Your vehicle report
1999 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
- 325
- Received Dec 1998 to May 2019
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes54 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Coil springs break and puncture tires31 complaints · 9.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving24 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #99V276000Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with the s/r option. The s/r option includes, among other features, a 5-SPEED manual transmission. On these vehicles, the transmission shift pattern is not displayed in the occupant compartment in view of the driver. This does not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect."
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: 79 crashes, 12 fires, 56 people injured, 4 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
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 |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 62 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 2001 | 47 |
| 2002 | 29 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 17 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 325 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 54 | 17% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 31 | 9.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 7.4% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 12 | 3.7% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 12 | 3.7% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 11 | 3.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 11 | 3.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 8 | 2.5% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 6 | 1.8% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 5 | 1.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 1.2% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 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 #99V276000October 12, 1999106 vehicles affected
power train: manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with the s/r option. The s/r option includes, among other features, a 5-SPEED manual transmission. On these vehicles, the transmission shift pattern is not displayed in the occupant compartment in view of the driver. This does not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect."
The driver may not be aware of the transmission position of the vehicle.
Remedy
Owners will be provided with an adhesive backed plaque containing the shift pattern, along with materials and instructions for locating and affixing the plaque to the vehicle center console, just forward of the shift lever. Owners will also be advised that their dealer Can affix the plaque if they prefer.
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 1999 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