Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1981 Ford Escort, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seats1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In the Netherlands
111 first registered in 1981 are on Dutch roads; 29% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde5
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt4
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld3
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen3
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij3
- Onderdeel stuurinrichting niet geborgd2
- Band onvoldoende profiel2
- CO meer dan wettelijk toegestaan2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
237 cars built in 1981 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 286 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
17 of these cars first registered in 1981 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 45,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
114 1981 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
10 Transport Canada recalls for the 1981 Ford Escort.
| 1984087 19 Jul 1984 | Not Entered ON VEHICLES WITH OPTIONAL FRONT SEAT RECLINERS, THE UPPER SHOULDER SCREW THAT ATTACHES THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK FRAME TO THE RECLINER MECHANISM MAY BE SUSCEPTIBL… |
| 1984078 19 Jun 1984 | Not Entered WHEN SEVERELY LOADED BY A FRONTAL IMPACT, THE SEAT BELT WEBBING MAY CONTACT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE FRONT SEAT-BACK STELL REINFORCEMENT PLATES. THIS MAY CAUSE … |
| 1983060 22 Jun 1983 | Not Entered TWO DOOR MODELS. FATIGUE CRACKS MAY OCCUR IN THE DOOR LOCK PILLARS AT THE FRONT DOOR LATCH STRIKER REINFORCEMENT ATTACHMENT LOCATIONS. THE FATIGUE CRACKS MAY P… |
| 1983015 11 Feb 1983 | Not Entered STATION WAGONS. THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 210 - BELT AHCHORAGES. |
| 1981082 20 Jul 1981 | Not Entered VEHICLES MAY HAVE AN ELECTRICALLY UNGROUNDED FUEL INLET. AS A RESULT THEY MAY BE SUBJECT TO A STATIC CHARGE ACCUMULATION AT THE FUEL FILLER OPENING, IF A VEHIC… |
| 1981078 9 Jul 1981 | Not Entered VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER BRAKES. POWER BRAKE BOOSTERS MAY HAVE BEWEN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED BY SUPPLIER. MIS-INDEXING OF REAR SHELL OF SOME BOOSTERS RELATIV… |
| 1981048 10 Apr 1981 | Not Entered VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC SPEED CONTROL. FUEL MAY MIGRATE THROUGH THE SPEED CONTROL VACUUM LINES INTO THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO ASSEMBLY THIS COULD CAUSE THE VACUU… |
| 1980144 4 Nov 1980 | Not Entered METAL FASTENERS USED TO SECURE THE CARPETING TO THE FLOOR PAN MAY HAVE BEEN MILOCATED AND MAY HAVE PENETRATED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS CONDITION MAY ALLO… |
| 1980136 20 Oct 1980 | Not Entered VEHICLES MAY HAVE INADEQUATE TORQUE ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATE ATTACHMENT BOLTS TO WITHSTAND THE LOADS EXPERIENCED DURING RRUCK SHIPMENT. S… |
| 1980135 20 Oct 1980 | Not Entered VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIR CONDITIONING MAY HAVE THE MAIN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRE ASSEMBLY INCORRECTLY ROUTED ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING SUCTION HOSE SUCH THAT … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
SCREW THAT CONNECTS THE SEAT BACK FRAME TO THE RECLINER MECHANISM MAY BREAK.
SEAT FRAME STRUCTURE COULD SEVER FRONT SEAT BELTS IF VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, DEPENDING ON FORCE OF IMPACT.
DOOR LOCK PILLARS COULD DEVELOP FATIGUE CRACKS FROM NORMAL USAGE OF DOOR, AT THE POINT WHERE DOOR LATCH STRIKER REINFORCEMENTS ARE ATTACHED.
THE PORTION OF THE ROOF ABOVE FRAME (RAIL) TO WHICH THE SHOULDER BELT IS ANCHORED MAY HAVE A SLOT THAT CAN COMPROMISE THE STRENGTH OF THE SHOULDER BELT ANCHOR UNDER CERTAIN SEVERE LOADS. (THE SUSPECT AREA IS NOT VISIBLE.) CONSEQUENTLY, SOME VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL MAY NOT MEET THE 3000 POUND ANCHORAGE STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES".
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES HAVE AN ELECTRICALLY UNGROUNDED FUEL INLET. THESE VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO STATIC CHARGE ACCUMULATION AT THE FUEL FILLER PIPE OPENING, WHICH CAN OCCUR IF THESE VEHICLES ARE REFUELED FROM AN ELECTRICALLY UNGROUNDED DISPENSING NOZZLE.
SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH POWER BRAKE BOOSTERS HAVE FRONT AND REAR SHELLS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY JOINED. IMPROPERLY JOINED BOOSTER SHELLS MAY SEPARATE EITHER PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY DURING BRAKE APPLICATION.
FUEL MAY POSSIBLY TRAVEL THROUGH THE SPEED CONTROL VACUUM LINES AND INTO THE SPEED CONTROL ACTUATION DEVICE (SERV0). THE FUEL CAN DAMAGE SEALS IN THE ACTUATOR SERVO AND ALLOW VACUUM LEAKS. SUCH A LEAK COULD ACTIVATE THE SPEED CONTROL WITHOUT ANY ACTION ON THE PART OF THE DRIVER. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO GRADUALLY ACCELERATE.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, METAL FASTENERS THAT WERE USED TO SECURE THE CARPETING TO THE FLOOR PAN MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY PENETRATED THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS WOULD RESULT IN A SLIGHT FUEL LEAK.
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRE ASSEMBLY THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ROUTED ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONING SUCTION HOSE. THIS HOSE MAY PUSH UP ON THE WIRING HARNESS CAUSING IT TO CONTACT THE HOOD PROP ROD BRACKET ATTACHING BOLT. THIS COULD LEAD TO PENETRATION OR CHAFING OF THE WIRING INSULATION.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATE ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE CORRECT SPECIFICATIONS. BACKING PLATE BOLTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE LOADS EXPERIENCED DURING TRUCK SHIPMENT. IF THE BOLTS LOOSEN FROM THE SPINDLE DURING OPERATION, BACKING PLATE MOVEMENT MAY RESULT IN WEAKENING OR PREMATURE WEAR OF ONE OR BOTH REAR BRAKE TUBES. THIS COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1981 Ford Escort: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 69012 | UNKNOWN |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 604059 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE CORROSION AT THE TERMINALS. *YC |
| 601238 | INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC |
| 51945 | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
| 45947 | SHEET METAL-ROOF PANEL AND DRIP RAIL REPLACEMENT- SEAM SEALER APPLICATION PROCEDURE.*SD |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FAILURE OF SEAT BACK SECURING BOLTS
STALLING AND CARBURETOR MALFUNCTIONS
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE
FRONT SEATBACK FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation