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U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Ford ESCORT problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

246 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

75,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 57 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 246 complaints (13.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior239.3%
Engine operation187.3%
Transmission and shifting176.9%
Steering behavior145.7%
Fuel system concerns124.9%
Electrical and battery issues93.7%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags:Frontal
32
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
25
Suspension:Rear:Springs
15
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
14
Electrical System
11
Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs
10
Air Bags
8
Vehicle Speed Control
8
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Air Bags:Frontal32
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine25
Suspension:Rear:Springs15
Power Train:Automatic Transmission14
Electrical System11
Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs10
Air Bags8
Vehicle Speed Control8

Air Bags:Frontal: 32; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 25; Suspension:Rear:Springs: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 14; Electrical System: 11; Suspension:Rear:Springs:Coil Springs: 10; Air Bags: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
6
25,000 to 49,999
10
50,000 to 74,999
12
75,000 to 99,999
15
100,000 to 149,999
9
150,000 and above
5
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0006
25,000 to 49,99910
50,000 to 74,99912
75,000 to 99,99915
100,000 to 149,9999
150,000 and above5

Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 12; 75,000 to 99,999: 15; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 5

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 189 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
53
2001
53
2002
46
2003
26
2004
27
2005
20
2006
7
2007
2
2008
4
2009
1
2010
4
2013
1
2019
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200053
200153
200246
200326
200427
200520
20067
20072
20084
20091
20104
20131
20192

2000: 53; 2001: 53; 2002: 46; 2003: 26; 2004: 27; 2005: 20; 2006: 7; 2007: 2; 2008: 4; 2009: 1; 2010: 4; 2013: 1; 2019: 2

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10021595 · 2003-05-27 (May 27, 2003)

WHEN HAZARD FLASHERS ARE ON CONSUMER CAN SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021595 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10111174 · 2005-02-08 (February 8, 2005)

WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE HYDRO PLANED , AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SMASHING INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER REFUSED MEDICAL ATTENTION ON THE SCENE, BUT WENT TO THE HOSPITAL LATER THAT DAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111174 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003820 · 2003-01-14 (January 14, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED, DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003820 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006758 · 2003-02-07 (February 7, 2003)

INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR DETERMINE CAUSE. PH...*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006758 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022388 · 2003-06-04 (June 4, 2003)

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION HAD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE GEAR. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022388 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10070873 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AS YOU ARE DRIVING THE BACK OF THE SEAT WILL DROP DOWN. I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND MADE COMMENT OF THIS TO WHICH I WAS TOLD I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT OVER THE YEARS AND MILES, IS THAT THE SEATBELT STRAP AT THE LAP CAN CATCH ON THE RELEASE LEVER OF THE SEAT AND ANY SHIFTING IN POSITION WILL PULL ON THE LEVER AND RELEASE THE SEAT BACK. THIS IS JUST A WARNING TO OTHERS AS IT CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT AS IT CATCHES THE UNSUSPECTING DR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10070873 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007335 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)

THE POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007335 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10201213 · 2007-08-30 (August 30, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. SHE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, IT FAILED TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY. SHE STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS DARK COLORED AND LEAKING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE DRAINED AND MORE TESTS WERE NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 176,432. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 176,432 miles reported. Look up ODI 10201213 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004735 · 2002-12-21 (December 21, 2002)

SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT APPEARED ON DASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TROUBLE DATED BACK TO THE RECALL, PRIOR TO THE RECALL THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO AN OVER SENSITIVE SENSOR OR AIR BEING IN THE GAS TANK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BOGUS CODE. *JB NAR 1/21/2003

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004735 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030899 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

ON AUGUST 5, 2003, I WAS REARENDED WHILE DRIVING A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE AUTO KILL SWICH NEVER KILLED THE ENGINE. LUCKILY THE GAS TANK STAYED INTACT. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS SO SEVERE THAT THE FIRE PERSONELL AT THE SCENE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE KILL SWITCH WAS NOT TRIPPED. BOTH BACK DOORS WERE JAMMED WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD TRAOOED IN THE BACK.

Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030899 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10135272 · 2005-09-03 (September 3, 2005)

AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY FROM A 20 MILE TRIP, THE IDLE ON THE VEHICLE BECAME ROUGH WHEN STOPPED. THE BEST DESCRIPTION WAS THAT THE IDLE STARTED TO SURGE AND PULSE WITH THE BRAKE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE FULLY STOPPED. JUST PRIOR TO PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY (LESS THAN A MILE FROM HIGHWAY) THE RADIO AND VENTILATION SYSTEM BEGAN TO CUT IN AND OUT. UPON PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. ONE HOUR LATER, VEHICLE WAS STARTED, DASHBOARD BATTERY LIGHT WAS ON, IDLE BECAME ROUGH AND PULSED CLOSE TO A STALL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10135272 at NHTSA ↗