1999 Ford Escort

Family: Escort · filed with NHTSA as ESCORT

Summary

In its first three years the 1999 Escort drew 167 complaints — 1.0× the median of its generation (1997–2003). It does not stand out from the other years of this generation.
These are complaint counts, not failure rates: they are not divided by how many cars were sold, because no public source reports U.S. sales by model year.
Complaints are spread across systems: the largest, Airbags, holds 20% of the 324 that name a component.
2 recalls filed for this model year.
1 federal defect investigation covers this model year.

At a glance

Owner complaints: 325
Recalls: 2
Investigations: 1
NCAP overall: Not rated
Combined MPG: 25–28
Annual fuel cost: $2,250–$2,500
Median mileage at complaint: 68,000 mi (n = 92)
Crashes / fires / injuries / deaths: 79 / 11 / 56 / 4

What owners report

Airbags

66 complaints · 20% of complaints that name a component · median 99,000 mi (n = 11)

Owner report 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.

Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH, THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND ONE OF THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS WAS REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE FAILURE AN…

Engine

64 complaints · 20% of complaints that name a component · median 70,000 mi (n = 19)

Owner report 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 MA…

Owner report 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 CONTINUE…

Suspension

42 complaints · 13% of complaints that name a component · median 67,712 mi (n = 24)

Owner report 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 VEH…

Owner report I BOUGHT A USED 1999 FORD ESCORT STATIONS WAGON WITH ONLY 16K MILES ON IT. AT 30K MILES I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE FOR $585 TO REPLACE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS THAT ARE BROKEN, SAYING IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD. NOTE I NEVER ASKED FOR MORE THAN A SIMPLE OIL CHANGE. IN READ…

0% of complaints name no specific component and are left out of the shares above.

Across the generation (1997–2003)

To compare years fairly, each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 167.

Model year	All complaints	First three years	Note
1997	543	155
1998	375	182
1999	325	167
2000	98	49	not compared
2001	68	40	not compared
2002	33	16	not compared
2003	10	4	not compared

Recalls

Whether a recall has been fixed on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

04E048000 · SEAT BELTS:FRONT

Filed 2004-07-12 · 388 vehicles

Defect: CERTAIN TRW DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS MANUFACTURED ON DECEMBER 6 AND 9, 2002, FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR 1997 FORD ESCORT 4-DOOR AND STATION WAGON PLATFORM VEHICLES, FORD'S P/N F7CZ54611B09AAC. THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES EXHIBIT A NO-LOCK CONDITION WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.

Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM MAY NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT, WHICH MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: TRW WILL NOTIFY THE CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 27, 2004.

99V276000 · POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:SHIFT PATTERN INDICATOR

Filed 1999-10-12 · 106 vehicles

Defect: 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.

Federal investigations

Action	Component	Opened	Closed	Recall
DP01001	AIR BAGS	2001-04-19	2001-11-01

DP01001: AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Fuel cost / yr
Escort	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	22	31	25	$2500
Escort	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	24	34	28	$2250
Escort Wagon	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	22	31	25	$2500
Escort Wagon	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	24	34	28	$2250
Escort ZX2	2.0L 4cyl	Automatic 4-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	22	30	25	$2500
Escort ZX2	2.0L 4cyl	Manual 5-spd	Front-Wheel Drive	22	30	25	$2500

Fuel cost is EPA's estimate at the fuel prices of its last update, not today's.

Crash test ratings (NCAP)

Variant	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover
1999 Ford Escort 4-DR.	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated
1999 Ford Escort ZX2 2-DR.	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated	Not Rated

Service bulletins

Ford issued 95 service bulletins listed against this model year, most often about engine and engine cooling.

A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so one listed here may not be specific to this year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.

Date	Component	Summary
2008-05-16	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR	FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE
2006-01-01	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS	REPLACE TIMING BELT IDLER PULLEY DURING 2.0L ZETEC ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD REPLACEMENT - SERVICE TIP. *TT
2004-12-13	VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW	REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
2004-12-13	POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)	GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT
2004-08-12	SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR	TRW VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC. IS RECALLING CERTAIN SERVICE REPLACEMENT SEATBELT RETRACTORS (DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT RETRACTOR IN GRAY) MANUFACTURED IN DECEMBER 2002 AND SOLD AS A SERVICE REPLACEMENT PART BETWEEN DECEMBER 2002 AND JULY 2004. …
2004-08-09	VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT	REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT
2004-07-12	VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT	INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT
2004-05-17	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	ROUGH IDLE, LOW POWER AND / OR STALL AT IDLE, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0300 THROUGH P0304 STORED IN MEMORY. *TT
2003-09-15	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) - SERVICE TIPS. *TT
2003-08-04	ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	IDLE VIBRATION ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.0L SPI OR ZETEC ENGINE ONLY. *TT

How to read this page

Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more often after news coverage or a recall. That is why this page compares a model year only with other years of the same generation, never with other models.

Each complaint is counted once, even when it names several components; a complaint that names several systems appears under each of them. Owner reports are quoted as filed and have not been verified by NHTSA or by us.

Every model year of this Escort, including the ones without a page of their own, is listed on the Ford Escort model page.

Sources

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: complaints, recalls and investigations (bulk files, data as of 2026-10-28).
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program: crash test ratings.
U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov: engines, transmissions and fuel economy.

MotorAlmanac is independent and not affiliated with NHTSA, EPA or any manufacturer. This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection. Before buying a used car, check its VIN for open recalls and have it inspected.