Model year record

1996 Ford Escort recalls & problems

The 1996 Ford Escort has 1 safety recall and 205 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is seat belts (80 complaints).

Recalls1safety recalls

Complaints205filed by owners

Crashes · fires23 · 7reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths25 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Exterior lightingMar 23, 2006

Exterior lighting

Recall 06E02600061,944 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (OVSC)

Problem: CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.
Risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

1996 Ford Escort 4-DR.

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Escort

30mpg combined

City / highway	26 / 35 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.9 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,250/year to fuel

Escort Wagon

30mpg combined

City / highway	26 / 35 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.9 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,250/year to fuel

Escort

25mpg combined

City / highway	22 / 29 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.9 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel

Escort Wagon

25mpg combined

City / highway	22 / 29 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.9 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,700/year to fuel

Escort

24mpg combined

City / highway	22 / 28 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.8 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,800/year to fuel

Escort

22mpg combined

City / highway	20 / 27 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.8 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,050/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Seat beltsFront › Retractor; Front › Anchorage	80	6	1	6	89,535 mi
Engine and engine coolingEngine › Gasoline; Engine	36	0	0	0	—
Air bagsFrontal	21	17	0	16	—
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Driveline › Constant velocity joint	20	1	0	2	—
Electrical systemWiring; Ignition › Switch	19	0	10	0	—
SuspensionRear › Springs › Leaf spring assembly; Rear	13	0	0	2	—
Service brakes, hydraulicFoundation components › Disc; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip	12	1	0	0	—
SteeringLinkages › Tie rod assembly; Rack and pinion	10	1	0	0	—
Fuel system, gasolineDelivery; Storage › Tank assembly	8	1	0	3	—
Unknown or other	7	0	0	0	—
Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal; Cables	5	0	0	1	—
SeatsFront assembly › Recliner	5	3	0	3	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Fuel/propulsion system
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ESCORT. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL FILLER LINE FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Aug 10, 2015 · 60,000 miles
Seat belts
THE DRIVER SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT HAS CEASED FUNCTIONING AND IS NOW STUCK MIDWAY ALONG THE TOP PART OF THE SEAT BELT TRACK. THIS BEING THE CASE THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT PROTECT THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP. IN THIS POSITION IT IS LIKELY THAT IN A SUDDEN STOP THE DRIVER'S HEAD WOULD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND A MORE SEVERE THAN NORMAL WHIPLASH IN THE NECK WOULD OCCUR. I HAVE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SEAT BELT ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE ONLINE. I CONTACTED FORD CORPORATE AND THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE OR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I THINK THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE ON FORD'S PART. AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, WHO HAS WORKED IN A HOSPITAL NEUROSURGERY UNIT, THE POTENTIAL FOR…
Jan 12, 2015 · 140,000 miles
Seat belts
I AM ADDING ANOTHER COMPLAINT TO THE VAST LIST OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING MY 1996 FORD ESCORT AND THE FAILURE OF MY PASSIVE RESTRAINT SHOULDER BELT. IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS FOR PROBABLY THE LAST 8-10 YEARS. IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STOP MID-TRACK AND "BOUNCING" THE DOOR AGAINST THE HINGE WOULD GET IT TO MOVE. TWO WEEKS AGO, IT STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK. I, TOO, COULD HEAR THE MOTOR TRYING TO MAKE IT GO. I LEFT IT ALONE AND ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER, IT RESUMED OPERATING. NOW A WEEK LATER, IT HAS FROZEN AGAIN, A LITTLE MORE FORWARD IN THE TRACK THAN PREVIOUSLY. I AM DISHEARTEN TO LEARN THAT OTHERS WHO HAVE TRIED THE PROCESS EXPLAINED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO MANUALLY MOVE…
May 3, 1999 · 30,000 miles
Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
1996 FORD ESCORT, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. UNIT 1'S HOOD OPENED AND STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. UNIT 1 CONTINUED ON TO THE NEXT EMERGENCY PULL OFF TO FILE THE REPORT. BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0142-90)*JB UPDATED 04/22/11 *BF
Feb 22, 2011
Tires
MY WIFE & I HAVE A 1996 FORD ESCORT WAGON THAT WE PURCHASED USED IN 2008. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE IT HAD A SET OF 4 BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL TIRES THAT STILL HAD REASONABLE TREAD DEPTH REMAINING, SO WE DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO USE THE TIRES UNTIL THE TREAD HAD WORN DOWN MORE AND NEEDED REPLACING. ON FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN PART OF THE REAR PASSENGER-SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE AND SHOT AGAINST THE SHEET METAL ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL. IT RIPPED A LARGE HOLE IN THE VEHICLE'S SHEET METAL, SHOT MANY SMALL PIECES OF TIRE THROUGH THE HOLE INTO THE INTERIOR CARGO AREA IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, AND CAUSED THE…
Jul 30, 2010 · 151,600 miles
Electrical system
I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE CORRECT SECTION TO FILE THIS IN. I AM BEING UNSUCCESSFUL IN A CONTINUED EFFORT TO CORRECT A MALFUNCTION IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SENSOR. I HAVE DONE ALL I KNOW TO CORRECT THIS MATTER INCLUDING CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB WITH NO SUCCESS. THIS MALFUNCTION IS CONTINUING TO CAUSE ME NOT TO PASS A SIMPLE SMOG TEST. IS THERE ANY RECORD OF THERE BEING A MANUFACTURE DEFECT TO THIS PART. *TR
Jun 14, 2008 · 20,734 miles
Engine and engine cooling
1996 FORD ESCORT HAS HAD CYLINDER HEAD AND GASKET REPLACED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAS LOW MILEAGE AND NOW IT'S JUST SITTING. **CC *NM
Jan 1, 1901
Tires › Tread/belt
TIRE SEPARATION WITH CHUNKS OF TIRE GONE LEAVING RADIAL BELT EXPOSE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE, SAME COMPANY AND SAME TIRE THAT HAS SEPARATED. BOTH LEAVING LARGE AREAS OF RADIAL BELT EXPOSED. HAVE PICTURES. NO ACCIDENT NO INJURIES, DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN BOTH EVIDENTLY SEPARATED BASED ON NOISE AND SHAKING. *JB
Jan 10, 2007

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.