1999 Ford Escort
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › Escort › 1999
These records cover every 1999 Ford Escort. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 1999 Ford Escort. Newest first.
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 and remedy
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.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
Owner complaints
325 complaints79 involved a crash12 involved a fire56 injuries4 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Power train
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…
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.
- Air bags
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.
- Engine
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…
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.
- Engine
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…
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?
- Service brakes
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.
- Suspension
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. *tr
- Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
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. *tr
- Exterior lighting
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.
- Air bags · Equipment
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…
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. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
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.
- Electrical system · Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Fan/motor
TL* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated that the rear heater blower failed and sparks were shooting from the wiring harness. The contact was able to disconnect the harness before a fire ignited. The contact located a manufacturers recall for defective wiring of the defroster…
TL* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. The contact stated that the rear heater blower failed and sparks were shooting from the wiring harness. The contact was able to disconnect the harness before a fire ignited. The contact located a manufacturers recall for defective wiring of the defroster system, in which he believed to be the cause of the failure, but did not confirm if there were any recalls on his particular vehicle. The vehicle was neither inspected nor repaired. The vin was not available. The failure and current mileage was 105,000.
- Suspension › Rear
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…
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 reading all the complaints here for broken springs I believe ford has gotten away with a major safety defect that even its dealers are well aware of. *Tr
- Air bags
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 and current mileages were 132,000. updated 10/19/10*jb
- Tires
Firestone 710 tires. Less than 20,000 miles, tread IS gone, does not handle on ice and snow. Tires are sold in minnesota, were it snows a lot. Tires rotated once so company will not stand by 65,000 mile warranty. Highway miles, no reason for tread to have worn off so soon. Please check if tire IS…
Firestone 710 tires. Less than 20,000 miles, tread IS gone, does not handle on ice and snow. Tires are sold in minnesota, were it snows a lot. Tires rotated once so company will not stand by 65,000 mile warranty. Highway miles, no reason for tread to have worn off so soon. Please check if tire IS defective and if should be sold in areas where it snows quite often. I have almost gone off the road many times this winter, seems like your gliding on air. *Tr
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. while driving 35 mph he rear-ended another vehicle. The vehicle was completely destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. The dealer nor the manufacturer has been contacted. the cause of the failure was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 99,000.
- Electrical system
Right front headlight was going on and off for a couple days. got a replacement bulb to change light. found the harness that connects into the back of the light to be melted and partially burnt. had to replace harness. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system · Power train · Service brakes, hydraulic
Company states they do a comprehensive inspection, sell high quality used vehicles, meet customers personal needs, and back their product. No inspection was done, only cosmetic repairs to sell the car. No inspection report can be produced except the repairs before car was put on lot. This vehicle…
Company states they do a comprehensive inspection, sell high quality used vehicles, meet customers personal needs, and back their product. No inspection was done, only cosmetic repairs to sell the car. No inspection report can be produced except the repairs before car was put on lot. This vehicle IS far from the high quality. We have had this vehicle back in the shop 14 times in 14 months. It did not meet the 4 personal needs we requested. Everything with those needs has gone completely wrong! We did not want a ford; we got a ford, it IS not reliable. We have been dealing with the ac at the shop 7 times, now rendering the car disabled. it IS not reliable, keeps breaking down. It does not get good mileage; car gets 21 mpg when it should get about 35-38 according to mfg. Warranty was burned by miles going back and forth to shop for constant repairs. 700 miles for the same issue- the ac. Service issues are that they have not found the route of the problem and we keep having to go back to get the same thing fixed. Owner IS uncooperative, wont listen, always comes back with responses and replies that go in circles. He will not listen. We have been asking for a different car since two weeks after we bought this car; when we found out the car was unsafe to be put on the road. Within two weeks it was in the shop for broken motor mounts, broken transmission mounts, bad fuel pump, worn brake pads to metal. Which were worn in two weeks after they were changed because of a warped rotor. We had told them there was a shake in the car when we did a test drive. They said it would happen to a ford. We did not want a ford! We were desperate because our car was disabled, old and ready for the junkyard. We were broke and could not come up with a down payment. This was the only place that advertised no down payment. We did not need to repair credit as most people who go here. We were approved everywhere, just had no down payment. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Power train › Automatic transmission
Ok, so I just bought my 1999 ford escort ZX2 on december 1, 2008 at 82,000 miles. 2 months later I needed to replace my alternator in february 2009. in may 2009 my engine blew, apparently the #1 rod separated and went through the oil pan. I replaced the engine since I still have a loan on the…
Ok, so I just bought my 1999 ford escort ZX2 on december 1, 2008 at 82,000 miles. 2 months later I needed to replace my alternator in february 2009. in may 2009 my engine blew, apparently the #1 rod separated and went through the oil pan. I replaced the engine since I still have a loan on the car. it IS now july 2009 and my transmission IS slipping. I only have owned this car for less than 8 months and repair costs are more than what I paid for this. unfortunately I can't get rid of it because I don't have enough money for a better car and now I am in this endless cycle of repairs. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system
Excessive engine vibration brakes front exhaust pipe and fumes get into car. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. the contact stated that the engine dropped two valve seats. as a result, two cylinder heads failed. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle performed as if it were not receiving any power and then shut off. there was no compression, but the vehicle still drove…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. the contact stated that the engine dropped two valve seats. as a result, two cylinder heads failed. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle performed as if it were not receiving any power and then shut off. there was no compression, but the vehicle still drove poorly. the contact also heard a disturbing, chopping noise under the hood. she purchased a rebuilt engine and had the transmission sensors replaced; however, the engine failed again six months later. the contact purchased a new engine, which was supposed to be under a lifetime warranty, but the failure recurred and the engine needed to be replaced again. both the dealer and manufacturer offered no assistance. the vin was unknown. the current mileage was approximately 142,000 and failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
- Suspension › Rear
I own a 1999 ford escort s . The mileage IS 48,700 miles. I took it in yesterday for a state inspection. I was informed that not only one but both rear coil springs were broken. from my research on the internet I have read that this had been a problem for several years. but yet no recall has been issued. *tr
- Suspension › Rear › Springs › Coil springs
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. during a vehicle safety inspection, it was discovered that the driver side rear coil spring failed and needed to be replaced. approximately two years later, the rear driver and passenger side coil springs failed and were replaced. the current mileage was 59,000 and failure mileage was 38,350. updated 06/09/08 *bf updated 06/09/08
- Suspension › Rear
During replacement of tires and alignment, service personnel advised that the rear coils springs were broken. Was advised that several complaints had been filed with both nhtsa and manufacturer but no recalls had been issued. This IS clearly a manufacturing defect which can result in additional vehicle damage, injuries or death. A mandatory recall needs to be required and enforced. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling · Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner · Equipment › Electrical › Radio/tape deck/cd etc. · Exterior lighting
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. the contact stated that the entire air conditioning unit had to be replaced within a month of her purchasing the vehicle. she also stated that the timing chain needed to be replaced in august of 2007. a day or two later, the valves needed to be replaced as…
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford escort. the contact stated that the entire air conditioning unit had to be replaced within a month of her purchasing the vehicle. she also stated that the timing chain needed to be replaced in august of 2007. a day or two later, the valves needed to be replaced as well. the radio and clock in the vehicle would intermittently turn on and off and made a strange noise. the dealer stated that the contact was responsible for the cost of the diagnostic. the current mileage was 136,964 and failure mileage was approximately 150. updated 5/19/08 *cn the gear light went out. The marker light was inoperative. Updated
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
I purchased my SE in november of 2006 with less than 83K miles on it. Three months after purchasing it, one of the head gaskets cracked. I had the head repaired, and less than two months after that the head cracked again. I had the engine replaced. I have now had new heads, new engine, new fuel…
I purchased my SE in november of 2006 with less than 83K miles on it. Three months after purchasing it, one of the head gaskets cracked. I had the head repaired, and less than two months after that the head cracked again. I had the engine replaced. I have now had new heads, new engine, new fuel pump and a new alternator installed and now am having a new problem. When I pulled out from a stop, the brake light would come on until the brakes were applied. The engine IS now emitting a grinding noise when stopped, and I feel it IS unsafe to drive. This IS all in addition to the violent shaking, faulty front headlight, transmission that needs flushed and loud engine noise. I have spent more on repairs than I paid for the vehicle, and now have to put more money in to it, and it still has less than 94K miles on it. This IS my first ford, and will be my last. *tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Air bag non-deployment
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10026389Ford: 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.
