1996 Ford Escort Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 1996 Ford Escort, and owners have filed 205 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 1996 Ford Escort. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
205 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Ford Escort have filed 205 complaints with NHTSA; 23 describe a crash and 7 describe a fire. Reports cite 25 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 91,814 miles. Complaints peaked in 2000 with 41 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 11, 2016 · Fuel/propulsion system
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 23, 2015 · Seat belts
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Ford Escort (Escort Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 22–30 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 20–26 / 27–35 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.8/1.9 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Ford Escort model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Ford Escort model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 Ford Escort | 10 | 1 |
| 1982 Ford Escort | 5 | 4 |
| 1983 Ford Escort | 5 | 7 |
| 1984 Ford Escort | 3 | 21 |
| 1985 Ford Escort | 3 | 26 |
| 1986 Ford Escort | 2 | 45 |
| 1987 Ford Escort | 3 | 56 |
| 1988 Ford Escort | 2 | 143 |
| 1989 Ford Escort | 1 | 152 |
| 1990 Ford Escort | 2 | 101 |
| 1991 Ford Escort | 3 | 327 |
| 1992 Ford Escort | 2 | 162 |
| 1993 Ford Escort | 1 | 379 |
| 1994 Ford Escort | 1 | 279 |
| 1995 Ford Escort | 4 | 576 |
| 1996 Ford Escort | 0 | 205 |
| 1997 Ford Escort | 1 | 543 |
| 1998 Ford Escort | 0 | 375 |
| 1999 Ford Escort | 1 | 325 |
| 2000 Ford Escort | 1 | 98 |
| 2001 Ford Escort | 0 | 68 |
| 2002 Ford Escort | 0 | 33 |
| 2003 Ford Escort | 0 | 10 |
Checking a specific 1996 Ford Escort
How do I know if my 1996 Ford Escort has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Ford models
- F-15037,961 complaints
- Explorer34,566 complaints
- Escape27,430 complaints
- Fusion22,405 complaints
- Focus22,096 complaints
- Taurus18,159 complaints
- Windstar14,158 complaints
- Edge14,065 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.