| Serpentine belt breaks or slips off | 14 | 3.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 13 | 3.4% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 12 | 3.2% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 12 | 3.2% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 12 | 3.2% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 9 | 2.4% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brakes fail intermittently or repeatedly | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 4 | 1.1% | – |
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 #94V055000March 26, 19943,500 vehicles affected
seats
The lock plate of the driver side inboard seat track adjusters were manufactured with an unauthorized modification to the fabrication process which causes the seat not to fully engage in certain seating positions near the mid-point of the seat track travel.
In the event of a crash the seat Can move, which would result in reduced occupant protection.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the driver side inboard seat track.
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 1993 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