Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and no occupant inside, the vehicle rolled backwards and crashed into another vehicle. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the gear shift lever was in the park position at the time. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.
The worst 1999 Ford Escort problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags66
- Engine64
- Suspension42
- Electrical39
- Transmission35
- Brakes25
- Seat belts16
- Steering16
- Tires14
- Fuel system13
- Lights12
- Acceleration8
- Visibility8
- Body7
- Seats6
- Locks3
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Ford Escort
Stalling 34No deployment 33Coil spring 16Headlights 16Fire or smoke 10Transmission failure 9Fuel pump 8Engine failure 7Check engine light 6Knocking 6Loss of power 6Airbag light 5Ball joint 5Grinding brakes 5Seat belt 5Won't start 5
Recalls 1
Power train: manual transmission: shift pattern indicator
- What is wrong
- 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."
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 99V276000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 1999 Ford Escort
Defect investigations
Air bag non-deployment
DP01001
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 Ford Escort 95
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Ford: certain 1999-2001 model year vehicles up to 6000 lb gvwr registered in new york and certain 2001...
- Replace timing belt idler pulley during 2.0L zetec engine cylinder head replacement - service tip
- Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair
- General (PCM) power train control module programming procedures
- Trw vehicle safety systems, inc
- Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns
- Rough idle, low power and / or stall at idle, a malfunction indicator lamp illuminated and diagnostic...
- Remote keyless entry (RKE) - service tips
- Idle vibration on vehicles equipped with 2.0L spi or zetec engine only
- Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illumination with diagnostic trouble codes P0442, P0455, P0456, P0457,...
1999 Ford Escort fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22-24 | 30-34 | 25-28 |
What 1999 Ford Escort owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Vehicle airbag light came on and is still activated, won't turn off. There has been no collisions or activity that caused light to be activated.
While driving , the car lost power and the steering wheel was hard to turn, after coming to a stop, we tried to start the car up again it bsounded like it wanted to turn over but didn't after a few tries it stopped making any noise. A mechanic said the engine blew and that it was a on going problem for this year and make of car. The engine was put in the car when we bought it, it was advertised as new so the previous owner must have had thishappen to them and knowingly sold us their problem. Please we need help.
Since 2001, I have had my car serviced at ford and sears repair shop to address my complaints that when my car is stationary it has excessive vibration. I was told by many ford shops that it was nothing that I need to replace the motor mounts. It was replaced the mounts and it last long and still the vibration continued. Recently, I took my car to a local repair shop regarding that same complaint and they found it is an "engineer defect: engine-idle vibration". Can this be repaired by ford and at no cost to me?
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated the vehicle was rusted on the front drivers side brake lines. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.
Took car in for oil change. Tech discovered both rear springs are broken. Was quoted $1200 to replace, including struts (still good). I am in minnesota and this car has no traction in the snow. I can drive at 10 MPH and the back still breaks traction. I have spun out more driving this car than I have with any other vehicle. I do think ford designed and sold an unsafe vehicle.
Took car in to have the muffler fix and they said the frame was busted and coming up through the floor boards separating from the car. Also the frame under doors are eroding. They said it is unsafe to drive and if I hit one big pothole I would be in big trouble.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight burned out several times and would recur sporadically. The contact did not take the vehicle to the dealer for repairs or inspection. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 143,000.
1999 ford escort,had a wreck and the car was totaled out by insurance adjuster,the airbags did not deploy and even the insurance adjuster stated wow the airbags didn't even deploy. Me and my girlfriend were injured and went to the emergency room and have not been able to work since october 2011 and have over 100,000 dollars alone in medical bills and still have to have surgery. Airbags should have worked like they were installed to do. I called and spoke with someone at your location and she said that there wasn't a recall yet,but they have had several complaints about the same thing. I did not know how to fill out the information about the equipment. My complaint is that the airbags did not deploy or work when we had a accident in which the car was totaled out and we were in a 1999 ford escort.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. A local mechanic diagnosed that the timing belt was defective. In addition, the motor failed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 93,083.
Compare the 1999 Ford Escort
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Questions about the 1999 Ford Escort
Is the 1999 Ford Escort reliable?
Owners have filed 325 complaints about the 1999 Ford Escort, 9.8 times a typical Escort model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Ford Escort?
Airbags, with 66 complaints, typically around 99,000 miles. Next is engine (64).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford Escort have?
1 recall, covering power train.
What year does the Ford Escort have bad airbags?
The Ford Escort model years with the most airbags complaints are 1997 (152 complaints), 1998 (75 complaints) and 1995 (67 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1999 Ford Escort get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Ford Escort range from 25 to 28 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 22-24 city and 30-34 highway.
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