1997 Ford Escort Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 1997 Ford Escort, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 82,610 miles. The words owners use most often: “caught fire” (23% of reports).
- 114electrical system complaints
- 82,610median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Caught fire: mentioned in 26 of 114 complaints (23%)
- Claim slc: mentioned in 19 of 114 complaints (17%)
- Passenger compartment: mentioned in 9 of 114 complaints (8%)
- Consumer noticed: mentioned in 6 of 114 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 23 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 114 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 58 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Escort electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Escort | 2 | 6% | 107,201 |
| 2001 Escort | 5 | 7% | 41,200 |
| 2000 Escort | 5 | 5% | 63,773 |
| 1999 Escort | 39 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 1998 Escort | 43 | 11% | 51,950 |
| 1997 Escort | 114 | 21% | 82,610 |
| 1996 Escort | 14 | 7% | 51,367 |
| 1995 Escort | 48 | 8% | 82,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 1997 Ford Escort. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Flashing air bag readiness light in a "51" pattern.
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…
I turned right into a parking lot and slowly turned right again into a parking space. While i was braking, the car accelerated and hit a building. *tr
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Ford Escorts have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 114 owner complaints about electrical system for the 1997 Ford Escort (21% of the 543 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Ford Escort electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 82,610 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 1997 Ford Escort?
The most frequent phrase is “caught fire”, in 26 of 114 complaints, followed by “claim slc” (19).
Other 1997 Ford Escort problems
See all 1997 Ford Escort problems or electrical system problems across all Escort years.