1997 Ford Escort Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 1997 Ford Escort, and owners have filed 543 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 1997 Ford Escort
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive
On certain passenger vehicles, the integrated air bag monitor (iabm) can be contaminated with water or other liquids and could experience internal electrical shorting.
Remedy: 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…
543 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1997 Ford Escort have filed 543 complaints with NHTSA; 67 describe a crash and 83 describe a fire. Reports cite 65 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 80,477 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 102 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 7, 2023 · Fuel/propulsion system
“Flashing air bag readiness light in a "51" pattern.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 24, 2019 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1997 Ford Escort (Escort Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–28 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 23–24 / 31–34 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars, Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 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 1997 Ford Escort
How do I know if my 1997 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. 1 campaign currently lists the 1997 Ford Escort; your car may already have been repaired under it.
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 (for example 02V323000).
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.