- 10019076Replace timing belt idler pulley during 2.0L zetec engine cylinder head replacement - service tip.
- 10014086General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10014062Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10013060Climate control a/c service tech tips.
- 10011159Rear window defroster grid/integral antenna diagnosis and repair - terminal tab repair.
- 10009870Trw 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.
- 10009321Inoperative electric rear window defroster (heated backlite) grid lines, integral antenna concerns.
- 10008580Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock.
- 10004027Remote keyless entry (rke) - service tips.
- 10003194Idle vibration on vehicles equipped with 2.0L spi or zetec engine only.
- 10002780Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illumination with diagnostic trouble codes p0442, p0455, p0456, p0457, p1442 or check fuel cap lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble code p0457.
- 6092659Some vehicles equipped with the 2.0L spi engine, with manual or automatic transmission, may exhibit an rpm fluctuation (idle rolll) or possible stall at idle.
- 6092160Information regarding a/c peanut o-ring color.
- 6092093Nners of the edsr-of-the-month quality award announcement for september.
- 6092008Some vehicles may exhibit a concern with engine idle vibration.
- 6092004Brief information regarding transmission fluid.
- 6091978Some vehicles may exhibit a malfunction indicator light on with a diagnostic trouble code p1744.
- 6091974Vehicles may exhibit transmission and / or malfunction indicator lamp on concerns relating to the diagnosis and replacement of the transmission ranger sensor (trs).
- 6091913Concerns with lack of heat / thermostat contamination.
- 6091734Information on installing fuses at pre-delivery.
- 6090834Information on using peanut style a/c fittings.
- 6090812Vehicles equipped with the 2.0L spi engine with manual or automatic transmission may exhibit an rpm fluctuation (idle roll) or possible stall at idle.
- 6090731Some vehicles may exhibit a condition of the malfunction indicator light on and diagnostic trouble code p0455 (evaporative emission) in memory.
- 6090647Some vehicles may exhibit a condition of the malfunction indicator lamp light on and diagnostic trouble code p0455 in memory.
- 6090586Information regarding brake caliper pin corrosion. *Mjs
- 6090455Information regarding the winners of the edsr of the month quality awards for the month of august. *Mjs
- 6090426Information regarding brake caliper pin corrosion. *Mjs
- 6090277Concerns with a malfunction indicator light on with a diagnostic trouble code p1744.
- 6090273Some vehicles may exhibit transmission and / or mil on concerns relating to the diagnosis and replacement of the transmission range sensor.
- 6090131Information on diagnosing a vehicle with malfunction indicator lamp illuminated and diagnostic trouble codes p0442 and p0455 stored in continuous memory.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6090082Information for servicing and diagnosing brake vibration, brake inspection, and brake friction material replacement.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 637615Rough idle, low power and / or stall at idle, a malfunction indicator lamp illuminated and diagnostic trouble codes p0300 through p0304 stored in memory.
- 636089Some vehicles equipped with the 2.0L spi engine may exhibit a malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated and diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) p0300 through p0304 stored.
- 636065Information regarding discharged battery charging service tips and guidelines.
- 630515Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure.
- 630001Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area.
- 627927Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174.
Every Ford Escort model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.