Ford Escort years to avoid
More than twice the Escort's typical complaint count for a model year.
Best Ford Escort years
Not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
Ford Escort complaints by model year
Owner complaints by model year. Newer years have had less time on the road, so expect them to grow.
Most common Ford Escort problems
All model years combined.
- Seat belts585
- Electrical527
- Airbags465
- Engine419
- Fuel system370
- Transmission291
- Suspension285
- Brakes243
- Acceleration191
- Steering142
- Visibility121
- Lights88
Most reported problems on the Ford Escort
Ford Escort problems year by year
Tap a year to see its problems, recalls and what owners say.
| Year | Score | Complaints | Top problem | Typical mileage | Recalls | Crashes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 90 | 10 | Acceleration | 23,600 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2002 | 74 | 33 | Engine | 56,200 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2001 | 49 | 68 | Transmission | 40,600 | 0 | 14 | Avoid |
| 2000 | - | 98 | Engine | 59,126 | 1 | 22 | |
| 1999 | - | 325 | Airbags | 68,000 | 1 | 79 | |
| 1998 | - | 374 | Airbags | 75,000 | 0 | 84 | |
| 1997 | - | 543 | Airbags | 78,000 | 1 | 67 | |
| 1996 | - | 205 | Seat belts | 86,000 | 0 | 23 | |
| 1995 | - | 576 | Seat belts | 99,650 | 4 | 75 | |
| 1994 | - | 279 | Seat belts | 85,694 | 1 | 51 | |
| 1993 | - | 379 | Seat belts | 84,339 | 1 | 31 | |
| 1992 | - | 162 | Fuel system | 111,000 | 2 | 7 | |
| 1991 | - | 327 | Electrical | 132,000 | 3 | 20 | |
| 1990 | - | 101 | Electrical | 2 | 5 |
Recalls 14
Questions about the Ford Escort
What years of the Ford Escort should you avoid?
2001. It has more than twice the Ford Escort's typical number of owner complaints for a model year; 2001 alone has 68, mostly about transmission and engine.
What is the best year for a used Ford Escort?
There are not enough model years on the road yet to compare.
What is the most common problem with the Ford Escort?
Seat belts, with 585 complaints across all years, followed by electrical (527) and airbags (465).
How many recalls does the Ford Escort have?
14 recalls between 1990 and 2003. The 1995 model year has the most, with 4.
VIN decoder
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Buying a used Ford Escort?
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