1997 Ford Escort Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Escort years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 543 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Escort. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Escort model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (152 complaints, 28%), typically at around 89,543 miles. Complaints mention 67 crashes, 83 fires, 65 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 543owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 67complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Ford Escort problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 152 | 28% | 89,543 | “air bag” (49%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 114 | 21% | 82,610 | “caught fire” (23%) | — |
| Suspension problems | 67 | 12% | 67,005 | “rear springs” (31%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 66 | 12% | 70,000 | “head gasket” (9%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 39 | 7% | 107,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 31 | 6% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 29 | 5% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 | 5% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 22 | 4% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 21 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 13 | 2% | 96,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 12 | 2% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 2% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 12 | 2% | 27,585 | — | — |
| Equipment | 8 | 1% | 63,793 | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 1% | 108,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 0% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 0% | 155,941 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Ford Escort recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the integrated air bag monitor (iabm) can be contaminated with water or other liquids and could experience internal electrical shorting.
Risk: This may, in turn, cause the air bag readiness light to illuminate and in very rare occurrences, air bag deployment, melted wiring, or fire may occur.
Fix: Dealers will install the shield over the iabm and apply nyogel grease to the connector. Owner notification began february 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Water intrusion into airbag monitor (EA02008) — opened Jun 10, 2002, closed Dec 11, 2002, led to recall 02V323000.
- Integrated air bag monitor water (PE02010) — opened Jan 30, 2002, closed Jun 10, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The rubber fuel filler neck hose that connects the metal fuel filler neck to the gas tank failed for the first time in 2013. During fueling, a large pool of gasoline leaked onto the pavement under the vehicle, presenting an environmental and fire hazard. The filler neck hose was replaced with a…
Flashing air bag readiness light in a "51" pattern.
Safety horn sticks and remains in on position creating a driving safety risk. Dealer explains that the horn switch is associated with the air bag. Based on all internet complaints and air bag problems, might be time to further investigate ford's commitment to safety and airbag performance…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 ford escort. While driving approximately 35 mph, the power steering seized without warning. The vehicle had to be towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wires and fuses needed to be replaced. The…
My mother and i were driving to my grandparents house when she hit a baby deer going about 35 mph. I was 12 years old at the time and sitting in the front seat. The airbags deployed hitting me in right side of the face. My teeth went into my lip, and i had burn marks from the airbag on my…
Other Ford Escort years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 Escort | 10 | 0 |
| 2002 Escort | 33 | 0 |
| 2001 Escort | 68 | 0 |
| 2000 Escort | 98 | 1 |
| 1999 Escort | 325 | 1 |
| 1998 Escort | 375 | 0 |
| 1997 | 543 | 1 |
| 1996 Escort | 205 | 0 |
| 1995 Escort | 576 | 4 |
See all Ford Escort problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
Similar Ford models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Ford Escort?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, suspension problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 152 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford Escort?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Ford Escort a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Escort model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.