Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1995 Ford Escort, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seat belts152
- Fuel system, gasoline129
- Air bags67
- Engine and engine cooling54
- Electrical system48
- Suspension37
- Power train36
- Service brakes, hydraulic23
- Steering19
- Vehicle speed control18
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 70 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1995 Escort vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1995 Ford Escort failed the safety check 5.84% of the time — 353% more often than the average 1995 passenger car (1.29%). Median odometer at inspection: 88,494 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
147 first registered in 1995 are on Dutch roads; 20% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Band onvoldoende profiel13
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse11
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm10
- Stofhoes aandrijfas beschadigd en dicht niet af9
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen7
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect6
- Roestschade van 1,5 t/m 2,0E of meer dan 15% dikteafname5
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
222 cars built in 1995 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,701 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
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 472 of these cars first registered in 1995 took their annual MOT test. 74% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 1995 the figure was 67%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 1995 |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 9.5% | 11.1% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.5% | 16.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 8.7% | 9.7% |
| Suspension | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 7.2% | 7.0% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 4.7% | 2.6% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
69 of these cars first registered in 1995 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 50,000 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
2 1995 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 8.2–10.5 L/100 km (about 22–29 mpg US), CO₂ 189–242 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escort · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.2 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| Escort Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 9.2 | 7.0 | 8.2 |
| Escort · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.4 | 9.1 |
| Escort Wagon · Station wagon: Small · Regular gasoline | 10.5 | 7.4 | 9.1 |
| Escort · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.0 | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| Escort · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.8 | 8.9 | 10.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1995 Ford Escort.
| 1994171 3 Nov 1994 | Seats And Restraints THE TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM MODULE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY BE MISSING ON SOME VEHICLES. IF THE VEHICL… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO OR WAYNE ASSEMBLY PLANTS AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN NEVADA, FLORIDA, HAWAII, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, LOUISIANA, GEORGIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, MISSISSIPPI, OKLAHOMA, ALABAMA AND ARKANSAS. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.9L ENGINES, BUILT AT THE HERMOSILLO ASSEMBLY PLANT AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ARIZONA. CRACKS CAN DEVELOP IN THE FUEL TANK NEAR THE HEAT SHIELD ATTACHMENT RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE IF THE CRACKS GO THROUGH THE FUEL TANK WALL.
THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE CAN HAVE AN INADEQUATELY WELDED INFLATOR CANISTER.
TWO BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM MODULE TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ARE MISSING. IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL IMPACT, THE MODULE CAN COME OUT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
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 1995 Ford Escort: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627747 | THIS ARITLCE IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON REPLACEMENT OF OLD STYLE HOOD LAMP SWITCH TO THE RVISED MECHANICAL HOOD LAMP SWITCH. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 622804 | SOME VEHICLES PRODUCED THROUGH JULY 1999 MAY EXHIBIT REAR SUSPENSION SPRING FAILURE WITH NO RESULTING OPERATIONAL CONCERN. *TT |
| 618599 | CONCERNS WITH PREMATURE FAILURE OCCURING ON THE 1.9L MOTORCRAFT REMANUFACTURED LONGBLOCK ASSEMBLY AND SHORTBLOCK ASSEMBLY DUE TO INGESTION OF FOREIGN OBJECTS REMAINING IN THE TRANSFERRED INTAKE SYSTEM FROM THE ORIGINAL FAILED ENGINE. *JB |
| 618596 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO REVISED DOOR LATCH SWITCH SERVICE PROCEDURE. *JB |
| 615270 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT BRIEF SPARK KNOCK ON ACCELERATION DURING HOT WEATHER ONCE THE ENGINE HAS THOROUGHLY WARMED UP. *TT |
| 614752 | ENGINEERING IS REVIEWING PASSIVE RESTRAINT (MOTORIZED SEATBELT) SYSTEMS IN CERTAIN VEHICLES. *TT |
| 613910 | SUBJECT REGARDING PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM SERVICE INFORMATION. *TT |
| 613860 | THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES REVISED PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE WORKSHOP MANUAL AND THE ELECTRICAL AND VACCUM TROUBLESHOOTING MANUAL (EVTM). *TT |
| 612739 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH COMPACT DISC CHANGER MAY EXHIBIT A 6 DISC CD CHANGER THAT IS NOT EJECTING THE MAGAZINE OR IS NOT RESPONDING TO COMMAND FROM THE RADIO. |
| 612203 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS |
| 610796 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT GRINDING NOISE, OR GREATER THAN NORMAL BRAKE ROUGHNESS, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALLING MOTORCRAFT FRONT BRAKE PAD PART NUMBER BR-18 (XU2Z-2V001-RA). *T |
| 610688 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON PASSIVE RESTRAINT (MOTORIZED SEATBELT) SYSTEMS. *TT |
| 609692 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT GRINDING NOISES, OR GREATER THAN NORMAL BRAKE ROUGHNESS WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALLING MOTORCRAFT BR-18 FRONT BRAKE PAD. *TT |
| 6090087 | INFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE SAFETY, AND PERFORMANCE CONCERNS IF INSTALLED IN FORD A/C SYSTEMS. *TT |
| 6090085 | SERVICE INFORMATION FOR MUSTY AND MILDEW TYPE ODORS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING / HEATING SYSTEM. *TT |
| 6090082 | INFORMATION FOR SERVICING AND DIAGNOSING BRAKE VIBRATION, BRAKE INSPECTION, AND BRAKE FRICTION MATERIAL REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 6089681 | SUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. *TT |
| 608431 | INFORMATION ON THE NEW FLUSH AND FILL TOOL AVAILABLE THROUGH ROTUNDA. *TT |
| 607147 | NEW MESSAGE CONCERNING DTC'S 172/181 AND 186. *AK |
| 606508 | CONDITIONS WITH THE BRAKE LAMPS INADVERTENTLY DISABLING THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation